Job Description

Sutton Community Works (SCW) is a Christian charity in South London. Sutton Foodbank is one of our faith in action projects and we are looking for a dedicated manager to oversee the smooth delivery of this amazing project supported by almost 100 volunteers!

Our vision is for our faith in action projects to contribute to a safe and flourishing community in Sutton.

Our work focuses on areas including food poverty, young people, rough sleepers and homelessness. In all our work, our ethos is to love God and others in all we do and say, ensuring people feel seen, heard, understood, and helped.

Sutton Foodbank has been helping people in food crisis since 2009, and supported nearly 4000 adults and children in 2024. We are open 5 times per week across 4 different venues and people are referred to by referral partners across the borough. Details of our sessions can be found on Sutton Foobank website.

Sessions are run by our dedicated volunteers who come from local churches; and our dependable warehouse, restocking and transport volunteers always ensure food gets safely to where it is needed.

People visiting the foodbank come from a vast variety of backgrounds but all have faced difficult life experiences. Beyond food, we also want people to access support to improve their situation, so we commision Citizens Advice to come to the foodbank sessions to help people maximise their income and provide advice on topics such as housing, debt and benefits.

And as a Christian project we underpin everything with prayer, and actively offer prayer to our clients too. The genuine care and compassion from our volunteers helps to build trusting relationships so we can more effectively listen, pray and signpost people to other support. 

As our Foodbank Manager, you can use your leadership experience, excellent communication and organisational skills and Christian faith in a way that makes a real difference in people's lives.

Could you come and lead this amazing project?!

Salary: £32,000 per annum (plus 5% pension commencing from successful completion of probation period).

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Working Pattern: Monday – Friday, 9am – 5:30pm. Occasional weekend or evening working required, depending on the needs of the Foodbank and of SCW.

Annual Leave: 28 days per annum, including bank holidays

Location: Work is expected to take place in a mixture of locations within London Borough of Sutton, including the office (Highfield Hall, 320 Carshalton Road, SM5 3QB), Foodbank venues and Big Yellow Storage (Kimpton Park Way, Sutton, SM3 9QS). There is also likely to be some travel across the borough. Other time may be worked from home, pending agreement with the Operations Manager.

Occupational Requirement: This role involves offering and participating in Christian prayer with members of the public and volunteers, leading devotions and group prayers, and providing pastoral care and faith-based leadership to Christian staff and volunteers. It is therefore an occupational requirement for the post-holder to be a practicing Christian.

Role purpose is to:

• Manage smooth and safe day-to-day delivery of Sutton Foodbank, supporting volunteers and clients and ensuring food stock is sufficient and managed safely (65%)
• Maintain and increase capacity of the service coordinating food drive activity, maintaining excellent relationships with food donors, volunteers and other external organisations, and assisting with onboarding new volunteers (25%)
• Contribute to the ongoing development of Sutton Foodbank, by delivering operational activity which aims to decrease people’s need to return to the Foodbank (10%)
• Keep Christ central to activities in the Foodbank (always)

We are looking for someone who:

• Shares the Vision, Values and Ethos of Sutton Community Works (see our accompanying ‘Who We Are’ document)
• Cares deeply for those in need and wants to put their Christian faith into action to serve them through addressing food insecurity
• Is hardworking and will enjoy a busy role based in the community
• Has experience supporting vulnerable people or people with complex social backgrounds
• Has experience leading a team
• Has experience working with or supervising volunteers
• Is comfortable using electronic systems and devices
• Is highly organised, flexible and adaptable
• Has excellent attention to detail
• Has excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Has some understanding of safeguarding, health and safety and confidentiality (training can be provided)
• Is a driver with their own vehicle, as this role involves travel across the borough and covering the collection/transport of food.

Please note aforementioned occupational requirement.

Closing date: Sunday 27th April

For fuller job description and tasks involved, please download the document 'Sutton Foodbank Manager - April 2025'

In your covering letter, please explain why you think you could be the person we are looking for, based on the information provided.

Please note that we are unable to sponsor visas for this position.

Application Instructions

In your covering letter, please refer to how your strengths and experience meet the points in the 'We are looking for someone who' section of the job description.