First started by Aberdeen University students as a soup kitchen, Aberdeen Cyrenians now put the needs of North East Scotland's most vulnerable and socially excluded people first — leading at the frontline of service, care and influence for 50+ years.
Aberdeen Cyrenians work continuously to shift perceptions and change the outlook on homelessness and vulnerability in society — the reality often differs drastically from the 'labels' that people use when thinking of those who need support. Not accepting the current perception of homelessness is something that underpins Aberdeen Cyrenians' work. Our approach puts the reality of these situations front and centre.
This reality reminds us that anyone can find themselves in difficulty, and Aberdeen Cyrenians exist to support anyone and everyone — whether they're living on the street, at high financial risk, in an abusive living situation, struggling with mental health issues, struggling with substance addiction or involved in the justice system. Our core values support a mission that prioritises close assistance, unique care and standing steadfastly by people in the midst of their most vulnerable moments.
It's the passion and integrity of Aberdeen Cyrenians that makes us a formidable force against homelessness, abuse, violence and social exclusion — we make a lifechanging difference when working alongside the people who need their support the most.
Working at Aberdeen Cyrenians, you will be helping vulnerable people, who are often at the margins of society, every single day. You will be helping them to build a positive future, resolve their current issues and move towards positive outcomes.
In addition to competitive rates of pay, we offer both on the job and formal training, support achieving professional qualifications and good career prospects.
You can expect the following working for us:
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Comprehensive training through our online Learning Management System
- Opportunity to pursue on the job qualifications and career progression
- Industry leading systems and technology - we use an amazing apps to support our care at home services and case management systems, which helps us to ensure paperwork is streamlined and as much time as possible is spent with the service user
- Online timesheets and expenses paid weekly
- We are a Living Wage Foundation accredited employer - pay is reviewed annually each April
- Benefits including Bike to Work Scheme and retail discounts
- Employee Assistance programme offering confidential support 24/7/365
- Mileage paid at the national rate
- A warm and friendly team environment where everyone is valued.
One of our core values is that we value diversity and inclusion: exclusion has no place in our workplaces. Please let us know if you need us to make adjustments to allow you to apply for a role or attend an interview with Aberdeen Cyrenians.
If you are care experienced or have lived experience aligned to our area of work, we guarantee you an interview, subject to you meeting the minimum requirements of the role that you are applying for. We are also a Disability Confident employer.
Nothing we achieve would be possible without our employees - that's why we're as committed to their careers and professional development as they are.
You can find out more about us at www.weareac.org.
Job title: Community Services Manager
Responsible to: Service Assurance Manager
Responsible for: Team Leaders, Support Practitioners, Student Placements & Volunteers
Salary: £34,849.00 (Scale Points 40-44)
Contract: Fixed-term 31 March 2024
Hours of Work: 36.25 Hours per Week
SSSC registration level: Service Manager Housing Support Services
Main responsibilities: The Community Services Manager will be, the registered manager, and responsible to ensure the operational delivery and development of our Community Services. These include Justice Support, Gender-Based Violence, and Tenancy Sustainment Services. They will provide leadership and management to ensure all operational matters across services, are achieving high standards and delivering quality outcomes to those engaged with the service.
They will have full responsibility and oversight for each service to ensure regulatory compliance.
They will maximise the capacity of the services and ensure efficiency when managing human, material, and financial resources.
- Provide effective line management support and supervision to staff in line with organisational policy
- Ensure effective monitoring systems are in place to achieve positive outcomes and appropriate service user case management (InForm and PASS) recording is maintained in services
- Manage and coordinate Team Leaders across the community services, to ensure that the contractual deliverables and impact of each service is achieved
- Ensure monthly service activity reports are submitted to the Services Assurance Manager and Head of Services for effective monitoring of outcomes and reporting to the Board
- Lead by example through managing change and promoting a collaborative, supportive and dynamic working culture that delivers high-quality service provision for Service Users and our commissioning partners
- Promote a positive working environment and ensure that staff operate within the values and behaviours of the organisation
- Manage and support staff teams to adapt to changing requirements and the needs of Service Users, enabling bespoke services to be delivered
- Work in partnership with key internal and external stakeholders and agencies and maintain strong working relationships
- Review service delivery systems and support all aspects of operational needs ensuring high-quality and consistent service delivery
- Participate in the collation of statistical information, submission of funding reports and proposals for potential services
- Encourage all staff to have a positive multi-agency working approach representing the organisation at local and national multi-agency forums
- Establish safe staff working protocols when working with Service Users
- Ensure that full SSSC and Care Inspectorate registration requirements are met.
Finance / Budget Control
- Hold strong fiscal management of the service budgets
- Ensure regular review of service budgets with the Finance Manager and Services Assurance Manager reporting to the Head of Services: staffing costs, amenities, emergency expenses etc.
- Manage financial expenditure to deliver cost effective services within budget.
Compliance
- Work to agreed funding deliverables and hold responsibility for the submission of progress reports. Attend meetings with funders and senior management as required
- Ensure that Health and Safety polices are incorporated into daily work practices and are adhered to at all times
- Monitor, review and ensure implementation of risk assessment and management strategies within each service, including working in the community and working with high- risk Service Users
- Ensure safe working environments and that all staff complete mandatory training and receive appropriate learning and development to meet individual and service needs.
- Develop, promote and monitor quality assurance systems appropriate to the needs of each service and reporting requirements.
- Ensure internal QA audits are completed and recommendations are actioned within agreed deadlines.
- Ensure that stakeholder and service user engagement processes are managed, reviewed and developed
- Ensure service teams are kept up to date with good practice in relation to good practice, legislation and policy
- Attend internal meetings and work with the wider management team as requested.
Human Resources
- Responsible for completing appropriate payroll documentation to meet payroll deadlines.
- Recording of absence and management of staff absences in line with organisational policy.
- Ensure that there are effective staffing levels in order to deliver the service in line with safety requirements and lead the recruitment and selection process for new employees as required in line with budget requirements.
- Ensure that staff work in accordance with Scottish Social Services Codes of Practice, Health and Social Care Standards, relevant legislation and best practice guidance.
- Abiding by the terms of the Support & Supervision Policy.
- Performance management of service delivery staff in line with all relevant organisational policies.
Additional
Carry out other relevant work commensurate with the post as required by the senior management team.
Respecting and working according to the mission aims and values of Aberdeen Cyrenians. As a leader, demonstrate these in the course of your daily work role modelling the ‘How We Work’ standards and support staff to embed into their daily practice.
Respecting and working in accordance with the Equality and Diversity Policy ensuring its promotion in the course of daily work
Person Specification
1. QUALIFICATIONS/EDUCATION/KNOWLEDGE
Essential
- Social Care Qualification (CQSW, CSS. Dip SW., RGN, Registered Manager’s Award, SQV level 4 etc)
- Knowledge of working within Justice Services, Mental Health Services/ Trauma-Informed Services and in supporting vulnerable people
- Knowledge of Housing Support Models, Community Outreach and Integrated Health & Social Care Services
- Knowledge of appropriate legislation (Adult Support and Protection, Housing, Finance, Social Work, Social Care etc)
- Knowledge and understanding of social issues such as homelessness, mental health, substance use, gender-based violence, criminal justice involvement
- Proficient with Microsoft 365 tools: Word, Excel, Email, SharePoint, Teams etc.
2. EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Experience of working in a managerial position in the social work/social care sector or police/prison services
- Direct work with vulnerable people who have complex needs
- Experience of working with ex-offenders, who are at high risk of reoffending
- Experience of housing support/housing advice work
- Experience of intensive support, crisis intervention and therapeutic intervention frameworks
- Experience managing a process of change and developing a positive and collaborative working culture
- Managing, supporting and developing a staff team
- Experience of networking and promoting services
- Experience of collaborative inter-agency working
3. KEY CAPABILITIES
Essential
- Demonstrable skills in adapting to change and leading change processes and promoting behaviours that meet the organisation’s aims and values
- Demonstrable leadership skills and staff development, promoting a positive and collaborative working culture
- Ability to provide supervision to a range of staff
- Experience of managing teams who are community-based
- Ability to effectively organise, plan and prioritise your own time and workload to meet different and competing tasks
- Good communication skills - both oral and written
4. AIMS & VALUES & EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
Essential
- Respectful of the aims and values of Aberdeen Cyrenians and the work carried out
- Respect and work in accordance with Aberdeen Cyrenians Equality and Diversity Policy
It's important to us that we recruit people who share our values and who want to make a difference. Our interview process is designed to get to know you better and to find out why you want to work for us. If you are nervous, please don't be - there are no right or wrong answers.
Because we work with vulnerable people, we have a responsibility to safeguard them. We undertake background and reference checks, and it is a term of employment with us that all employees register with the Protecting Vulnerable Groups ("PVG") scheme operated by Disclosure Scotland.
We guarantee an interview to candidates who have lived experience within the areas of society and the issues that we support and those who are care experienced, subject to meeting the minimum criteria for the role.
We're an equal opportunities employer and value diversity - exclusion has no place in our workplaces. If you need us to make reasonable adjustments to allow you to attend an interview with us, just let us know.
We regret that due to current Home Office rules, we are not able to sponsor applicants for this role, so you must be eligible to live and work in the UK without sponsorship.
The closing date for this position is 5pm on the 4th of May 2023
We review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early should sufficient applications be received.