Job summary
As the Head of Community Development &
Volunteering, you will play a pivotal role in advancing our hospice's vision
and goals through innovative community engagement and a volunteering programme
which is forward-thinking and robust.
Working alongside the Director of Partnerships, the
Hospice Senior Leadership Team, Heads of Department and Team Leaders, you'll
set strategic directions and ensure these are effectively implemented to our
many communities with the care and support we deliver and enhance our volunteer
programmes to offer opportunities to be involved with our hospice with all.
This is a new role and you will have the
opportunity to shape the way you prioritise and deliver your responsibilities.
We are unusual in that we group volunteering together with community
development - and you will embrace community-led approaches to volunteering and
recruitment.
Main duties of the job
- Strategic Leadership
- Program Development
- Team Development
- Operational Excellence
- Financial Stewardship
- Sector Insight
- Community Relations
- Culture Champion
About us
Greenwich & Bexley Community
Hospice (GBCH) is a charity dedicated to providing free, high quality,
compassionate care and support for adults with terminal illnesses, their
families, and their professional carers in the London Boroughs of Royal Greenwich
and Bexley. At any one time we are caring for around 750 people and in total we
care for around 3,000 people each year in the community; in their homes, care
homes, in our hospice beds and hospice-based clinics, in the local prisons and
in hospital.
We are a prominent and respected
charity at the heart of the local community. We believe that every person
facing death should have the best quality of life possible, experience dignity,
peace and comfort and be supported to make the choices that are right for them.
We have approximately 200 amazing colleagues and 400 fantastic volunteers
across our organisation who work together towards this goal.
There is nothing else like
working for a hospice. Hospice care is about creating memories with loved ones,
support when facing difficult choices and its about living to the fullest.
Your talent and expertise will bring this very special kind of care to families
when they need it most and you will see the impact of your work on a daily
basis.
Job description
Job responsibilities
About the Job:
The Hospice was founded by volunteers who were passionate about wanting a hospice to be based in their local community to support the local community in Greenwich and Bexley. You will build upon this story, ensuring that the communities which make up the two boroughs we serve are aware of what we do to support them and that our volunteering programme enables people to offer their support, however they are able, whilst also enjoying the benefits that volunteering can bring.
This is a hugely exciting time to join the hospice team. We will imminently be launching our bold and confident new brand with a rebuilt website and will have the tools to amplify the contributions our teams make. For the first time, we are working to a dedicated sub-strategy which sets out our vision for how we intend working with our volunteers and local communities to ensure that we build upon the strong community that exists in our corner of South East London.
The Head of Community Development & Volunteering role is a new role to the hospice, reflecting our determination to work in a systematic and creative way with our communities and to enable us to take a more strategic view of volunteering support. The role will build upon successful recent work, such as our Compassionate Neighbours, our Young Ward Volunteers programme and the vast amount of learning from during the pandemic, to ensure we are able to continue to innovate and deliver opportunities in a sustainable way that contributes to the hospice's ongoing success.
Key Responsibilities:
- Strategic Leadership: Spearhead the execution and refinement of our community development and engagement strategy, aligning with the hospices vision and operational objectives.
- Program Development: Craft and oversee a dynamic volunteering and community development program, ensuring it supports our strategic goals and adapts to external changes.
- Team Development: Build and empower the Community Development & Volunteering Team, nurturing a collaborative and productive environment that aligns with our strategic objectives and engagement priorities.
- Operational Excellence: Manage the team to achieve excellence in delivery, setting clear KPIs and objectives, providing necessary resources and support, and fostering their professional growth.
- Financial Stewardship: Oversee the budget for community development and volunteering, ensuring efficient allocation of resources and evaluation of initiatives.
- Sector Insight: Stay abreast of trends in community engagement, volunteering, and the broader hospice sector, leveraging insights to enhance our programs and volunteer base.
- Community Relations: Work closely with the Chief Executive, Senior Leadership Team and Hospice Leadership Team to strengthen our engagement with volunteers and community stakeholders, ensuring a strategic and effective presence.
- Culture Champion: Foster a vibrant, inclusive work culture that encourages cross-team collaboration and initiative.
Engagement and Equity:
- Commit to equity, actively engaging with communities to understand and meet their end-of-life care needs, ensuring our decisions and services are informed and equitable.
- Expand our involvement in civic life, building informal networks to increase awareness and understanding of the hospice's role
Volunteering:
- Advocate for the value of volunteering, ensuring a safe, supportive environment that recognizes volunteers' contributions to the hospice.
- Design and lead our Widening Participation Programme to support volunteers seeking employment and collaborate with departments to meet their volunteer needs effectively.
- Establish and maintain systems to enhance volunteer recruitment, training, and retention, prioritising their wellbeing and safety.
- Ensure that our volunteers are connected to the hospice community and are able to be advocates for the support we provide.
Compassionate Neighbours:
- Embrace and promote the importance of community support for those nearing the end of life, aiming to alleviate loneliness and engage volunteers from diverse backgrounds.
- Innovate in recruiting Compassionate Neighbours and ensure those in need are matched with supportive volunteers, sharing stories and insights to broaden the program's impact.
Join us in this rewarding role, where your leadership will directly impact the lives of many, fostering a compassionate community and a supportive volunteer network.
Design and implement creative and innovative ways of ensuring that the programme reaches all people who might benefit from involvement, by ensuring that we are building awareness with community leaders, as well as statutory partners within the Integrated Care Board and Local Authorities
Job description
Job responsibilities
About the Job:
The Hospice was founded by volunteers who were passionate about wanting a hospice to be based in their local community to support the local community in Greenwich and Bexley. You will build upon this story, ensuring that the communities which make up the two boroughs we serve are aware of what we do to support them and that our volunteering programme enables people to offer their support, however they are able, whilst also enjoying the benefits that volunteering can bring.
This is a hugely exciting time to join the hospice team. We will imminently be launching our bold and confident new brand with a rebuilt website and will have the tools to amplify the contributions our teams make. For the first time, we are working to a dedicated sub-strategy which sets out our vision for how we intend working with our volunteers and local communities to ensure that we build upon the strong community that exists in our corner of South East London.
The Head of Community Development & Volunteering role is a new role to the hospice, reflecting our determination to work in a systematic and creative way with our communities and to enable us to take a more strategic view of volunteering support. The role will build upon successful recent work, such as our Compassionate Neighbours, our Young Ward Volunteers programme and the vast amount of learning from during the pandemic, to ensure we are able to continue to innovate and deliver opportunities in a sustainable way that contributes to the hospice's ongoing success.
Key Responsibilities:
- Strategic Leadership: Spearhead the execution and refinement of our community development and engagement strategy, aligning with the hospices vision and operational objectives.
- Program Development: Craft and oversee a dynamic volunteering and community development program, ensuring it supports our strategic goals and adapts to external changes.
- Team Development: Build and empower the Community Development & Volunteering Team, nurturing a collaborative and productive environment that aligns with our strategic objectives and engagement priorities.
- Operational Excellence: Manage the team to achieve excellence in delivery, setting clear KPIs and objectives, providing necessary resources and support, and fostering their professional growth.
- Financial Stewardship: Oversee the budget for community development and volunteering, ensuring efficient allocation of resources and evaluation of initiatives.
- Sector Insight: Stay abreast of trends in community engagement, volunteering, and the broader hospice sector, leveraging insights to enhance our programs and volunteer base.
- Community Relations: Work closely with the Chief Executive, Senior Leadership Team and Hospice Leadership Team to strengthen our engagement with volunteers and community stakeholders, ensuring a strategic and effective presence.
- Culture Champion: Foster a vibrant, inclusive work culture that encourages cross-team collaboration and initiative.
Engagement and Equity:
- Commit to equity, actively engaging with communities to understand and meet their end-of-life care needs, ensuring our decisions and services are informed and equitable.
- Expand our involvement in civic life, building informal networks to increase awareness and understanding of the hospice's role
Volunteering:
- Advocate for the value of volunteering, ensuring a safe, supportive environment that recognizes volunteers' contributions to the hospice.
- Design and lead our Widening Participation Programme to support volunteers seeking employment and collaborate with departments to meet their volunteer needs effectively.
- Establish and maintain systems to enhance volunteer recruitment, training, and retention, prioritising their wellbeing and safety.
- Ensure that our volunteers are connected to the hospice community and are able to be advocates for the support we provide.
Compassionate Neighbours:
- Embrace and promote the importance of community support for those nearing the end of life, aiming to alleviate loneliness and engage volunteers from diverse backgrounds.
- Innovate in recruiting Compassionate Neighbours and ensure those in need are matched with supportive volunteers, sharing stories and insights to broaden the program's impact.
Join us in this rewarding role, where your leadership will directly impact the lives of many, fostering a compassionate community and a supportive volunteer network.
Design and implement creative and innovative ways of ensuring that the programme reaches all people who might benefit from involvement, by ensuring that we are building awareness with community leaders, as well as statutory partners within the Integrated Care Board and Local Authorities
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent; alternatively have proven work experience with transferrable skills.
Desirable
- Educated to degree level or equivalent in a field related to the role, e.g. Social Sciences, Community Development, Business Administration, etc; alternatively have proven work experience in a field related to the role with transferrable skills.
- Educated to a masters level or equivalent; alternatively have proven work experience with transferrable skills.
Experience
Essential
- Proven experience in strategic planning and implementation within community development and/or volunteer management or the voluntary sector.
- Demonstrable experience in leading and managing teams to achieve organizational objectives.
- Solid background in budget management, planning, and evaluation of community programs.
- Experience in stakeholder engagement and partnership development across a variety of sectors.
- Familiarity with the voluntary or third sector.
Desirable
- Experience in implementing equity and inclusion programs.
- Knowledge of current trends and best practices in volunteering, community engagement, and the third sector.
- Experience in developing and implementing training programs for staff and volunteers.
- Familiarity with the hospice environment or the broader health and social care sector.
- Experience of change management.
- Experience of implementing new databases and systems.
- Experience of investigating complaints and incidents, ensuring a learning culture and making the most of opportunities to improve programme delivery.
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Commitment to the Hospice's values and to improving awareness and access to end of life care and support.
- Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and an understanding of how this applies to own area of work.
- Exceptional leadership and team-building skills, with the ability to inspire, motivate, and develop a diverse team.
- Strong strategic thinking and planning skills, with the ability to translate vision into actionable plans.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, capable of effectively engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including volunteers, community leaders, and senior management.
- Sophisticated communication style, with ability to adapt to a range of audiences without compromising the impact of the message.
- Proficiency in financial and resource management, with the ability to oversee budgets and allocate resources efficiently.
- Strong problem-solving skills, with the capacity to adapt to changing environments and challenges.
Desirable
- Ability to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Skills in data analysis and use of data to inform decision-making and measure impact.
- Experience with digital tools and platforms for community engagement and volunteer management.
General
Essential
- Ability to work occasionally outside of standard office hours, including evenings and weekends.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent; alternatively have proven work experience with transferrable skills.
Desirable
- Educated to degree level or equivalent in a field related to the role, e.g. Social Sciences, Community Development, Business Administration, etc; alternatively have proven work experience in a field related to the role with transferrable skills.
- Educated to a masters level or equivalent; alternatively have proven work experience with transferrable skills.
Experience
Essential
- Proven experience in strategic planning and implementation within community development and/or volunteer management or the voluntary sector.
- Demonstrable experience in leading and managing teams to achieve organizational objectives.
- Solid background in budget management, planning, and evaluation of community programs.
- Experience in stakeholder engagement and partnership development across a variety of sectors.
- Familiarity with the voluntary or third sector.
Desirable
- Experience in implementing equity and inclusion programs.
- Knowledge of current trends and best practices in volunteering, community engagement, and the third sector.
- Experience in developing and implementing training programs for staff and volunteers.
- Familiarity with the hospice environment or the broader health and social care sector.
- Experience of change management.
- Experience of implementing new databases and systems.
- Experience of investigating complaints and incidents, ensuring a learning culture and making the most of opportunities to improve programme delivery.
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Commitment to the Hospice's values and to improving awareness and access to end of life care and support.
- Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and an understanding of how this applies to own area of work.
- Exceptional leadership and team-building skills, with the ability to inspire, motivate, and develop a diverse team.
- Strong strategic thinking and planning skills, with the ability to translate vision into actionable plans.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, capable of effectively engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including volunteers, community leaders, and senior management.
- Sophisticated communication style, with ability to adapt to a range of audiences without compromising the impact of the message.
- Proficiency in financial and resource management, with the ability to oversee budgets and allocate resources efficiently.
- Strong problem-solving skills, with the capacity to adapt to changing environments and challenges.
Desirable
- Ability to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Skills in data analysis and use of data to inform decision-making and measure impact.
- Experience with digital tools and platforms for community engagement and volunteer management.
General
Essential
- Ability to work occasionally outside of standard office hours, including evenings and weekends.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
