Groundswell

Chief Executive Appointment Brief

Welcome

Dear Candidate,

Many thanks for considering the role of Chief Executive at Groundswell. I hope you find all the information you need to make an application to lead this dynamic and impactful charity.

I joined the Groundswell Board of Trustees in 2018 and was the Treasurer for two years before becoming Chair in 2020. Since then, I have seen the organisation thrive and grow, making a significant impact on the lives of our clients and our volunteers. I have always been passionate about ending homelessness and got involved with Groundswell because of its Core Beliefs and the central involvement of people with lived experience of homelessness – which is the key to its success.

Our outgoing Chief Executive was in post for five years and has built a strong foundation for the future. You will inherit a dedicated Board of Trustees and a skilled and committed staff team, along with our exceptional and inspirational volunteers. Your job will be to build on this legacy - and Groundswell’s 25-year track record - to see the organisation take a leading role in transforming society’s response to homelessness.

Like any charity in the current environment, significant challenges lie ahead. These include navigating through a changing funding, NHS and political landscape, with ever tighter budgets, and a growing problem of homelessness for society to tackle. However, you will join us at an exciting time. Our service model is being replicated nationally, attracting funding from commissioners and independent grant makers, and is increasingly seen as an exemplar for the wider sector.

Groundswell is committed to embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion through every aspect of its governance, staffing and distribution of resources. In the last two years, we’ve made a lot of effort to increase the diversity of our Trustee team, with two open recruitments. We will continue to use external progression frameworks and consultation with our staff and volunteers to identify where we can improve. We continue to review our policies and recruitment processes through an EDI lens and are committed to becoming an even more diverse and inclusive organisation.

We want a diverse range of applicants to apply for the Chief Executive role and have asked Prospectus to ensure this is the case. You don’t need to be an experienced Chief Executive already to apply for this role.

If our collaborative and positive approach appeals to you, then we hope you will be inspired to get in touch. A unique opportunity awaits a creative, inspiring, and values-driven candidate.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this role and I hope you’ll apply.

Jenny Yates Chair of Trustees, Groundswell

About Groundswell

Groundswell works with people with experience of homelessness, offering opportunities to contribute to society and create solutions to homelessness. Participation is at our core because the experience of homelessness is crucial in making decisions that affect lives and ultimately help people to move out of homelessness.

Our work is based around a set of core beliefs that underpin everything we do:

The whole community benefits when we effectively tackle homelessness and social exclusion.

We believe in people. People are society’s most valuable resource, and everyone has the capacity to make a contribution.

There is no “them” and “us” – only us. Groundswell brings everyone together to create genuine solutions to homelessness.

Participation works. Supporting people to participate creates more effective services and policy – and crucially enables people to move out of homelessness.

Groundswell exists to tackle:

Homelessness

Everyone has the right to a safe home and to contribute to society.

Health inequalities

Everyone has the right to good health and a right to access healthcare.

A lack of participation

People with experience of homelessness should inform the solution.

A society that doesn’t work for everyone

The system has been designed in a way that restricts opportunity, it needs to change to work for everyone.

Information on Groundswell’s journey including a short film can be found at: https://groundswell.org.uk/timeline/

Groundswell’s is a growing team with national presence and influence; our turnover last year was just over £2 million. Our staff team work flexibly, some from our new office in Kennington, London, and others from home across the country. We have nearly 40 staff and a national network of volunteers; 65% of staff and all volunteers have experienced homelessness.

Strategy

Our three year ‘Participation Works’ strategy has three key areas:

Good health - We believe good health creates a foundation to move out of homelessness. Groundswell’s people focused health work and innovative services enable people who are homeless to access the health care they need –because everyone has a right to good health. Find out more here

Creating Change - Groundswell brings together insight from people with experience of homelessness, we use this insight to tackle issues through changing practice and challenging policy. We believe that the experience of homelessness brings insight that can help tackle the issues of homelessness and create change. Find out more here

Progression - We are committed to developing and supporting a workforce of people with experience of homelessness to participate in designing and delivering solutions to homelessness whilst progressing in their own lives. Find out more here

Participation Works

Participation Works is delivered through the following key projects and partnerships:

Homeless Health Peer Advocacy - HHPA

Our HHPA service supports people experiencing homelessness to address physical and mental health issues. We work to improve people’s confidence in using health services and increase their ability to access healthcare independently. The volunteer Peer Advocates delivering the service have all experienced homelessness themselves; in some areas we also have specialist Care Navigators or Case Workers – the majority began as volunteers. HHPA is well established in London and is now also being delivered in Manchester, Birmingham, and Newcastle through the lottery funded #HealthNow programme (see below), and we have local partners in other cities delivering services too. A range of proposals to set up new HHPA initiatives in different parts of the country are also being developed. Find out more about HHPA from our short video.

#HealthNow

#HealthNow is a UK wide campaign, working towards an inclusive health system where everyone has access to the health care they need; ultimately moving people out of homelessness. It is led by Groundswell and delivered in partnership with national charities Crisis and Shelter. Our local partners, alongside people with experience of homelessness and other stakeholders within the homelessness and health sectors, have formed #HealthNow alliances in Birmingham, Greater Manchester, and Newcastle. Each local alliance is informed by peer-led research to understand and raise awareness of local barriers to accessing healthcare for homeless people. Local #HealthNow alliance members use this insight

to co-produce solutions to overcome homeless health inequalities in their area. Find out more about #HealthNow from this short video.

The Progression Programme

Our Progression team use coaching to help all volunteers and staff with experience of homelessness identify their goals and overcome the barriers that may be preventing them from achieving them. Many of Groundswell’s volunteers have gone on to jobs including nurses, carers, interpreters, or support workers within homelessness organisations. We are committed to offering progression opportunities internally. Individual’s progression is personal to them, therefore the support they receive through the Progression Programme puts the person and their needs and goals at the core. People come to Groundswell at a variety of stages in their journey out of homelessness and with ranging needs. Areas we offer our staff and volunteers support in include pastoral, employment, legal and welfare, mental health, and wellbeing. Find out more here.

Creating Change

Our Creating Change team delivers a range of research, policy and campaigning activity. We partner with external researchers, including academics and other charities, to gather insight and call for action to create change. Our recent projects include a mystery shopping exercise in London, our Covid Monitoring rapid research, and contributing fieldwork to Crisis’ research into the Homelessness Reduction Act. You can learn more about our approach here: https:// groundswell.org.uk/our-approach-to-research/

We seek creative ways to share our research findings. For example, in 2022 we commissioned and staged a play with Cardboard Citizens

based on our Benefits for Health research. We also work to inform policy decisions. We have been working with the DHSC team working on the Mental Health Plan for England, having submitted a response to their call for evidence, we are a member of the Health and Wellbeing Alliance, and we are about to launch a new campaign to dismantle stigma. We also deliver the Comic Relief funded Listen Up! project, blending peer journalism, research and training to kickstart major change towards better healthcare access and life expectancy for people facing homelessness: https://groundswell.org. uk/listenup/

Learning and Development

Groundswell has a 10-year track record of developing and delivering peer led learning and development training and support across the country. We are unique because all our learning and development work is led by people with direct experience of homelessness and all training activities are co-produced and codelivered with those closest to the experience.

Our role is to develop and deliver training targeted at volunteers and staff within the sector and for people who are currently experiencing homelessness. We also offer training for other service providers who are also likely to work with those experiencing homelessness in some capacity.

Find out more here

Finances 2022

Groundswell’s income was £2.1m during the year, and while we reported an overall deficit of £143k, our unrestricted reserves rose by £55k to £643k, our highest ever level.

For more information on our accounts please visit: https://find-and-update.company-information. service.gov.uk/company/04151312/filing-history

Role Description

Job title: Chief Executive

Reporting to: Board of Trustees

Responsible for: Four direct reports

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full Time 37.5 Hours per week

Base Location: London, with opportunities for flexible working Leave: 28 days per year + 8 days bank holidays

Salary: circa £77,500 plus 5% pension

Overall objective

Provide vision and strategic direction, management, and development for the Charity in line with Groundswell’s values and mission. To be accountable to the Trustee Board and lead the Senior Management Team (SMT), staff and volunteers in policy development, operational strategic planning and in modelling the values of the organisation such as clear and visible leadership with an inclusive management style.

You will be an inspiring and dedicated person with experience of leadership in the third sector or public sector, tasked with growing a thriving, dynamic and values-driven charity to increase our impact and diversify our income streams, while developing Groundswell to be a healthy and more sustainable organisation.

You will have overall responsibility for delivering our current Participation Works strategy (Good Health, Progression, Creating Change, as described above) as well as assessing and reflecting on the impacts of our work and (with colleagues across the organisation) refreshing the strategy and work plans periodically. You will play a leading role in developing external partnerships and alliances so that by joining forces with others we can extend our reach and impact.

Our projected turnover will be approximately £2.4m in 2023/24. You will be responsible for overseeing enhancements to our finance processes, and delivering a sustainable fundraising strategy, maintaining positive relationships with existing funders and targeting new areas of income.

You will manage and support a team of committed and skilled staff (currently 37) and volunteers - with two-thirds of the staff and all the volunteers having personal experience of homelessness.

You will be tasked with building our reserves, improving our sustainability, and increasing our impact. You will ensure that all work is delivered to high quality standards, within legal requirements and in alignment with Groundswell’s deeply held core beliefs.

This is an exciting, complex and rewarding role.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy and governance

• Strategic plan. In collaboration with the Board of Trustee, senior leadership team, staff, and volunteers - review existing strategic plan and ensure new plan is developed in 2023.

• Board of Trustees. Report to the Board timely and accurate management information and support the Board to oversee effective governance of the charity.

• Legal reporting. Ensure Groundswell maintains its financial and legal reporting to the Charity Commission, Companies House, and other bodies.

People and projects

• Quality delivery. Ensure that all the work of the strategic plan is delivered to a high quality, within the mission, to time and within budget.

• Human resources. Maintain a personcentred, asset-based, psychologically informed organisational approach to human resources and performance management. Line management of senior staff.

• Innovation. Maintain culture of creativity and innovation.

• Project management. Further develop Groundswell’s approach to project management, with a greater use of technology where appropriate.

• Impact. Oversee Groundswell’s monitoring, evaluation, impact measurement systems and processes.

Development and resourcing

• Income generation strategy. Oversee the development and implementation of a sustainable income generation strategy. Ensure Groundswell has the income required to deliver our strategic plan, including the required levels of reserves.

• Stewardship. Support and maintain a strong culture of stewardship with all of Groundswell’s funders and supporters.

Finance

• Finance management. Be responsible for the robust management of Groundswell’s financial accounting and reporting systems, including management of the annual budgeting process, regular management accounting and reviews for budget against actual. Ensure robust financial procedures are in place and adhered to.

• Cashflow. Ensure Groundswell has an adequate cashflow.

• Audit. Ensure production of audited annual accounts.

Facilities and operations

• Premises. Ensure Groundswell has appropriate premises and office facilities, as well as methods of remote working, to deliver the services.

• IT. Ensure Groundswell has appropriate technology and communications infrastructure.

• Policy framework. Maintenance of policies and procedures to ensure smooth operation.

External relations and communications

• Representation. Take a proactive approach to promoting the organisation at a strategic level and publicly, increasing Groundswell’s profile.

• Partnership. Maintain a strong ethos of partnership working, including exploring the development of new strategic partnerships.

• In the loop. Maintain up to date knowledge of, and influencing the agendas of, the following sectors: homelessness voluntary sector, social enterprise, participation and involvement, health.

Person Specification

This is a role for a civil society leader with deeply held values consistent with the Groundswell values and a passion for social justice and inclusion. We are looking for a leader who is clear, authentic, and collegiate. The key attributes of what will make a successful leader at Groundswell include:

• Core beliefs. It is essential that you fully understand and are committed to Groundswell’s core beliefs of people, participation, inclusion, and equality. You will have a proven track record of enacting similar core beliefs within your career to date.

• Income generation. You will have a significant track record of playing a direct role in raising significant amounts of income from various sources across both statutory and voluntary income.

• Creative intellect. You will have shown how you have delivered demonstrable social impact in innovative ways, evidencing flexibility and creativity.

• Leadership. You will have played a leadership role that required you to earn and maintain the trust of a range of stakeholders, including staff, volunteers, funders, and Board members. You will have proved you can create a participative and reflective culture that values the contribution of all stakeholders.

• People skills. You will have high levels of emotional intelligence and the ability to set a strong organisational culture of personal and professional development, including evidence of successfully managing direct reports.

• Small to medium size charities. You will be able to demonstrate that you appreciate the realities of successful delivery within the challenges of a small or medium sized charity or similar organisation.

• Risk. You will have experience of being responsible for the delivery of work that engages directly with people with multiple disadvantages and will be familiar with safeguarding practices and the inherent risks of this work.

• Efficient and productive. You will have a proven ability to manage a diverse and challenging workload and be capable of supporting the organisation to improve its project delivery and operations processes.

How to apply

To apply for the role please upload your CV together with a supporting statement (maximum two pages of A4) on the Prospectus website at the link below. Please ensure that you have included mobile, work and home telephone numbers, as well as any dates when you will not be available or might have difficulty with the recruitment timetable.

At Prospectus we believe passionately that a truly inclusive workplace leads to increased social impact. We are committed to supporting our clients to build more inclusive teams. To understand how we are performing, we ask that you kindly complete the brief equal opportunities questionnaire when you submit your application via our website. Please be assured that your responses are kept confidential, separate from your candidate record, are not part of any application you make, and that the consultants never see individual responses to the questionnaire.

Applications should be made via the Prospectus website at: https://jobs.prospect-us.co.uk/jobs/details/hq00182565

Recruitment Timetable

Deadline for applications: 15th January 2023

Interviews with Prospectus: w/c 23 January 2023

Interviews with Groundswell: w/c 6 February 2023

Queries

If you wish to have an informal discussion about the opportunity, please contact our retained advisor Alex Williams at Prospectus on 020 7691 1920, or email: alex.williams@prospect-us.co.uk

If you require this document in an alternative format, please contact Prospectus on 020 7691 1920 or email: executive.admin@prospect-us.co.uk

Equal Opportunities

Groundswell is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.

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