Job Description

The General Manager will be responsible for the daily operations of the centre, to lead on the provision of holistic services to clients from the centre and fulfil senior management tasks relating to staff supervision and organisational direction. The General Manager will report directly to the Charity's Director.

Who we are

Alternatives Trust East London is a registered charity established in 1994 with the aim of supporting the wellbeing of women, particularly around pregnancy and birth. Most of our work supports vulnerable new mothers who are alone in the UK. In 2019 we supported 121 women with 209 children through a combination of practical and therapeutic services.  

From our centre in Plaistow we offer a range of support for families with complex needs. This includes: a weekly ‘we are family’ group meeting (pre covid, now on zoom) focused on building relationships with other mothers, parenting and life skills, this is attended by over 30 families each Monday; a professional counselling service delivered by qualified counsellors; advice, signposting and casework to deal with issues such as housing, immigration and accessing services; pregnancy choices and pregnancy loss counselling; parenting support with trained practical parenting practitioners; a baby bank (second hand baby clothes and equipment) and a food bank.  

Families usually come to us because of a practical need, however for those that have more complex mental health needs or are in need of more intensive parenting support we offer a place of safety that they can receive therapeutic support for up to a year for free or at very little cost, and parenting support for as long as they need. We receive referrals from local children’s centres, GPs, social services and midwives as well as self-referrals.

In addition to the services run from the centre, Alternatives also run SRE lessons in 6 Newham secondary schools as well as a social enterprise that provides employment and training for some of the parents that use our service.

Role responsibilities

1. Centre management

The General Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day smooth running of the centre. Duties include: 

• oversee the upkeep and maintenance of the centre, including ensuring it is an accessible and friendly place for clients to visit.

• organise the smooth running of the centre including room bookings and managing compeeting work scedules.

• manage donations, recieving and storage at the centre.

• maintain accurate records of bills, insurances, IT systems etc. as well as client records.

• work with the Director to ensure organisational policies and procedures are updated as appropriate and well implameted. 

• maintain and develop existing internal systems including monitoring and evaluation.

• maintain a database of Alternatives’ supporters and ensure that they receive regular updates and newsletters.

2. Staff management 

As a key member of the Senior Management Teamthe post holder will play a role in leading and developing the charity. They will: 

• participate in regular Management Team meetings. 

• line manage between 3 and 4 other team members.

• manage the Centre’s volunteer team including recruitment and training.

• attend appropriate training throughout the year. 

Education and experience

There is no educational criteria for this role. 

The successfull applicant will have demonstrable experience of line managing staff effectively and will be highly organised. 

This role requires significant interaction with a vulnerable client group and so an approachable manner is important. The successful aplicant will need to undergo an enhanced DBS check before starting the role.