Job Opportunity with Community Foster Care: Team Leader (Maternity Cover)

Location: Gloucester
Pay scale: £25,387 - £29,105 per annum
Responsible to: Business Development Manager
Contract Length: 12 months
Hours per Week: 22.5 - 37.5 depending on candidate
Closing date: 24th April 2023

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What we believe

Our Vision
A world where all children and young people grow up in families rich in the essential ingredients required for them to realise their ambitions and dreams.

Our Mission
To create environments, enrich families and harness communities that enable Children and Young People to overcome adversity and abuse, by creating an enduring sense of belonging.   By doing this and by working together, we will have the courage to overcome barriers, through tenacity and creativity we will release their potential.

Key drivers of considerations

As a Team Leader, you will at all times:

• Work consistently within Community Foster Care’s values and contribute to achieving its mission.
• Seek to develop and enhance good working practice (to include suitable levels of work performance) for yourself and for your team.
• Promote Community Foster Care’s reputation and protect its ability to achieve its mission. 

Key requirements of which you should be aware

You may occasionally be required to work outside of office hours to:

• attend any appropriate meetings or events.
• meet the demands of your role.

You may be required to carry out other appropriate duties not outlined in the Team Leader Job Description, where required.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Organisation Wide

• To coordinate and oversee the Business support function. Line managing the team of business support officers.
• To be an active member of the Wider managers forum. Working closely with other wider managers in the organisation to support delivery and cooperation.
• To provide administrative support to the organisation HR lead.  To include administration of the selection process, DBS, correspondence and keeping staff and Foster Carer checks up to date. 
• To induct new staff members in the functions of the Business Support Officer team. 
• To provide support to SLT on specific projects which may include research, developing of tender bids or coordinating events. 
• To run the organisation’s Family matching process, matching Children in care with foster families

            - Monitor the referrals inbox
            - Collate information on referrals
            - Use the organisation’s shortlisting criteria to filter referrals
            - Send referrals that meet shortlisting criteria to relevant       
              Supervising Social Workers
            - Make appropriate recordings on database
            - Ensure correct paperwork is collected e.g. IPAs
            - Collate and format foster carer profile formats
            - Co-ordinate effective referral responses, through the finalising of   
              expressions of interest.
            - Follow up outcome with foster carers.
            - Work with Senior Leadership Team to develop this process and   
              ensure the organisation is best placed to make quality expressions
              of interest.
            - To ensure a process is in place so that this process is always active.

• To be the system administrator and an expert in the Charms database, taking a responsibility for upskilling staff and ensuring the platform is used effectively (training provided).
• To be front line IT and communications systems support.  Addressing low level IT and systems challenges and co-ordinating with Wavetree when required.  Supporting the team to get the best out of the organisation’s systems.
•  Understand the systems, software and databases in place and provide support and guidance as required.
• Ensure compliance with GDPR in conjunction with the Business Development Manager. Taking a lead on any Freedom of Information or Service Access requests and administering the organisations archiving policy.
• Act as Health and Safety Officer, ensuring safe working practices are operated within the Agency.
•  Ensure the offices have a monthly Health and Safety check and that Health and Safety Systems are in place. 
•  Ensure First Aid knowledge is up to date.
•  Take responsibility for ensuring there is telephone cover at all times.
• Ensure that all offices are maintained to a high standard in line with organisation policy.

What we require from all our employees

• A commitment and alignment with Community Foster Care’s Values.
• A tenacity and commitment to resolve and develop our ability to enable children to thrive.
• A willingness to embrace challenge and actively seek constructive feedback.
• A willingness and ability to be a highly functioning team player.
• A willingness to work in a flexible way, to cover additional tasks where required, not specifically covered in the job description.
• A commitment to anti-oppressive practice, underpinned by an understanding and promotion of equality and diversity.
• Positively promote and publicise the work of the Community Foster Care.
• Always represent Community Foster Care in a professional manner.
• Act as a communication champion to ensure that all staff are well informed about developments and have a clear understanding of issues.
• Undertake training and development deemed necessary for the pursuance and development of the post.
• Comply with Equal Opportunities, GDPR and employment practices.

It is the nature of the work of Community Foster Care, that tasks and responsibilities are unpredictable and varied.  All staff are therefore expected to work in a flexible way when the occasion arises where tasks are not specifically covered in the Job Description and have to be undertaken.

Community Foster Care is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children; applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service clearance at enhanced level.

CVs will not be accepted in any circumstances; all applicants must complete an application form.

Person Specification

Team Leader
Note to Applicant:  When completing your application form you should demonstrate the extent to which you have the necessary education, experience, knowledge and skills identified for the post.  The shortlisting process will be completed in line with these key factors:

• Essential, Desirable
• Shortlisted Criteria 
• Evidenced

Qualifications

• Qualified to A Level standard - Desirable, shortlisted criteria, evidenced by the application form      
• Have a minimum of GCSE grade C in England and Maths

 - Essential, shortlisted criteria, evidenced by the application form

Experience

• Have at least three years’ administration experience, working within an office environment  - Essential, shortlisted criteria, evidenced by the application form
• Able to evidence an understanding and practical application of the use of IT and electronic communications, including the use of Microsoft Office - Essential, shortlisted criteria, evidenced by the application form

Skills and Knowledge

• Ability to communicate at all levels, with a wide variety of stakeholders - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• To have achieved, or demonstrate a willingness to achieve, a thorough working knowledge of Equal Opportunities policies and related procedures - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• To have good written skills/keyboarding skills - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• To have the skills to manage time effectively - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• Good standard of organisation - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• To have the skills to manage time effectively - Essential, evidenced by the interview

Abilities and Aptitude

• Alignment and commitment to work in line with the charity’s values and work together with others to achieve our Mission and Vision - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• The ability to work under pressure with competing demands - Essential, shortlisted criteria, evidenced by the application form
• To have the ability to work autonomously and to demonstrate initiative and self-reliance - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• The ability to form and maintain good working relationships with both service users and members of other agencies - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• To have the ability to work in a changing environment - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• A commitment to personal self-development and training - Essential, shortlisted criteria, evidenced by the application form
• Competent use of a range of hardware and software (tools of the trade) to support effective working including:

            - Microsoft Office
            - Internet Browsers
            - Charms (desirable)
            - Online survey tools (desirable)
            - Secure email systems (desirable)
            - Telecommunication devices

Miscellaneous
Full current driving licence - Desirable, shortlisted criteria, evidenced by the application form

Full details and application documents here