Service Manager – Refuge (Female Only, 2 Year Contract)

Closing date: N/A

Job Title:

Service Manager

Responsible to:

Domestic Abuse Operational Lead

Responsible for:

Fae and Grace Refuge

Hours of Work:

37.5 hrs per week (Flexible working hours can be agreed)

Location:

YMCA Together Liverpool Domestic Abuse Services

Salary and benefits:

£33,976 + 5% on call allowance

  • 35 Days Annual leave including bank holidays per annum
  • Paid Medicash support
  • Birthday Day
  • Charity Day
  • Spiritual Day
  • Well-being Hours
  • Cycle To Work Scheme
  • Refer a Friend Scheme
  • Company Pension Scheme 4%
  • Funded Training Opportunities

This post is only available to female applicants as an Occupational Requirement and permitted under the Equality Act 2010

YMCA Together has been voted No1 Charity to work for by our employees in 2022. YMCA is a registered charity and company Limited by Guarantee. We were founded in 1846 and so we build on a long history of providing a place for people experiencing challenging times in their lives.

YMCA Together is a truly value driven organisation.

Our vision is that everyone should feel safe, understood, empowered and positive for their future. We meet our vision by working within our values of Strength, Humility, Respect, Empathy and Kindness. These SHREK values run through all that we do from recruitment to how we work alongside people in our services to our partnership approach with other providers.

Our clear vision and values come together to help us in our mission to inspire and support people to change their lives by instilling hope, valuing the person and maximising potential.

Main Purpose of Job

The Service Manager is responsible for the effective operational management of the Refuge Domestic Abuse Services. The post holder will line manage the Support Staff.  Working closely in a team with the Domestic Abuse Operational Lead and wider operational leadership, the post holder will provide day to day management and assist in the development of the services.

The service supports single women or families fleeing domestic abuse, offering a wide range of support and assistance that empowers and enables people and/or families to have a range of choices and create a positive, sustainable future for themselves.

The services operate with a whole family approach to move women  and children past domestic abuse and towards leading a safe independence.

The post holder will provide direct line management support to the Team leader, Empowerment Practitioners, Link workers and Night team. They will support and develop the capacity and motivation of the team to deliver and innovative and high quality support. They will attend key strategic network meetings both internal and external and will act as the main print of contact for Refuges.

Working closely with the Domestic Abuse Operational Lead, the post holder will develop pathways to independence in line with Cognitive Analytic Therapy and Trauma Informed care approaches. This will include referral process, therapeutic programmes and resettlement.

Hours of Work

The post holder will be working primarily between the hours of 9am and 5pm, with the occasional requirement to work flexible hours as appropriate to the post including some weekends and evenings as part of the 24/7 rota and to be on call out of hours rota.

Main Responsibilities

  • Ensure Domestic Abuse Services receive, person-centred support informed by Cognitive Analytical Approach (CAT) and reflective practice
  • Manage the day to day running of the Services using a Psychological informed Approach
  • Maintain excellent communication with YMCA Management team
  • To Maintain the quality standard of the buildings ensuring all Health & Safety compliance is in place and repairs and maintenance are completed
  • To supervise, support and direct your team to make appropriate and informed decisions around our services users support and safety.

Specific Duties

Responsibilities to the domestic Abuse Operational Lead and OLT

  • To compile and collate monthly reports on KPI’s
  • To give informed opinions and make recommendations providing expert guidance and leadership in relation to complex operational crisis and safeguarding situations involving potential operational, legal and reputational risks to victim/survivors and to the organisation
  • Provide support regarding, housing and HR issues that impact on the service, service users and staff team
  • To make recommendations to the Domestic Abuse Operational Lead on the development of the service which involve any financial commitments or alterations to service delivery
  • Attend and meaningfully contribute to communication meetings with the Domestic Abuse Operational Lead and OLT, submitting reports on request.
  • Deliver the required performance to the contract, adhering and positioning for successful refunding
  • Supporting the implementation of the new services through to effective delivery Supporting the delivery of YMCAT business plan and Domestic Abuse service plan
  • Overseeing the budget and advising the Domestic Abuse Operational Lead on financial exceptions and remedial actions.

Representing YMCA Together

  • Manage commissioner relationships including identifying risks, assessing and responding to changing requirements by effective negotiation and ensuring performance to contract is met
  • Attend all meetings both internal and external
  • Attend stakeholder days, forums and other external events
  • Develop relationships with partner agencies, referral agencies and all other stakeholders.

Line Management and HR Responsibilities

  • Support and develop the capacity and motivation of the team to deliver an innovative and high-quality support approach and safe housing service
  • Support and monitor the team’s performance in relation to the collection of rents and ensuring compliance of staff with the HB application process and complex HB claims
  • Collate data on the performance of the service and team and make recommendations to the Domestic Abuse Operational Lead to ensure the service achieves its KPI’s
  • Allocation of service users to empowerment practitioner to ensure service users have the most appropriate support worker assigned
  • Organise the staff rota and cover for the service and keep records of sickness, toil, rotas and annual leave ensuring the continuity of support for residents
  • Monitor, collate and audit empowerment practitioner and link workers weekly folders, achievement records, risk management plans, support plans, support contracts, CAT plans, Outcome Stars, accommodation checks, and outcomes to ensure all are reflecting the delivery of high-quality consistent support across the service
  • Set individual objectives with the team in negotiation with the Domestic Abuse Operational Lead and team members
  • Identify training needs and requirements for individuals to ensure successful delivery of the service
  • Assist the Domestic Abuse Operational Lead to manage disciplinary and grievance procedures when necessary
  • Ensure the induction of new staff to the service.

Working With Residents

  • Encourage involvement and participation from service users in the development, running and shaping of the service
  • Work collaboratively with the local community to maintain the safety of the victim/survivors and ensure our positive reputation is maintained.

Health and Safety

  • Liaise with emergency services
  • Ensure at all times the safety of yourselves and others on the premises in which you work
  • Ensure the buildings meet legislation requirements
  • Ensuring that you embed and adhere to organisational Health & Safety policies and procedures within your service delivery including safety planning, handovers and SIRs.

Teamwork

  • Develop trusting and secure working relationships with colleagues, sharing information and expertise, covering absence and working together to deliver high quality services
  • Maintain contacts with local statutory and voluntary agencies and organisations attending/ representing YMCA Together at relevant local community forums, seminars and conferences as required
  • Contribute to the organisations formulation of policy and procedures
  • Attend and participate in team meetings to ensure good communications and liaison with colleagues
  • Prepare for and attend supervision and appraisal sessions with the Domestic Abuse Operational Lead, taking direction as appropriate and contributing to the development of both you and the service.

Relationships

  • The post holder will be required to have contact with a variety of people during the course of their work. The context of this contact will vary from formal ‘Key working’ to informal networking and relationship building with the Local Authority and other relevant agencies
  • It is recognised that the association is operating in a dynamic environment and as such this job description may be varied in consultation with the post holder to reflect evolving needs of the business and changing nature of the job.

General

  • Observe and ensure compliance with the professional boundaries and data protection policy
  • To have a flexible and positive attitude to all team members
  • To be committed to learning both as an individual and as part of a team
  • Undertake own administrative services and report writing
  • Prioritise workload
  • To work to agreed individual, team and organisational objectives and to work towards the organisations performance targets
  • Sharing information and expertise with colleagues, covering absence and working together to deliver a high-quality service
  • Uphold and develop our Equal Opportunities Policy of anti-discriminatory practices across all services
  • Observe and ensure compliance with the Service Code of Conduct including professional boundaries and confidentiality at all times
  • Adhere to all YMCA Together policies and procedures
  • Report and log all safeguarding incidents
  • Dealing promptly with all complaints in line with our policies and procedures
  • Prepare for and attend supervision and appraisal sessions with your line manager, taking direction as appropriate and contributing to the development of both you and the service.

The post holder will be expected to carry out other duties consistent with the responsibilities of the post and may be requested from time to time, they will be expected to demonstrate flexibility in all areas of their work. They will be expected to carry out some out of hours duties such as emergencies and meetings called at short notice.

Scope and limits of authority

Work within agreed policies recommending changes where necessary and cooperate with all other staff to ensure the best interests of YMCA Together are always a prime consideration.

Person Specification – Service Manager

Qualifications

Essential

  • A degree level qualification or equivalent in a relevant discipline, or a significant level of experience
  • Recognised management or training related qualification

Desirable

  • IDVA qualification or relevant Domestic Abuse qualification (or be willing to work towards this)

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of operational HR matters such as Supervising Staff/recruitment/ selection/ induction of employees and volunteers
  • Must be financial literate
  • Experience of handling grievances, disciplinary, supervisions and appraisals
  • Demonstrate experience of managing support services in a psychologically informed framework
  • Experience of managing complex and challenging safeguarding issues
  • Experience of assessing and responding to the needs of vulnerable people, ideally those who are experiencing domestic abuse

Desirable

  • Experience of managing a large, diverse service
  • Experience of managing more than one service

Knowledge

Essential

  • Working knowledge of Domestic Abuse, housing legislation, HMO requirements, Health & Safety, protection of vulnerable adults, safeguarding
  • A clear understanding and specific knowledge of the issues women/men and children have when fleeing domestic abuse
  • A comprehensive working knowledge of the latest best practice in
  • Risk Assessments
  • Creative support planning
  • Welfare Reform
  • Human Resource Management
  • Supporting complex needs
  • Psychological Informed approaches

Desirable

  • Knowledge of support services
  • Working knowledge of health interventions
  • Knowledge of the cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) framework
  • A deep understanding of domestic abuse and sexual violence issues and have a therapeutic approach to service delivery

Skills

Essential

The technical ability to:

  • Manage the day to day running of the Domestic Abuse services and the issues arising from a 24/7 service 365 days a year
  • Assist with the management and development of a team through sound recruitment, selection, induction procedures for new employees and volunteers
  • Develop a high-quality person-centred approach
  • Develop the potential of individual staff via supervisions and appraisals to facilitate effective succession planning
  • Must be computer literate in MS Word, MS Excel, MS office and have the ability to learn new software packages

Behaviour/Attributes

Essential

Must have the interpersonal ability and skills to:

  • Develop a strong culture in accordance with YMCA SHREK values
  • To be an exemplary professional displaying Strength, Humility, respect, empathy and kindness in day to day working relationships
  • Develop and sustain excellent relationships with multi-disciplinary team and other organisations within Liverpool and the city council officers and commissioners
  • Develop and sustain sound working relationships with local people and local community groups
  • Enthusiastic, self-motivated and passionate about their work
  • Flexibility, adaptability and ability to work as part of a team
  • Ability to work within the ethos and philosophy of the YMCA

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If you would like to apply not directly through the website, please email your completed application form to recruitment@ymcatogether.org.uk

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