Service Manager - Women & Families Charity

Women & Families VAWG Specialist Service

The Claudia Jones Organisation (CJ0) is seeking a Service Manager for our Women and Families, VAWG Specialist Service to ensure the best outcomes for the women and families we support.

CJO s Women and Families VAWG Service aims to provide a cohesive family and specialist support for vulnerable women and families of Caribbean/African heritage experiencing violence and present with complex layering of issues. We assist women and families through 1-1 advocacy, counselling, and therapeutic group support to increase wellbeing, reduce risk and increase safety. The service provides social and learning opportunities for women and families alongside meeting their immediate needs.

Job: Women & Families VAWG Specialist Service Manager

Location: London Salary: £40,000 per year, pro rata Part Time/3 days weekly Contract: 5 years

The Role

To manage and develop the delivery of the CJO VAWG service for African heritage women and families escaping violence and its impact through advocacy and therapeutic services. You will be responsible for managing your team of domestic violence workers whilst working synergistically with our clinical lead and social work support to achieve the best outcomes for the women and families who access our service.

As a member of the senior management team, you will have a strategic focus and lead on safeguarding to protect women and their children. You will have both an internal and external focus of influence with local and national stakeholders including statutory services and funders to ensure a co-ordinated community response and service for African heritage women and families.

About You

As a strong communicator, you will bring your understanding and know how to support and navigate the criminal justice systems in relation to VAWG. Able to work independently and prioritise a busy workload. An effective communicator who is innovative with experience of managing, growing, and developing your team. Excellent team player willing to get involved and support service users and staff, no matter the task or activity.

Key Objectives Within the Overall Purpose of the Post:

The management of CJOs VAWG women and family s specialist service ensuring it meets the needs of African Heritage women and families, is contract compliant with the service specification and the charity s policies and procedures.

1. To lead and effectively manage the finance in line with the grant and annual budget.
2. Lead on and participate in national, local discussions, consultation, research, monitoring and evaluation, needs assessment, collaboration, networks, to sustain and grow the women and family specialist service and any other activity relevant to deliver the service.
3. Represent the service and organisation at both internal and external meetings and within multi-agency partnerships.
4. Lead on and facilitate monitoring and evaluation activities, which supports the voices of service user and their data, to inform legislation, policy, and practice, identifying synergies across the organisation s work as well as opportunities to produce and share learning.
5. Facilitate a range of training for; professionals, service users, staff, volunteers, external audience to improve practice and service delivery.
6. Communications - directly produce, facilitate publicity and marketing material for the service, appropriately using social media e-leaflets, paper booklets etc to increase knowledge, awareness, skills, and the impact of VAWG on the lives of women and families.
7. Ensure written language is to good quality standard including emails and all other record keeping and documentation required of CJOs work.
8. Ensure that the service is delivered within safeguarding practice and safe standards as per our quality mark.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Contribute towards and/or write comprehensive reports that may include data, narratives, and case studies as required by funders, commissioners, CJO and others.
• Oversee the management of the Oasis database undertaking quarterly audits and monthly monitoring of data collection for performance management of the service.
• Dip sample and audit case files as held on Oasis, ensuring staff are recording information and delivering services in line with Imkaan and other quality standards.
• Oversee the consistent use of the Safe Lives risk assessment tool, alongside other developed risk mitigation templates.
• Ensure staff appropriately represent women and advocate on their behalf when dealing with outside agencies such as the Housing department, Police, DSS, Solicitors, Social Services, Health Professionals, and all other relevant agencies.
• Document monitoring ensure that it is provided in the agreed and acceptable formats for the VAWG women and Families Specialist Service using standard templates.

Management of Service Finance

• Work closely with the finance team to oversee the income and expenditure of the service in line with all policies and procedures of the organisation, contract, policies and procedures relevant to CJOs funded work.
• Ensure that small grants woman receive are appropriate working closely with finance, social work students and support worker(s) or volunteer.
• Take full ownership of strategic fundraising for the service, identifying funding sources and making direct applications, alongside the Director and fundraising team.

Wellbeing

• Ensure the service is delivered within CJOs Community based approach to Wellbeing and that a therapeutic approach is embedded in your practice.
• Attend regular clinical supervision
• Ensure that your staff team attend regular clinical supervision.
• Lead and manage the Thinking Space facilitator and bi-weekly debriefs alongside working synergistically with CJOs Clinical Lead.

Operational

• Along with your team, to always work in the best interest of CJO and to avoid any action that may bring CJO and or its activities into disrepute.
• To undertake any other duty commensurate with the position of Service Lead and as required by your line manager.
• To engage in one s own performance management through training and development as required.
• As a member of the senior management team work to promote CJO s purpose, values, and our influence through evidence-based solutions to improving the lives of vulnerable women and their family experiencing VAWG/trauma and to act-up/step in the absence of members of the senior management team or staff.
• Regularly supervise, appraise, and support the development of staff and volunteers addressing challenges and implement necessary support measures to improve performance with staff, external contractors, and agencies.
• Participate in regular supervision, induction, training, and team meetings.

• Develop appropriate partnerships, collaborations, and communications to enable our family support and gender-based violence services to be seen as a leader in its field.
• To be the lead registered officer for CJSM and Safeguarding Lead
• On occasions to work on a Saturday where time in lieu will be given.