Job summary
Volunteering is vital to UHSussex and not only because of the contribution volunteers make across the seven hospitals of the Trust but also the opportunity volunteering provides to engage and connect people from the wider community within which the Trust works.
The Head of Volunteering will provide leadership, support, and guidance to the volunteering team. With overall responsibility for day-to-day management of the three volunteering teams, you will work to ensure that our service responds to the need of the Trust whilst providing a rewarding, high-quality, experience for volunteers.
- Previous applicants need not apply -
Main duties of the job
You will work to develop an operating framework for the service that ensures a joint and integrated approach across all three teams alongside developing, expanding, and improving our volunteer opportunities, policies and procedures, quality standards and assurance processes.
You will also work with the Director of Charities and Voluntary Services to support an options appraisal aimed at assessing strategic and operational potentials for the service in line with the Trust's ambitions for Patient First.
This is an interim role for 18 months. The idea ideal candidate will have strategic experience of managing, developing, and mentoring teams, have experience of working with volunteer / patient / community groups and be confident and comfortable engaging with volunteers.
About us
Join us at UHSussex, every day is different, you can be the change, better never stops
At UHSx we're proud to be at the heart of the NHS. As one of the UK's largest acute Trusts, we're a leading example of the excellence, the ambition and the values that have embodied the NHS for over 70 years.
Improving lives: We are a vibrant and inclusive organisation, with hardworking, talented and dedicated individuals, who work together towards a common goal, to always put our Patient First. Our mission is summed up by our 'where better never stops' motto and no matter the role at UHSx, you will play a part in driving us forwards and in improving the lives of patients across Sussex. We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We're here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our wellbeing programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
Build a career with us: As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Management
- Work to develop and implement a VS management architecture that ensures the effective day to day management of the three VS teams.
- Support the development of recruitment, training, deployment, monitoring & evaluation frameworks/pathways that ensure the effective recruitment, promotion and retention of volunteers across UHSussex.
- Work to oversee the development of an end-to-end volunteer supporter care journey to ensure that every volunteer feels valued, included and informed.
- Devise formal and informal ways of recognising and celebrating the contributions of volunteers.
- Organise Trust and VS-wide events that celebrate volunteers commitment, providing activities to keep them engaged, and provide new opportunities to be developed.
- Work with the VS Managers to identify and coordinate training needs for volunteers.
- Ensure effective systems are in place to manage all aspects of volunteering, making them as streamlined and automated as appropriate; that accurate data is entered into all data collection systems manual or electronic.
- Implement and follow a system to ensure that regular reviews and relevant updates of processes, procedures or guidelines are carried out.
- Ensure that the impact of the volunteer work is recorded, monitored, and evaluated.
- Develop partnerships with local communities and devise and work with the VS Managers to deliver a strategy to improve inclusivity and diversity across the VS.
Financial Management
- Oversight and accountability for the VS operational budget. This will include forecasting, variance analysis and re-profiling of budget lines where required and appropriate.
- Responsibility for ensuring compliance with any relevant legislative or regulatory requirements for volunteers.
- To proactively manage the VS risk register, and risks, taking corrective and mitigating action where necessary.
- Ensure the VS teams work follows the Trust SFIs, and financial protocols, in line with the Procurement framework, to ensure high standards and that value for money is consistently achieved.
Communications
- Co-ordinate and manage a volunteer communications plan for the year to include communications, engagement opportunities and events.
- Contribute to Trust communications activity through the placement of articles, news stories and content to help raise awareness of volunteering opportunities and the impact that volunteers make to UHSussex.
Service Delivery and Improvement
- Oversee management and continued employment of Assemble and other systems to support the effective delivery of the VS programme.
- Act as a figurehead building strong professional relationships with other civil society volunteering organisations to develop the standing and gravitas of the Trust VS.
- Lead a safe working culture and a preventative approach to mitigate risks within the service.
- To lead on all financial aspects of VS including budgeting, monitoring expenditures, reforecasting, cashflow analysis, expenses approval in partnership with the Finance business partner.
- Review appropriate legal and other contracts within the VS as required and appropriate. Charity in conjunction with the wider grants and compliance function.
- Manage decisions on resource allocation, such as when and where to deploy staff resource, when to procure sub-contractors and consultants, to service evolving VS workstreams by the most efficient means.
People Management and Development
- Line manages the three VS Managers.
- Knowledge and skills of human resources, and the ability to act sensitively and effectively.
- Promote equality, diversity and inclusion, ensuring the VS develops to meet the needs of specific and minority groups.
- Capable of handling and diffusing complaints, managing grievance and disciplinary procedures when necessary.
- Coach and develop staff.
- Build and maintain effective relationships with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders, representing in accordance with Trust values.
- Present complex and sensitive information to a range of internal and external stakeholders taking into consideration the Data Protection Act and Trust policies and procedures, ensuring confidentiality where necessary.
- Share knowledge and expertise across the service and Trust.
- Comply with Trust-wide staff management policies and procedures.
- Ensure staff have annual appraisals and Personal Development Plans.
Learning and Development
- Attend mandatory training updates as required.
- Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with the line manager as part of the personal development process.
- Achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales.
- Identify own learning needs and jointly plan training requirements with your line manager.
- Participate in the Trusts appraisal process to discuss how your role will help deliver the best possible care to our patients and help to deliver any changes in service.
The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the department and the organisation.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Management
- Work to develop and implement a VS management architecture that ensures the effective day to day management of the three VS teams.
- Support the development of recruitment, training, deployment, monitoring & evaluation frameworks/pathways that ensure the effective recruitment, promotion and retention of volunteers across UHSussex.
- Work to oversee the development of an end-to-end volunteer supporter care journey to ensure that every volunteer feels valued, included and informed.
- Devise formal and informal ways of recognising and celebrating the contributions of volunteers.
- Organise Trust and VS-wide events that celebrate volunteers commitment, providing activities to keep them engaged, and provide new opportunities to be developed.
- Work with the VS Managers to identify and coordinate training needs for volunteers.
- Ensure effective systems are in place to manage all aspects of volunteering, making them as streamlined and automated as appropriate; that accurate data is entered into all data collection systems manual or electronic.
- Implement and follow a system to ensure that regular reviews and relevant updates of processes, procedures or guidelines are carried out.
- Ensure that the impact of the volunteer work is recorded, monitored, and evaluated.
- Develop partnerships with local communities and devise and work with the VS Managers to deliver a strategy to improve inclusivity and diversity across the VS.
Financial Management
- Oversight and accountability for the VS operational budget. This will include forecasting, variance analysis and re-profiling of budget lines where required and appropriate.
- Responsibility for ensuring compliance with any relevant legislative or regulatory requirements for volunteers.
- To proactively manage the VS risk register, and risks, taking corrective and mitigating action where necessary.
- Ensure the VS teams work follows the Trust SFIs, and financial protocols, in line with the Procurement framework, to ensure high standards and that value for money is consistently achieved.
Communications
- Co-ordinate and manage a volunteer communications plan for the year to include communications, engagement opportunities and events.
- Contribute to Trust communications activity through the placement of articles, news stories and content to help raise awareness of volunteering opportunities and the impact that volunteers make to UHSussex.
Service Delivery and Improvement
- Oversee management and continued employment of Assemble and other systems to support the effective delivery of the VS programme.
- Act as a figurehead building strong professional relationships with other civil society volunteering organisations to develop the standing and gravitas of the Trust VS.
- Lead a safe working culture and a preventative approach to mitigate risks within the service.
- To lead on all financial aspects of VS including budgeting, monitoring expenditures, reforecasting, cashflow analysis, expenses approval in partnership with the Finance business partner.
- Review appropriate legal and other contracts within the VS as required and appropriate. Charity in conjunction with the wider grants and compliance function.
- Manage decisions on resource allocation, such as when and where to deploy staff resource, when to procure sub-contractors and consultants, to service evolving VS workstreams by the most efficient means.
People Management and Development
- Line manages the three VS Managers.
- Knowledge and skills of human resources, and the ability to act sensitively and effectively.
- Promote equality, diversity and inclusion, ensuring the VS develops to meet the needs of specific and minority groups.
- Capable of handling and diffusing complaints, managing grievance and disciplinary procedures when necessary.
- Coach and develop staff.
- Build and maintain effective relationships with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders, representing in accordance with Trust values.
- Present complex and sensitive information to a range of internal and external stakeholders taking into consideration the Data Protection Act and Trust policies and procedures, ensuring confidentiality where necessary.
- Share knowledge and expertise across the service and Trust.
- Comply with Trust-wide staff management policies and procedures.
- Ensure staff have annual appraisals and Personal Development Plans.
Learning and Development
- Attend mandatory training updates as required.
- Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with the line manager as part of the personal development process.
- Achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales.
- Identify own learning needs and jointly plan training requirements with your line manager.
- Participate in the Trusts appraisal process to discuss how your role will help deliver the best possible care to our patients and help to deliver any changes in service.
The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the department and the organisation.
Person Specification
Essential
Essential
- Degree qualification or equivalent with knowledge acquired through experience or by knowledge development to postgraduate level
- Masters qualification or equivalent knowledge and experience
- Extensive experience of working in a non-profit or NHS setting or equivalent
- Highly developed IT skills
- Provide written and verbal briefings to all stakeholders on all volunteering activities.
- Experience of line management and supporting the development of others
- Ability to take responsibility for large-scale projects affecting the whole VS including budget
Desirable
- Completion of project management skills course, e.g. PRINCE2
- Up to date knowledge of non-profit / NHS volunteering policies, best practice and developments
- Experience of working with volunteers
- Knowledge of procurement pathways gained in a large, complex organisation.
- Expert knowledge of risk management systems including DATIX and EVOTIX.
- Expert knowledge of Health Roster or similar organisational workforce planner.
Person Specification
Essential
Essential
- Degree qualification or equivalent with knowledge acquired through experience or by knowledge development to postgraduate level
- Masters qualification or equivalent knowledge and experience
- Extensive experience of working in a non-profit or NHS setting or equivalent
- Highly developed IT skills
- Provide written and verbal briefings to all stakeholders on all volunteering activities.
- Experience of line management and supporting the development of others
- Ability to take responsibility for large-scale projects affecting the whole VS including budget
Desirable
- Completion of project management skills course, e.g. PRINCE2
- Up to date knowledge of non-profit / NHS volunteering policies, best practice and developments
- Experience of working with volunteers
- Knowledge of procurement pathways gained in a large, complex organisation.
- Expert knowledge of risk management systems including DATIX and EVOTIX.
- Expert knowledge of Health Roster or similar organisational workforce planner.
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
