DIRECTOR of OPERATIONS, Military Wives Choirs Foundation

PURPOSE: To ensure MWCF continues to deliver its mission by: • Supporting our network of choirs • Successfully developing and implementing the business plan, based on the strategy set by the Board • Ensuring income generation is sufficient to support the development of new choirs and ongoing training & development of existing choirs, support the network’s on- going musical endeavor, and to cover all central expenses. • Working with the network and external partners to identify new opportunities for choirs at regional and national level and ensure they are delivered. • Being responsible for regulatory compliance and supporting the Board. • Building on existing and developing new partnerships with organisations and companies that work with us, especially SSAFA, as well as those we want to work with in future.

Reporting to The Chair of MWCF

Responsible for National Choirs Coordinator, Repertoire and Performance Manager (to be hired), and volunteers.

Hours Full-time preferred.

Location SSAFA Central Office, Queen Elizabeth Building, 4 St Dunstan’s Hill, London.

Travel UK travel and attendance at meetings. May require occasional overnight stays.

Salary £41,000- £49,000

If you were successful and accept this position:

Start Date End of August 2016, negotiable. As we would like you to attend some meetings beforehand, subject to availability.

Probationary Period 3 months, during which you will be entitled to statutory benefits only.

Application Process: Closing Date midnight: Monday 20 June. First Interviews: Thursday 24 June. 2nd Interviews: Thursday 30th June.

1

Background In 2011 whilst UK Armed Forces were deployed in Afghanistan, arrived at military bases in Chivenor and to film the TV programme “The Choir: Military Wives” which recorded the creation of two choirs of military wives. Those choirs, galvanised by the support from each other whilst husbands were away, unexpectedly enjoyed amazing success when they came together to record 'Wherever You Are'. The ladies created an unprecedented level of public empathy for military wives and girlfriends, consequently shot to Number 1 in the UK charts and raised over £500,000 for military charities SSAFA and the . Inspired by Chivenor and Plymouth, other military wives began to set up choirs across the country, with Lympstone, Portsmouth, Salisbury Plain and Wattisham among the first. Meanwhile, in Catterick, a choir for military wives and girlfriends had been set up in 2010 by Nicky Clarke and Caroline Jopp. Nicky had written to Gareth about the benefits that a choir could bring to military wives during a deployment to Afghanistan, and this had inspired Gareth to create the TV programme. In January 2012, choir members from Chivenor, Plymouth and Catterick came together to discuss how best to create a sustainable organisation to benefit all military wives, building on the legacy from the success of the song ‘Wherever You Are’. Encouraged by Gareth and actively assisted by other supporters, including SSAFA, the Royal British Legion, Decca and 20:20 Television, the concept of a Foundation, to act as an umbrella organisation for all military wives choirs, was born. Needing a team to breathe life into the vision, a call was put out to all choirs in February 2012 and in March 2012 a group of women stepped forward to volunteer their time to found the charity we now know as the Military Wives Choirs Foundation (MWCF). That group of women was Caroline Jopp, Nicky Clarke, Sharon Bristow, Kelly Leonard, Emma Hanlon-Penny, Vanessa Murtagh, Emma Dineen, Claire Balneaves, Sarah McCallister and Carol Gedye, supported by SSAFA’s Communications Director Athol Hendry. Running alongside the business of setting up choirs the team were managing numerous high profile projects including recording three albums; In My Dreams, Stronger Together and Sing, releasing a book ‘The Military Wives’, performing at the Queens Jubilee, the Classical Brit Awards, the Festival of Remembrance and countless television appearances and local performances. The charity was officially incorporated on 25 July 2012 with four founding trustees Nicky Clarke, Athol Hendry, David Ashman and Kirsty Bushell. The dedication and commitment of the co-founders and trustees was realised on 13 September 2012 when 647 women from 24 choirs came together at Wellington Barracks in London to officially launch the charity. On this same day, Gareth Malone was welcomed as the charity’s first patron. The charity was officially incorporated on 25 July 2012 with four founding trustees Nicky Clarke, Athol Hendry (SSAFA), David Ashman and Kirsty Bushell (SSAFA). The dedication and commitment of the co-founders and trustees was realised on 13 September 2012 when 647 women from 24 choirs came together at Wellington Barracks in London to officially launch the charity. On this same day, Gareth Malone was welcomed as the charity’s first patron. Today The MWCF continues to be a volunteer-led organisation providing guidance, funding and support to the network of more than 70 choirs on British military bases in the UK and overseas (Northern Ireland, Brussels, Germany, Naples, Cyprus and Brunei). Approximately 2,500 women are activley engaged in participating in the choirs.

2

Each choir has its own character, but all are optimistic and spirited places to be. They celebrate what is best about our military communities and play a vital role when times are tough. What kind of organisation are we? MWCF is a charitable company limited by guarantee. We are a registered charity in England and Wales (No.1148302) and Scotland (No. SCO 45217). We are also a registered company in England and Wales (No. 08089754). SSAFA is the sole corporate member of MWCF. SSAFA, established in 1885, is a welfare charity that provides lifelong support for the armed forces and their families and operates in 14 countries, with more than 167 branches throughout the world (majority within the UK) and 6,967 volunteers.

Our vision and mission Our vision is the MWCF choir network will improve the long-term wellbeing of women within the military community by bringing them closer together through singing.

Our mission is that MWCF will provide support, training and opportunities for choirs and individuals that will sustain and develop our network and the women who sing in our choirs because we believe we are stronger together.

Our values Mutuality Constant support and unspoken understanding Openness Honest, inclusive, equal voice Time Out Creating time to be who you are Optimism Our collective energy creates new opportunities

Job Summary To act on behalf of the MWCF Board of Trustees in order to support and develop the network of Military Wives Choirs in the UK and oversees.

In board terms the Director of Operations will be accountable to the Board for: • Overseeing the day-to-day operations and governance administration of the MWCF. • Managing staff, including overseeing the work schedules and duties, ensuring that support offered to choirs is of the highest standard. • Developing and implementing the business plan and aims as confirmed by the Trustees. • Ensuring all marketing communications, events, fundraising and other activities are of the highest standard and align with the organisation’s values and mission and that they fulfill our aims and objectives. • Developing, reviewing all financial matters relating to the MWCF, and ensuring budgets are adhered to. • Providing support to the Board and ensuing adequate support is provided to committees, both standing and ad hoc as required. • Building the financial health of the organisation through identifying and securing funding from a range of sources. • Working with Trustees and volunteers to promote and sustain the profile of the MWCF and the Military Wives Choirs as a leading welfare charity. • Ensuring all the activities of the MWCF complies with all relevant legislation. • Nurturing partnerships and relationships that are beneficial to the furtherance of the MWCF’s charitable objectives. • Managing a high-performing team of staff and volunteers to execute the above.

3

1. Leadership & Management • Lead and manage staff and support charity’s volunteers in delivery of our mission, aims and objectives. • Work alongside SSAFA to ensure MOU is fully utilized and reviewed. • Manage staff team, identify staffing needs and hire accordingly, ensure appropriate training & development is undertaken, and lead appraisals

2. Business Planning, Implementation & Fundraising • Turn strategy into deliverable business plan, utilising the expertise of Trustees & staff. • Identify KPIs and outcomes and assess and track performance against these. • Oversee the delivery of all projects and activities, taking the lead on the Annual Meeting and any future large-scale national activities. • Lead team to deliver MD, Regional and Annual Conferences and other activities as required.

3. Finance • Prepare annual budgets for approval • Monitor cash flow and agreed budgets and report at each board meeting • Oversee MWC Annual Returns and their reporting • Write Annual Report and submit to charities commission and companies house with assistance of the Treasurer • Oversee all banking and expenses confirmations.

4. Governance & Compliance • Act as secretary to the Board, and ensure all Charity Commission and Company House details are kept up-to-date • With Board review & maintain Risk register and update & ensure compliance with relevant legislation and regulations, including DP • Ensure adequate Insurance for governance, choir & performance

5. Development (Fundraising) & Marketing Communications • Represent the foundation in any legal negotiation under guidance from Trustees • Develop, maintain & steward relationships with all external stakeholders, working with Board and staff as agreed and/or necessary. • Build on the relationship with Creative Artists Agency and other key partnerships with Trustees and/or team members as appropriate or agreed. • With Trustees and staff continue to maintain our strong relationships with SSAFA, as well as the wide range of military and non-military organisations and charities that work with us. • Take the lead on all fundraising activities, working with Trustees, team members and CAA as appropriate. Identify external freelance help as required (eg writing T&F applications). • Oversee all marketing communications activities working with external agencies and volunteers as required.

You may be required from time to time to undertake such other duties as MWCF may reasonably require in order to undertake your role and in accordance with the needs of the charity.

4

Person Specification Essential Desirable Qualifications/Education Degree: Music /Arts Administration/Management ✔ Knowledge/Skills/Experience • Min. 5 years experience working at senior management level ✔ • Proven experience of building and leading teams ✔ • Proven experience of working with volunteers ✔ • Excellent financial management, budgeting, business planning experience ✔ • Proven experience in working with Board of Trustees ✔ • Proven experience of working with leaders and key influencers from a ✔ variety of backgrounds • Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills ✔ • Practical knowledge of music, performing arts, music industry ✔ • Practical experience of fundraising: T&F, corporates, individuals ✔ • IT proficiency and excellent skills in using Microsoft Office suite of ✔ products: MS WORD, MS EXCEL, MS POWERPOINT • Good knowledge of marketing communications and marketing techniques ✔ • Practical knowledge of and experience in charity sector and governance, ✔ particularly fundraising • Ability to work on own initiative and manage diverse projects with ✔ minimal supervision • Experience of managing external agencies (marketing, fundraising or ✔ other) • Contract negotiation experience ✔ • Excellent organizational and time management skills ✔ • An association with the Military ✔ Personal Qualities • Confident, creative thinker ✔ • Demonstrable interpersonal and networking skills ✔ • Enthusiastic, self-motivated ✔ • Empathetic towards MWCF charitable aims, mission and vision ✔ • Ability to influence and manage a variety of stakeholders ✔

Application Process: All applications should be no longer than four pages and saved into one (1) PDF document. The first page must be your cover letter describing your abilities against the five areas in the job description. Please include the names and contact details of two referees who will only be contacted, with your permission, following the first interview.

Closing Date: midnight Monday 20 June. Email Applications: [email protected] First Interview date: Thursday 24th June. Second Interview date: Thursday 30th June. Please note we are unable to change the interview dates.

5