We are recruiting a Development Officer
Salary: £35,223 – £37,653 FTE per annum (pro rata) – NJC spine point 23 – 27
Responsible to: Chief Executive Officer
Duration: Permanent
Hours: 28 hours per week (possibly 35 hours per week subject to funding)
Benefits: 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata) and 6% pension contribution
Location: VAI Resource Centre, 200a Pentonville Road, Kings Cross, London N1 9JP
Download the Development Officer pack here
Who we are looking for:
We are looking for a highly effective Development Officer – someone who is looking for an opportunity to work with Islington’s diverse and vibrant VCFSE sector.
Purpose of the role (and primary job function):
We are entering an exciting new phase of development at VAI, and our ambition is to maintain our current service offer to a range of local organisations especially small groups and grassroots organisations as well as creating new capacity building and organisational development initiatives to strengthen Islington’s VCFSE sector.
Key responsibilities of the role include:
a) Capacity building and organisational development support:
- Provide frontline service to Islington’s VCFSE organisations to enable them to develop and strengthen their organisations.
- Provide information, advice and support to individuals and organisations in the following areas: governance; legal structures; community interest company (CIC) and charity registration; monitoring, evaluation, and demonstrating impact; model policies and procedures; development of business plans and strategies, financial management and fundraising and quality marks.
- Keep abreast of new national and local funding programmes, and arrange and support fundraising workshops with national, regional and local funders.
- Deliver online and in-person training on a range of subject areas relating to organisational development.
- Provide practical information to local groups on appropriate funding streams and their criteria by reviewing their funding proposals and offering feedback.
- Assist with the development and maintenance of partnership and consortia arrangements.
- Maintain and update a bank of model policy documents that organisations can adapt and use.
- Participate in the planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of projects, working in collaboration with VAI staff, associates, consultants and volunteers as required.
- Signpost VCFSE organisations to other specialist support services as appropriate.
- Collate monitoring information on one to one and group support services provided to form part of VAI monitoring and evaluation reports to funders.
- Maintain and update VAI’s database of organisations and support provided.
b) Communications:
- Maintain and update the capacity building and organisational development content on VAI’s website.
- Contribute to and assist with the dissemination of e-news, bulletins and social media communications to VCFSE groups to keep them informed about new funding opportunities and capacity building and organisational development opportunities.
- Set up and facilitate training and development sessions online and in person.
- Take part in appropriate local networks and forums, meetings and events to promote VAI’s services.
- Produce up to date funding opportunities including a funding booklet produced twice a year.
- Keeping abreast of the development of local VCFSE networks and forums in the borough and liaise with local networks and forums of local VCFSE organisations as and when required.
- Attend, and make presentations at internal and external meetings as required, demonstrating our work and impact to council and other public sector partners as required.
c) Income Generation
- As and when required contribute to fundraising applications and tender submissions to sustain and grow VAI’s capacity building and organisational development support offer. The post holder will work closely with VAI’s Fundraising and Resources Manager, who will be responsible for leading and submitting funding applications on behalf of VAI.
d) Organisational monitoring, evaluation
- Monitor work undertaken, providing quantitative and qualitative information including case studies for reports to funders and other partners.
- Provide evaluation data and case studies for annual impact reports.
e) Volunteering and social action
- Signpost organisations to VAI’s Volunteer Centre services when appropriate.
- Work closely with the Volunteer Centre Services Manager – helping to develop programmes arising from insight/knowledge gained from working with VCFSE groups and organisations.
f) Local and London-wide VCFSE Networks and Forums
- Support the development of VAI’s network-building and community development initiatives as well as external networks working with and supporting VCFSE groups and organisations.
- Disseminate information relating to policy changes that impact the VCFSE.
g) HR
- The post holder does not have responsibility for the line management of staff and volunteers. We would however like to provide opportunities for the post holder to grow their role into a more senior position as our services grow and funding allows us to do this.
h) Other duties
- Ensure that our equity, diversity and inclusion and all other VAI organisational policies are actively implemented and adhered to in all areas of your work.
- Work with VAI staff, volunteers and trustees towards the effective achievement of the organisation’s strategic aims.
- The postholder will be required to attend occasional evening meetings and events.
- To carry out additional tasks or reasonable duties that may be required from time to time to achieve agreed service outputs and outcomes and personal appraisal targets, as agreed with the CEO.
- We reserve the right to vary or amend the duties and responsibilities of the post-holder at any time according to the needs of the organisation’s business.
Essential Experience:
- At least 3 years’ experience of providing face-to-face advice and support to VCFSE sector organisations.
- Experience of providing support within an infrastructure organisation/development agency or local/regional network.
- Experience of planning, delivering, monitoring and evaluating projects with a diverse range of VCFSE organisations especially small groups and grassroots organisations.
Desirable Experience:
- Management committee or trustee board experience
Essential Knowledge and Skills:
- An understanding of the diversity of VCFSE organisations and the services and activities that they provide.
- Knowledge of capacity building and organisational development methods.
- Ability to assess the strengths and weaknesses of VCFSE organisations and to design a programme to support their development.
- A good understanding of and commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and the implications for this role.
- Ability to work as part of a team, collaborating with colleagues, associates, consultants and volunteers.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to deliver training online and in person.
- Ability to produce reports making use of information collected through monitoring and evaluation processes.
- Ability to network and form effective relationships with people from a wide range of organisations and across sectors.
- An ability to understand and explain the implications of changes in policy for local VCFSE sector organisations.
- Highly developed oral, and written communication skills and strong IT skills: Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook.
- Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to balance and prioritise a plethora of competing needs and priorities.
- Able to work occasional evenings and weekends by prior arrangement.
Attributes and Competencies:
- Commitment to embody our values and work towards our strategic aims.
- Ability to resolve dilemmas, solve problems and constantly seek solutions in a pro-active and solution focused way.
- High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Warm, welcoming, open and communicative, with high levels of sensitivity, emotional intelligence and resilience.
- Highly motivated with the ability to motivate others.
We value diversity, equality, and inclusivity. Applications are especially welcomed from underrepresented backgrounds, including but not limited to gender, race, age, sexual orientation, disability, and religion.
How to apply
Please send a copy of your CV and a 2-page supporting statement highlighting why you are applying for the role and how you meet the criteria and completed the equalities monitoring form to recruitment@vai.org.uk
For an informal discussion about this position and please contact Navinder Kaur, CEO, by emailing Navinder.kaur@vai.org.uk
The closing date for applications is 5pm Friday 13th October 2023
Interview dates: Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th November 2023.
