Operations Development Manager (interim)
£30,000 pro-rata

Big Breakfast Plus has been supporting and serving the homeless in Swindon since 1993. In normal times, we provide a warm welcome and a hearty cooked breakfast for homeless people, 7 days a week, together with opportunities for socialising and help to access advice and other services.

During Covid-19, we’ve been supporting would-be guests by providing food vouchers and linking in with other services. Behind the scenes, in addition to planning for re-opening in line with restrictions lifting in mid-June, we’re also identifying where we can develop our operating model and processes so that the charity emerges from the pandemic stronger and more sustainable.

We’re at a turning point not only with planning for re-opening, but also in shifting how our charity is managed, moving from the current trustee-led model, towards delegating the day-to-day running and aspects of strategic planning to an employed charity manager.

This is where you come in. The interim Operations Development Manager will be crucial to enabling us to identify and shape what this new charity manager role should look like and how the service should operate both on re-opening and longer term. Building on the groundwork already undertaken by our small team of dedicated and experienced trustees, we need a self-motivated, capable individual with a balance of strategic and operational skills to support us in identifying and executing the next steps, including:

• Planning where and how we re-open: we need to secure a new venue and food supplies, plus establish procedures for operating safely as Covid restrictions are eased, including ensuring training of staff and volunteers and communications with guests. Our current team includes three part-time employed cooks, plus a network of committed volunteers.
• Resource planning: identifying the right service model and structure for both the immediate re-opening and longer-term operations. The review of our longer-term operating model should be completed by the end of September 2021 to allow for the recruitment and induction of the permanent manager by the end of 2021.
• Financial management: drafting a budget and fundraising target for trustee approval for 2022/23, plus handling day-to-day finances including banking, petty cash, gift aid, record keeping and liaising with payroll.
• Fundraising: reviewing and developing funding streams, including grant opportunities, corporate support, community events and individual donation schemes.
• Marketing: raising the profile of our service among potential guests, volunteers, funders, partners and the wider community through social media, press, networking and other activities.
• Risk management: responsibility for identifying and managing risks, such as Health & Safety, food hygiene, and safeguarding, including training of staff and volunteers and keeping trustees and other designated partner agencies updated with any concerns and actions taken.
• Governance support: reviewing policies and procedures, servicing quarterly trustee meetings including producing financial and activity reports, circulating agendas and producing minutes, as well as supporting the recruitment and skills audit of trustees.

This interim role will therefore draw on a broad range of skills, including process mapping, developing partnerships and managing and supporting staff and volunteers through a period of change. You will need to be able to get stuck in with practical tasks and details, as well as being able to step back and take a more strategic view of what the charity needs longer-term. You will have experience of managing a community-focused service, as well as an understanding of charity governance and funding.

If you’re excited by the opportunity to drive the re-launch of our breakfast service and shape our charity’s future, please send your CV and covering letter to rebecca@krhrconsultancy.co.uk. Your covering letter should outline what appeals to you about joining Big Breakfast Plus and why your skills and experience make you a great candidate for this role.

Closing date: Sunday 25th April 2021
Interview date: Friday 30th April 2021 (via Zoom)

This role is subject to an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check.

Big Breakfast Plus is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, volunteers and guests.

Terms: The salary for this post is based on £30,000 per annum (£15.38 per hour). This role is for a fixed period to the end of December 2021, to start as soon as possible (ideally May 2021). Given the urgency and volume of work to prepare for re-opening, we envisage that the weekly hours will be greater during the first two to three months (30 hours per week) and then may reduce to 20-25 hours per week for the remainder of the fixed term contract and will include some occasional weekend working. The interim manager may be suited to the permanent post, however it’s possible that the permanent role may have a different scope, skillset and salary level to the interim role.

Location: Home-based initially whilst restrictions are in place, then split between homeworking and a central Swindon delivery base