Job summary
Reporting to Heads On's Grants and Programmes Manager, this role is critical in delivering our newly funded Oral History Project: Living Histories. Living Histories aims to capture and preserve the life stories of people who used NHS Mental Health services during the Covid-19 pandemic, putting people's experiences of the pandemic within the context of their whole lives. The project will also capture the stories of people working in these services.
We are seeking a highly organised and experienced Project Manager. You will be responsible for collaboratively developing and implementing project plans and coordinating with stakeholders to ensure a successful project completion. You will have experience conducting oral history research, content development, conducting interviews and exhibit a keen interest in history, culture and heritage.
This project is a unique and exciting opportunity. You will provide clear direction and support, working with volunteers, service users, clinical and non-clinical colleagues and the Heads On Team to recruit and train volunteers to conduct interviews and recruit staff and service users to participate in the interviews.
Working with external partners you will arrange exhibitions to highlight the stories and signpost to the online exhibition.
This exciting, varied and engaging post, working as part of a dedicated team supporting Mental Health across Sussex, is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, NHS Charities Together and Heads On.
Main duties of the job
The Oral History Project Manager will lead delivery of Heads On's Oral History Project: Living Histories. Core Purpose is to:
- Collect, document and interpret oral histories relating to the heritage of people in Sussex who have used and/or worked in NHS mental health services from the closure of the old asylums up to and including the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Recruit, train, supervise and support a team of volunteer oral history interviewers,
- Manage the delivery of a series of public exhibitions of the project in external partner venues.
- Manage the transfer of the permanent archive of the project to The Keep at the University of Sussex.
About us
The Heads On team is creative, passionate and excited to welcome you to join us.
Heads On is SPFT's official NHS charity. SPFT provides mental health care and learning disability services across Sussex, specialist children's mental health services in Sussex and Hampshire, and dementia services across Sussex. As an NHS charity, we do everything we can to help make life better for the people who come to SPFT for help.
The Covid-19 pandemic transformed the role of NHS charities, shining a spotlight on the work we do to enhance NHS care. At the same time; we have never been more needed and want to do our very best to support our local communities. Our strategic focus for 2021-2025 is working to address health inequalities faced by people across Sussex, particularly people with mental health problems, learning disabilities and neurodivergent conditions.
This is an exciting time to join us, as we build on our strong foundations to make a real difference in how people's health is supported following the pandemic across the healthcare system in Sussex.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Work with Heads On team and Corporate Trustee to deliver the specified outcomes of the project.
- Manage the project's budget and financial reporting.
- Line manage the project's Expert by Experience.
- Manage the project's Steering Group including convening meetings.
- Commission the Oral History Society to support the programme's delivery and training.
- Recruit and train/organise training for volunteers in order to undertake oral history interviews.
- Develop an oral history training programme for volunteer interviewers.
- Co-ordinate the work of volunteer oral history historians in order to achieve agreed standards and targets within the specified time and budget, and to maintain effective working relationships.
- Develop and implement recording and archiving protocols for the oral history project
- Manage the transcription and editing of oral histories including commissioning freelance transcribers and editors.
- Identify opportunities to enhance the value of the oral histories through the collection of related objects, images and archives.
- Manage the delivery of a programme of temporary exhibitions that make peoples stories accessible to wider audiences.
- Work with the stakeholder group to ensure their effective input into the project.
- Contribute to the ongoing evaluation of the project.
- Liaise with project funders to ensure co-ordination and effective input into the project.
- Manage the online presence of the project, including content development for Heads On's website.
- To ensure that reasonable care is taken at all times for the health, safety, and welfare of you and other persons and to comply with the policies and procedures relating to health and safety.
- Working alongside clinical colleagues and people with lived experience, develop an oral history protocol for the project to ensure the safety and wellbeing of volunteers and participants, including appropriate safeguarding.
- Manage the evaluation of the project, including producing funder reports as required.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Work with Heads On team and Corporate Trustee to deliver the specified outcomes of the project.
- Manage the project's budget and financial reporting.
- Line manage the project's Expert by Experience.
- Manage the project's Steering Group including convening meetings.
- Commission the Oral History Society to support the programme's delivery and training.
- Recruit and train/organise training for volunteers in order to undertake oral history interviews.
- Develop an oral history training programme for volunteer interviewers.
- Co-ordinate the work of volunteer oral history historians in order to achieve agreed standards and targets within the specified time and budget, and to maintain effective working relationships.
- Develop and implement recording and archiving protocols for the oral history project
- Manage the transcription and editing of oral histories including commissioning freelance transcribers and editors.
- Identify opportunities to enhance the value of the oral histories through the collection of related objects, images and archives.
- Manage the delivery of a programme of temporary exhibitions that make peoples stories accessible to wider audiences.
- Work with the stakeholder group to ensure their effective input into the project.
- Contribute to the ongoing evaluation of the project.
- Liaise with project funders to ensure co-ordination and effective input into the project.
- Manage the online presence of the project, including content development for Heads On's website.
- To ensure that reasonable care is taken at all times for the health, safety, and welfare of you and other persons and to comply with the policies and procedures relating to health and safety.
- Working alongside clinical colleagues and people with lived experience, develop an oral history protocol for the project to ensure the safety and wellbeing of volunteers and participants, including appropriate safeguarding.
- Manage the evaluation of the project, including producing funder reports as required.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level, preferably in history or another relevant subject, or with equivalent professional experience.
Desirable
- Post-graduate qualification in history or heritage studies.
- Project Management Qualification
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level, preferably in history or another relevant subject, or with equivalent professional experience.
Desirable
- Post-graduate qualification in history or heritage studies.
- Project Management Qualification
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).
