Job Vacancy: Sustainability Programme Officer

The Alliance for Inclusive Education (ALLFIE) is recruiting a part-time Sustainability Programme Officer

22 December 2022

Salary: £35,057 per annum, pro rata
Hours: Part time, 24 hours per week
Contract: 2 years fixed term contract

Background

The Alliance for Inclusive Education (ALLFIE) has led the lobby for change in inclusive education for over 30 years and is the only national Disabled people’s campaigning organisation working on this issue. ALLFIE’s vision is to create an inclusive society, by ensuring inclusive education within mainstream settings for ALL Disabled people. We campaign for ‘a world where inclusive education is a right not a struggle’, and for Disabled pupils and students to be fully included in mainstream education, training and apprenticeships, with all necessary support. We also create the resources that people and organisations need to advocate for inclusive education and to develop good inclusive practice.

Purpose of the Job

This is a new role and has been resourced by the Esmeé Fairbairn Foundation for 2 years to create a national inclusive education coalition, to set up a Young Disabled people’s parliamentary group, to create a feasibility study and to fundraise to ensure the sustainability of ALLFIE’s work for inclusive education within mainstream settings. Inclusive education is a social justice and human rights issue for all Disabled people. The programme will connect and work across ALLFIE’s different strategic objectives to support our drive for change.

The post-holder will share and demonstrate a strong passion for inclusive education, social justice, and human rights issues. The successful candidate will be accountable for our sustainability objective. The role will be focussed on supporting ALLFIE to deliver on our strategic plan to tackle the challenges Disabled people experience in education. They will deliver work that is representative of Disabled People from an intersectional experience and draw on other intersecting areas that impact on education to bring about change. You will push forward ALLFIE’s work on inclusive education through working across ALLFIE, Disabled People’s Organisations, partners, members, and social justice movements. You will be conscious of ALLFIE’s work to help create trust and collectively build the movement for inclusive education for ALL Disabled people.

This role is an exciting opportunity for someone with strong fundraising and project management skills and a passion for disability justices. This is a demanding and fulfilling role that will give the successful candidate the opportunity to work within a national Disabled People’s Organisation.

Reports to: ALLFIE’s Director
Salary: £35,057 per annum, pro rata
Hours: 24 hours per week
Contract length: Part-time 2 years fixed term contract
Annual Leave: 25 days per year plus bank holidays, pro rata
Location: Hybrid (a flexible combination of remote and in-person working)

We support flexible working and large aspects of the role could be done remotely, however some travel to attend face-to -face meetings will be required.

ALLFIE is committed to centring social justice frameworks, social model of disability, intersectionality and human rights in our practice. If you are a Disabled person and we need to make any adjustments to our recruitment process to enable you to apply for this role, please let us know.

How to apply

JOB DESCRIPTION

MAIN RESPONSILIITES and ACCOUNTABILITY

The programme manager is responsible for:

Programme management

Lead on planning and designing the programme and proactively monitoring its progress, resolving issues and initiating appropriate corrective action defining the programme’s governance arrangements
Lead on ensuring effective quality assurance and the overall integrity of the programme
Manage the programme budget and financial reporting
Plan and ensure the smooth delivery of all activities ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget and lead to planned outcomes

Lead on the monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the grant, ensuring impact is evidenced by high quality data
Maintain up to date knowledge of trends and developments in the inclusive education space and contribute to the development of ALLFIE’s future
Lead on managing risks to the programme’s successful outcome
Recruit and work with consultants
Plan and ensure the smooth delivery of all activities ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget and lead to planned outcomes
Providing support, guidance and development opportunities different areas of the programme
Write successful applications and evaluation reports
Lead on fundraising to improve income generation
Write successful funding applications and evaluation reports

Partnership

Recruit and build an inclusive education coalition, supporting them throughout the programme to ensure high levels of engagement and collaboration
Build and maintain a Young Disabled People’s parliamentary group working across teams
Build and maintain relationships with partners to raise the profile of ALLFIE, representing the organisation at external events and networking spaces
Build and maintain relationships with MPs / Councillors, think tanks and local campaign / pressure groups
Build relationships with experts, research institutions and policy committees
Identifying new supporters to join ALLFIE campaigns

Administration and monitoring

Work with ALLFIE’s Director to review and submit monitoring reports to grant funders
Work with the Finance Officer and Director on financial reporting to grant funders and to manage the budget
Follow the organisation’s financial procedures to manage budgets
Ensure that project files are maintained within an agreed system,
Maintain effective systems ensuring consistency with ALLFIE’s operational requirements and policies
Provide project reports and updates to ALLFIE’s Director

General responsibilities

Manage project budgets and support with fundraising where appropriate
Participate in team discussions on strategy and day-to-day operations and help with facilitation
Respond to requests for information internally and externally
Ensure that the organisation’s policies and procedures are adhered to, including ALLFIE’s Equality of Opportunity policy and safeguarding policies
Provide updates to ALLFIE’s Director and Board of Trustees, as required
Contribute at team meetings, to ALLFIE’s newsletter and website content
Attend internal meetings and trainings including team meetings, Away Days, Supervision, Appraisals and AGMs

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential criteria

Knowledge and experience

The successful candidate will demonstrate knowledge and experience in the following areas:

Demonstrate a track record of working in programme management and delivery, with experience in project design and development in relation to disability justice on inclusive education
Experience working on national programmes
Strong networking, relationship-building, and communication skills

Experience in fundraising and improving income generation
Strong networking, relationship-building, and communication skills
Experience of designing and delivering training and/or capacity building projects, with strong workshop facilitation, hosting, and public speaking skills
Experience working within social justice campaigns
A good understanding of inclusive education campaigns

Experience of designing and delivering training and/or capacity building projects, with strong workshop facilitation, hosting, and public speaking skills
Experience of developing and maintaining successful partnerships with multiple stakeholders
An understanding of financial processes with experience of preparing, managing, and reporting on project budgets

Skills

The successful candidate will demonstrate a range of skills including:

Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation and influencing skills
Ability to organise, plan, prioritise and manage your own workload and time
Ability to produce budgets and financial reporting
Excellent partnership, facilitation, and interpersonal skills
Ability to engage and work in an accessible and dynamic way with diverse groups
Ability to work with external consultants
Ability to work with Young Disabled people
Ability to be self-motivating, well organised and working to tight deadlines
Ability to organise and coordinate events, including online and face to face events, co-ordinating participants and trainers
Ability to monitor outcomes and continuous performance improvement
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, enjoys working with people and getting the best out of partners and project participants
Excellent computer skills including: office package, databases, websites, and social media
Ability to produce clear and precise written material, including publicity

Aptitudes / Personal qualities

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

A strong personal commitment to and understanding of the social model of disability, social justice, intersectionality, equity, inclusion, equality and ALLFIE’s principles
Understand and demonstrate a willingness to promote the organisation’s policies and procedure, including ALLFIE’s Equality of opportunity policy and safeguarding policies
Work independently and within a team to effectively deliver work programmes and other areas of ALLFIE’s work
Self-motivated and able to take initiative
Attention to detail and excellent organisational skills
Curious and always wanting to learn, with a commitment to personal and professional training and development

Other requirements

Willingness to travel around the UK and work occasional evenings / weekends
Willing to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check

Desirable criteria

Lived experience as a Disabled person
Experience and knowledge of the Disabled People’s Organisations (DPO) sector is desirable
Experience and knowledge of working across social justice movements, government departments and local authorities is desirable