Job Description

Job description

Cambridgeshire Project Lead

Responsible to: Service Director

Location: Cambridgeshire with regular travel to Baca Office in Loughborough and Leicestershire

Hours: 30 hours per week

Salary: Pro rata of £25000 - £30000 per annum

Contract: Fixed Term – 2 years.

Overall purpose

• To take the lead in evaluating options, producing a plan and delivering the first stage of creating Baca’s holistic supported accommodation service in a new location, namely Cambridgeshire.  Through the service we aim to empower unaccompanied asylum seeking young people with dignity, strength and hope inspiring them to become individuals who are net contributors to society.
• To partner with social workers, representatives from other agencies, community groups and voluntary sector organisations for the benefit of the young people.

Duties & responsibilities

Service development

• Work closely with the leadership team (LT) to project manage the establishment of Baca’s rebuild service for unaccompanied young people aged 16+ in Cambridgeshire, in line with Baca’s vision, mission and values.
• Research and identify the most suitable options, in line with Baca’s theory of change and values, necessary for the delivery of Baca’s rebuild service in Cambridgeshire. This includes identifying educational provision, housing, access to community facilities and local amenities, taking into account the needs - physical, emotional, safety, social, cultural and religious - of the young people.
• Recommend a project plan to the LT for the establishment of the rebuild service.
• Establish and maintain excellent working relationships with relevant external stakeholders with proactivity and problem solving initiative, in line with the project plan.
• Co-ordinate meetings & events for internal and external stakeholders as required and manage feedback.
• Project manage progress and risks in line with the project plan, and the resources allocated to it, authorised by the lt.
• Be an active member of the management team (MT) at Baca, to ensure cohesive and coordinated approach to establishing the new service.
• Work closely with the MT to ensure that all processes, procedures and practises of the project are compliant with Baca’s systems.

General

• Embrace the vision and values of Baca and reflect this in working practice.
• Play an active and supportive role within the organisation.
• Be highly organised with an attention to detail.
• Maintain strict confidentiality in relation to work undertaken and ensure all confidential material is stored and or shared according to Baca’s confidentiality statement and data protection policy.
• Treat all staff and young people with respect, in line with Baca’s equality and diversity policy
• Adhere to all Baca’s policies and procedures.

Ability to work flexible hours, including occasional evenings and weekends, in line with the needs of the team.

Personal specification

Baca is looking for someone who can take the lead in project managing the establishment of our young people’s service in Cambridgeshire. The young people supported by us are unaccompanied asylum seekers aged 16 to 18, some of whom are victims of trafficking. You will be passionate about our work and able to interact well and empathise with the young people in our care. You will be very organised and able to work to develop robust frameworks and systems that will release staff. You will be a great people person who can develop key external relationships and work well with the staff team, linking in with the culture of family that exists within the organisation.
The successful applicant will have the ability to ensure the project plan is followed in line with Baca’s vision, values and strategic goals. The role will require the successful candidate to complete an enhanced DBS check. The ability to travel across the UK when required, include overnight stays, is essential.

Qualifications/knowledge/experience

• Experience of researched, evaluated, developed and executed community development projects, including managing budgets.
• Experience of managing projects strategically and tactically. Able to understand the big picture and apply this to the details, communicating this with the wider team and stakeholders.
• Experience in working with vulnerable young people and an understanding of cross cultural issues in working with asylum seekers.
• Experience of working with statutory and voluntary agencies within the UK.
• Experience working in multidisciplinary teams across multiple teams and across wide range of stakeholders.
• Experience and/ or ability to develop and implement effective monitoring & evaluation systems and produce written reports is desirable.  
• Experience of developing and implementing effective operational systems, policies and procedures is desirable.

Skills/abilities

• Empathy with unaccompanied asylum seeking children and their diverse needs.
• Strong interpersonal, emotional intelligence and teamwork skills to build partnerships with wide range of stakeholders.
• Ability to use own initiative, within the accountability structure, to project manage the service development.
• Strong organisational skills with an ability to work efficiently under pressure, prioritise, and deliver multiple projects to tight deadlines
• Strong verbal communication skills, able to communicate professionally and sensitively with a wide range of contacts in culturally diverse settings.
• Excellent writing skills, able to summarise information accurately, draft clear internal reports and appropriately communicate to external audiences.
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft office.
• Tenacity and ability to get stuck in where required.
• Knowledge of health & safety issues and procedures as they relate to a public community building; community kitchen, projects, and users etc is desirable.