Job Description

We’re looking for someone who is passionate about making a difference, can proactively manage a varied workload, and puts the needs of victims first and foremost.  If this is you, we’d love to hear from you.

Action on Elder Abuse are committed to ending elder abuse, and supporting those who have experienced or are worried about it. We want to raise awareness of elder abuse at all levels, challenge it where it does occur, and advocate for the best possible support framework. These are often victims who are scared, abused, neglected and ignored. Can you help us change that?

This is a pivotal time in the charity’s development, and we need someone with the motivation and drive to support us to develop and grow.  You’ll be responsible for:

• raising the profile of elder abuse and the charity across London and South England
• managing key relationships and understanding unique policy issues in the region
• helping us develop new programmes and services.

You’ll work closely with a team of peers in other parts of England, as well as colleagues across the UK, sharing good practice and generating new ideas for further developing the charity.

ROLE PROFILE:

The Head of Regional Development is part of a team of four postholders who take charge of all AEA activity within their given area. This includes managing key regional relationships, understanding the unique policy issues, raising the profile and providing links for our fundraising team, This is a senior role which acts as a catalyst to develop core relationships across the region and will help establish a regional development plan working closely with peer postholders.

As a leading member of the Programmes Directorate, the postholder will also work closely with the Director of Programmes to develop, administer and monitor any specific programming – and utilise good practice across the rest of England/UK to establish Key Performance Indicators for the programme alongside regional comparators.

1. CONTEXT AND PURPOSE OF JOB:

1. To represent the charity within local authorities and their communities, trusts, alliances, working and advisory groups, providing advice and information on the nature, extent and issues associated with elder abuse. 

1. To evaluate the effectiveness of policies to protect older people from abuse, collaborating with statutory and Third Sector colleagues to establish a UK perspective, and propose methods by which such policies could be improved, contributing to the development of more holistic and integrated services for victims across the UK.

1. To provide direct advice, guidance and information to social policy makers, including appropriate Members of Parliament, responding to demands for information and calls for evidence along with identifying gaps in knowledge and existing service provision.

1. To work with other charity staff, including Fundraising Team and the Director of Fundraising, to maximize awareness of the charity, and seek sources of funding.

2. MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

2.1 FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY:

2.1.1   To work within authorised spending and purchasing limits, monitoring and controlling individual budgets as required;

2.2 PROJECT DEVELOPMENT:

2.2.1. To influence and provide direct advice, guidance and information to social policy makers, including appropriate members of parliaments, on the nature, extent and issues associated with elder abuse.

2.2.2 To represent the charity at key external meetings and to take strategic decisions within AEA’s strategic framework at those meetings in order to further the charity’s strategies. This may involve advising staff and volunteers on social and health care policy and campaigns;

1. To draft policy briefings, newsletters, and other public documents, coordinating and producing robust evidence-based material for submission to Government, parliamentarians, the civil service and other statutory bodies, working to tight external deadlines;

1. In conjunction with the Director of Policy, to plan and support campaigning and lobbying strategy on policy areas, working with internal and external colleagues and volunteers.

1. To work with the Director of Operations and peer postholders to identify opportunities and volunteers for local peer support projects.

1. To encourage an increase in AEA membership among stakeholders, other organisations and groups, utilizing this to build a lobbying and campaigning approach to effecting improvements in elder abuse/adult protection.

1. To actively work with the fundraising and communications team and media agency, identifying opportunities for promotion of the charity, providing any necessary information or research, and acting as a spokesperson for the charity in local media.

2.2.9    To identify fundraising opportunities for projects, policy areas and core funding, providing appropriate information to the Director of Fundraising to enable the drafting of applications as required;

2.3. PROGRAMMES

2.3.1 To work closely with the Director of Programmes to generate programmes and initiatives that meet a need in the region – working alongside the fundraising team to develop the right ask and monitor effectiveness.

2.3.2  To seek collaborations with regional bodies, local authorities, relevant trusts and third sector partners to develop programme-related campaigns and events that meet the strategic priorities of AEA.

2.3.3  To take an active role with other Heads of Regional Development in developing a whole-England approach to programming and to feed this into UK-wide discussions.

2.3.4  Where appropriate, to ensure that a pro-active regional casework approach is adopted in the helpline, helping callers to raise concerns with appropriate authorities, supporting them through necessary processes, and identifying means to confirm final outcomes achieved.

2.3.5  To ensure statistical and other analysis of programmatic issues and activity is undertaken, utilising such Information to inform the charity on trends and changes in relation to elder abuse, including an annual report on the work of the charity in the region.

2.3.6  To ensure workers and volunteers are supported in line with organisational policy, including regular breaks during shifts and the provision of advice and information.

2.4. INFORMATION

1.   To provide information to the fundraising and communications team on a weekly basis to ensure that the AEA website is regularly updated, and to directly contribute to the social policy outlets of the charity

1. To support the fundraising and communications function to ensure that income generation targets and requirements in relation to project development activities are monitored and achieved, drafting reports as required.

1. To undertake monitoring and evaluation of project activities, contributing to

reports and analyses for the charity and for its reports to funding bodies,

Governments etc.

3. BOARD OF TRUSTEES:

3.1 To contribute to, and produce reports for the Board of Trustees as required and to speak to them when requested.  To attend meetings of the Board and Advisory Committees as requested.

4. HUMAN RESOURCES:

4.1 To provide supervision and/or support to any programmatic or helpline staff and volunteers as required by the Director of Programme, providing appropriate advice and guidance in accordance with good practice and AEA policy.

5. GENERAL:

5.1 To support our UK-wide Helpline by covering Helpline shifts for at least 4 hours per week, and record calls accordingly using our Customer Relationship Management System.

5.2 To respond appropriately to telephone, written and email enquiries, and maintain own diary (making travel/booking arrangements as necessary).  To travel as required;

5.3 To travel as required. Meetings may be in different parts of the UK, and some meetings may be during evenings or at weekends;

Head of Regional Development: Person Specification

Essential Criteria – Candidates will be expected to demonstrate how they can deliver against this criteria.

• Self motivated, requiring minimal supervision
• Good understanding of legislative requirements applying to elder abuse and adult protection;
• Ability to organise events including large meetings, seminars and smaller community based events
• Ability to engage volunteers in a proactive manner
• Ability to work with a range of individuals at different levels with minimal supervision
• Effective communication skills both written and oral
• Proven ability to develop effective relationships with senior staff in statutory agencies, voluntary agencies, regulatory bodies
• Knowledge of major developments in terms of adult care provision, adult protection, domestic abuse and care regulation
• An understanding of how Parliaments/Assemblies work
• Ability to manage complex and varied workload, and manage confidential issues
• Experience of public speaking and complex report-writing
• Experience of working in partnership with other organisations and agencies
• Ability to grasp issues quickly and to proactively analyse and communicate clearly

General requirements for roles at AEA

• Willingness and ability on occasion to work outside normal office hours and travel within the UK
• Willingness and ability to operate in accordance with the values and policies of AEA
• Willingness & ability to work flexibly in response to changing organisational requirements
• Commitment to bring into the work the views and needs of people with direct experience of abuse

Political awareness and sensitivity;