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Chief Executive Officer
families infocus (essex)
  • Salary £38,813 - £43,662 per year SCP 36-41 (Plus generous pension contributions)
  • Location Chelmsford, Essex (On-site)
  • Job Type Permanent, Full-time
  • Category Senior Management , Operations
  • Sectors Disability
  • Job Reference :

Job Description

We are looking for an outstanding leader to work with the Trustees in leading and further developing the charity. The successful candidate will be someone who will inspire and empower others to share in achieving continued success in all our work.

If you have a passion for working with a great team who make a real difference for families across Essex, we would be delighted to receive your application and look forward to hearing from you. 

Families InFocus (Essex) is a forward thinking and caring organisation dedicated to improving the quality of life for all Essex families with children and young people with any special educational need or disability (SEND).

Our mission is:-

“to provide support for children and young people (aged 0 to 25) with any special educational need or disability (SEND) by ensuring that they, their families and carers receive quality information, advice, practical and emotional support. In particular, through the provision of advice, information and support to improve the education and development of, and relieve the poverty for children and young people with SEND, to enhance the stability and quality of life for the whole family. A central consideration will be the emotional needs of all concerned”.

Our excellent reputation and established relationships within the local Essex community have been earned over many years delivering quality services to meet the needs of our service users.

We are looking for an exceptional individual who will lead and drive the continuous development of Families InFocus (Essex) and ensure that its work makes a real difference for families.

You will be:

  • An experienced and empathetic leader

  • A strategic thinker

  • A proven relationship builder

  • Someone who has a track record of successful income generation

Full Job Description

Purpose of the Job 

To work on behalf of the Board of Trustees, in accordance with our mission, aims, values and objectives:-

  • To develop and deliver the strategic and operational plan and financial budget to ensure the ongoing sustainability, growth and success of Families InFocus (Essex).

  • To raise our profile and act as a strong figurehead for the charity, a positive ambassador with our stakeholders, clients, partners, funders and networks and a confident, inspiring and empathetic leader for staff and volunteers. 

  • To ensure service users’ views and aspirations are taken into account for all service delivery and development. 

    Main responsibilities 

    Strategy planning and development: 

  • To develop the charity’s strategic plan in conjunction with the Board of Trustees in response to key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

  • To manage the charity effectively, ensuring that its financial security and risk management is maintained and enhanced. 

  • To lead the development and implementation of strategic goals, objectives and financial plans to meet both the short term and long term goals and aspirations. 

  • To take overall responsibility for achieving, monitoring and reporting on performance against funders’ targets and in all areas of the charity’s activities. 

  • To develop a culture of continuous improvement throughout all aspects of the charity’s work including maintaining and building relationships with key partners, funders and community networks. 

  • To keep abreast of the opportunities and challenges facing local third sector organisations and keep up to date with changing legislation/developments in local or national government initiatives which could affect the charity.

    Operational Leadership: 

  • To lead the development and implementation of operational plans in support of our strategic and accountability frameworks ensuring the organisation provides high quality services and meets its charitable objectives.

  • To ensure that the organisation has effective policies and procedures including the management of human resources, safeguarding, finance, health and safety, information, communication and premises, and that these meet relevant legislative requirements and agreed quality standards.

  • To manage the day to day operations of the charity, ensuring that staff and volunteers are effectively deployed and receive regular supervision, support, training and annual appraisals.

  • To lead key projects including those bringing significant changes for the organisation, ensuring that risks and threats are robustly managed. 

    Financial management: 

  • To be accountable to the Board of Trustees for the overall financial health of the charity, controlling budgets, expenditure and management accounts ensuring that income and expenditure is within financial plan targets. 

  • To secure adequate funding and resources to meet income targets and objectives, including through bid submissions to grant making trusts, foundations and statutory funders, charity fundraising events and other fundraising activities.

  • To maintain and build excellent long term relationships with funders, donors and supporters.

  • To develop and implement an effective sustainability plan to identify and diversify income streams and maximise new fundraising opportunities for income generation.

  • To identify and put in place an effective and robust risk management strategy and framework to enable the charity to support its objectives. 

    Robust governance  

  • To foster excellent working relationships and ensure systems and structures are in place for the Board of Trustees to fulfil its statutory and regulatory requirements and exercise effective control of the charity’s affairs. 

  • To report to the Board on progress against key strategic objectives, providing information and answering for organisational performance. 

  • To advise the Board in all aspects of leading the charity, including short term and long term strategic planning for the financial welfare of the organisation. 

    Person Specification

    Qualifications

    Essential

  • Educated to degree level or professionally qualified by suitable demonstrable experience e.g. management, health, education, social care, or community development. 

    Experience and knowledge

    Essential

  • Minimum of 3 years’ experience in a senior management role. 

  • Demonstrable experience of strategic and operational planning, service development and project management, including monitoring and evaluation. 

  • Demonstrable experience of human resources management and good practice in the recruitment, management and development of staff and volunteers.

  • Demonstrable experience and a proven track record of bid writing and successful funding applications to generate income and meet challenging income targets.

  • Demonstrable acumen and experience of organisational financial management including budget control and reporting.

  • Demonstrable experience of effective fundraising within the non-profit and charity sector.

  • Experience of developing and maintaining relationships with a diverse range of clients, stakeholders and partners including local third sector organisations and statutory agencies.

  • A good understanding of the governance, legal requirements of a charity and company limited by guarantee.

  • Understanding of quality assurance frameworks and standards. 

    Desirable

  • A good understanding of the needs of families of children and young people with any special educational need or disability.

  • Experience of working in the voluntary and/or statutory sector. 

  • Experience of delivering front line services in a community setting. 

  • Experience of service level agreements, contracts, tendering and commissioning. 

    Skills & Abilities

    Essential

  • Ability to inspire and lead an organisation. 

  • Excellent people management skills. 

  • Excellent interpersonal, oral communication and written communication skills. 

  • Excellent skills in financial management.

  • Excellent IT and presentation skills. 

  • Ability to think strategically. 

  • Ability to prioritise and work effectively towards strategic service goals, meet funders’ targets and deadlines.

  • Ability to remain calm and focussed under pressure. 

  • Ability to manage own learning and attend training courses as needed.

If you are interested in applying please click the ' Apply button' and send your CV and a covering letter explaining why you're suitable for this role. 

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.