RECRUITMENT PACK Chief Executive Officer

This pack contains the following documents:

 A Message from the Chair

 About Age UK Wigan Borough: Brief History and Background

 Locality Map of Wigan Borough

 How we are funded

 Our strategic objectives

 Job Description and Person specification

 How to apply

Appendices Appendix 1: Annual Report for year ending March 2020 Appendix 2: Business Plan 2019-2020 Appendix 3: Annual Review 2019-2020 Appendix 4: ‘Keeping in Touch’ Newsletter April 2021

A message from the Chair

Dear Candidate

Thank you for your interest in this post. We hope that when you have read through the information pack you will feel inspired to make an application.

It has been a challenging year for Age UK Wigan Borough. The Covid-19 pandemic has meant that we have been unable to deliver some of our face to face services and difficult decisions have had to be made in temporarily suspending some of our services, such as Home Help and Handyperson. Others, like Bright Days, which is aimed at decreasing loneliness and isolation in older people, have had to adapt to virtual on-line contact between participants.

As part of the brief for the incoming Chief Executive Officer, we need someone who can work with all of our stakeholders including Trustees, staff and volunteers, older people using our services and others in the community so the charity has the maximum impact on improving the lives of local older people.

In the immediate future the priority of the Trustees and the Chief Executive Officer will be to determine our future strategy as we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic. The role will be challenging and exciting as we adapt to a changing world whilst remaining an integral part of the community.

One of the main tasks of the Chief Executive Officer, along with the management team, will be to seek funding for current and future services. With the continuing decrease in Government grants for Local Authorities, who in the past have funded many of our services, it is necessary to secure financial sustainability by obtaining funding from a more diverse range of sources.

We remain optimistic about the future and are committed to continuing to support older people in Wigan Borough in every way we can.

As a local Age UK we want to:

Be the first point of contact for older people

Deliver services that both meet the needs of older people and are person centred

Tackle loneliness and isolation.

We look forward to receiving your application.

Bryan Shepherd Chair

Brief History and Background

Age Concern Wigan Borough / Age UK Wigan Borough 1995 – 2021

Age Concern Wigan Borough was established as a charity in 1995, with an HQ office and shop on Market Street in the middle of Wigan town centre, and the first Chief Officer, Helen Jagielski, appointed in March of that year. An advice and information service was created as the core function, with grants and a charity shop on the ground floor of the Market Street premises providing the initial revenue for the charity.

The charity’s area of benefit is the borough of Wigan, with twenty-five local government wards and seventy-five councillors; the population is close to a third of a million people. In geographical size it is the largest of the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester. The local government reorganisation of 1974 brought together one county borough, Wigan, one borough, Leigh, eleven urban district councils and one rural district council. Although almost fifty years have passed since that reorganisation, the locals’ sense of a particular identification with the place whose name is now descriptive rather than administrative is still very strong: Leigh and Wigan were on opposite sides in the English Civil War of the seventeenth century and the rivalry and difference still exists.

The age profile of Wigan was and is skewed towards the older cohorts, though mortality rates across the borough vary by as much as eleven years between the poorest and richest parts. The legacy of Wigan’s industrial past is still there in the high rates of heart and lung disease, with the incidence of COPD still significant. As the charity grew, it endeavoured to provide services and support that answered the needs of an older population. Grant funding allowed advocacy to be added to advice and information services. In its early years the charity found itself growing very quickly. At the time, and particularly from 1997 to 2010, the charity was asked to do more and more by the local authority and by what was to become Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Hospitals Foundation Trust.

One measure of the charity’s success is that its core services of advice and advocacy have helped older people across the borough to access at least £1,000,000 of benefits in each of the last twenty-five years; benefits to which they were entitled but might not, without the charity’s help, have received. In 2019 – 2020 that sum was just short of £2,500,000, the highest of the quarter century.

In the year 2000 our second Chief Officer, Stuart Murray, was appointed and was able to build upon the successful development of services which by then included the offering of insurance products to the over fifties across the borough.

In 2004, Age Concern Wigan Borough became an incorporated charity, following a recommendation by The Charity Commission. One consequence of the new status was that any chair of the trustee board could serve, as a maximum, two consecutive three year terms as chair.

In 2006 Stuart Murray left to take up an appointment with GMPTA and John McArdle was appointed. John will have served slightly more than fifteen years as Chief Officer when he leaves in July 2021.

By the time John joined, Age Concern Wigan Borough had expanded and was required to expand even further with new services being commissioned and provided. The charity owned premises – a shop with offices above – in Leigh town centre, and, as well as leasing the Market Street premises, it had leased Pennyhurst Mill on Haig Street, just opposite Wigan Pier, to the west of the town centre. Many of the ‘back office’ services were carried on at Pennyhurst and the ground floor was leased to Age Concern England Retail as a second-hand furniture store. John McArdle helped refine the charity’s structure and consolidated its heathy financial position.

In 2010/2011, the two major charities for older people in the UK, Age Concern and Help the Aged, merged and became Age UK. As a consequence, our charity took on a new name – Age UK Wigan Borough.

From around 2010, the imposition of a national strategy of austerity by central government meant a profound change for all voluntary organisations. The charity’s growth slowed and then stopped. Nevertheless, despite the challenges of the last decade, where there have been opportunities for development they have been taken. For example, our home care and care and repair services have flourished, but it remains the case that services commissioned by other bodies or supported by time limited grants always see themselves as having a threat hanging over them – the threat of cancellation of commissioning or the ending of the grant.

The services currently offered by Age UK Wigan Borough include:

 Information and advice  Advocacy  Handyperson  Home Help  Bright Days  Food Action Together

For further information about each of these services and our work please visit our website: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/wiganborough/

Perhaps the most significant challenge for our charity in the future - in a world where funding is increasingly limited - is to continue to serve the needs of local older people, but in a more entrepreneurial and financially sustaining way. The balance sheets of Age UK Wigan Borough of the past few years do not make for easy reading, although we are fortunate in that our level of reserves are still relatively healthy due to good fiscal management during the years of growth.

The past months, since March 2020, have been particularly challenging, but it is a measure of the determination, resilience and the leadership of the charity that Age UK Wigan Borough has not only come through but in a quite remarkable way has demonstrated how essential its work is to the wellbeing of the whole fabric of the

4 borough’s life. During the lockdown periods, when some of our services had to be temporarily suspended, we ensured essential help and support was provided to local older people. This included shopping and prescription collections for older people who were shielding or unable to go shopping during this difficult period; the regular distribution of free food parcels and hampers; and ‘check and chat’ phone calls which were very popular. Information about the support provided during lockdown can be seen in Appendix 4 and on our website at https://www.ageuk.org.uk/wiganborough/our-services/coronavirus-and-our-services/

The services and support offered by Age UK Wigan Borough wouldn’t be possible without the dedication, commitment and passion of our staff and volunteers, along with support from partners and stakeholders. At the moment we currently employ 45 members of staff (11 full-time; 9 part-time; 25 on zero hour contracts). Up until the pandemic struck, we had around 50 volunteers, mostly older people, but many have not yet felt able to return. There are six Trustees who sit on the Board with a diverse range of skills and experience.

The challenge for the new Chief Officer is to take the charity forward, sustain it and ensure that the needs of older people are served.

Locality Map of Wigan

At 77 square miles, Wigan is one of the largest boroughs in Greater Manchester, with a population of 324,700 that is projected to grow to 346,300 by 2030. Wigan used to be a major mill town and coal mining district. At its peak, there were 1,000 pit shafts within 5 miles of the town centre. Coal mining ceased towards the end of the last century. Wigan Pier, a wharf on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, was made famous by the writer George Orwell.

How we are funded

In 2019/20, our total incoming resources were £772k and total expenditure £819k. Draft accounts for the year ended 31st March 2021 indicate a more modest deficit, despite the disruption to income and additional expenditure during the pandemic period.

Over many years of successful operation, the charity has built up cash reserves of over £1 million which have allowed trustees to take a long term view of the organisation’s future, despite the challenges of the changing funding environment and, more recently, the pandemic.

In accordance with the view of the Board of Trustees and charity legislation, income is derived from a variety of sources:

 Grants from the local authority and National Lottery for specified services such as Information and Advice, Advocacy, Housing and Care Options and Hospital discharge support.  Income from our Local Authority-supported Handyperson Service  Our Home Help initiative provides a range of paid for services under specific care packages to an increasing number of borough residents.  Our Bright Days project which offers many opportunities for older people to meet up and enjoy activities and will resume a full programme of events as lockdown restrictions are lifted.  Donations and occasional legacies have supported the operating costs of the charity and helped to fund specific projects in line with donors’ wishes.

Finances are managed under the control of the Chief Officer assisted by a full-time Finance Manager who is part of the senior management team. This is supported by external providers who assist with bookkeeping and budget monitoring and preparing the records for our annual audit.

We have recently engaged external contractors to assist us in applying for grant funding and to identify activities that will generate new sources of income for the charity and new partnerships and collaborations to deliver new services.

This is an exciting time for the successful applicant to join Age UK Wigan Borough. As local authority funding becomes more scarce, our organisation must identify more diverse sources of finance for projects that meet our mission to improve the lives of older people in the Borough. Our resources mean that the challenges can be addressed in a measured way with a view to the long-term sustainability of the charity.

Our Strategic Objectives

As a charity, we regularly review our aims and objectives and consult regularly with local older people, both those who use or have used our services, and others, to ensure our aims and objectives are in line with their needs and wishes. Our Mission Statement is to provide high quality services designed to offer support to older people across the Borough. In doing this we will help older people live their lives as they would choose. Our Strategic Aims underpin the work of our organisation. There are five strategic aims:  To market ourselves so that older people know about us and can get in touch easily;  To work with others to increase the opportunities available to older people;  To provide quality services which older people would choose and value;  To encourage and support older people to make their views known in the planning, design, delivery and evaluation of services;  To develop our internal systems and processes to support more effective service delivery.

These aims are reflected in our key priorities which are incorporated in our Business Plan. This is used to help guide all our activities and provides strategic focus. A copy of our current Business Plan is available as Appendix 2 in this recruitment pack. Once appointed, the new Chief Executive Officer will be expected to take the lead on preparing and producing the next Business Plan.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Post: Chief Executive Officer

Responsible to: Board of Trustees

Responsible for: Overall management, development and promotion of the work of Age UK Wigan Borough

Key Relationships: Age UK Wigan Borough Trustees, staff and volunteers, commissioners, funders and a range of partner organisations

Salary: Circa £40k per annum depending on experience

Hours of work: 37 hours per week Monday to Friday

Location: Office base: Pennyhurst Mill, Haig Street, Wigan, plus attendance at various sites subject to business priorities

Probationary period: This appointment is subject to a six-month probationary period

Job share applicants are welcome to apply in which case salary will be pro rata according to days/hours worked.

Note: This post is subject to a disclosure check with the Disclosure and Barring Service at an Enhanced Level.

Summary of Role

The main purpose of the Chief Executive Officer role is to be responsible to the Board of Age UK Wigan Borough for managing, developing and promoting the organisation’s ongoing operations and procedures, and to act as an advisor to the Board in establishing and implementing the strategic direction of the charity. This includes responsibility for financial planning, ensuring compliance with Charity rules and regulations, and acting as the organisation’s representative as appropriate within the Borough of Wigan and the North West.

The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for ensuring the financial sustainability of the organisation through sound financial planning, risk and business management and income generation. They will ensure that resources are allocated to priorities in providing services and support which improves the quality of life of older people living in the Borough and its immediate environs. To achieve desired outcomes, they will also regularly monitor performance, manage risk, maintain quality standards and ensure appropriate ways of working, processes and training are in place to help deliver outcomes to agreed budgets.

The Chief Executive Officer is also responsible for providing inspirational leadership and management to senior team staff and supporting all staff and volunteers in their work to provide exemplary services for older people in Wigan Borough.

The role requires someone with excellent people skills and proven management and business acumen along with a dynamic and inspirational way of thinking and vision that will help lead the charity through to a new and exciting period.

It is essential that the post holder is fully conversant with, committed to, and enthusiastic about the values and objectives of the charity.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

1. STRATEGIC DIRECTION

a) Ensuring that the Board of Trustees is kept aware of the changing external environment and the needs of older people including policy initiatives, research, publications, consultation and other initiatives both locally and nationally. b) Identifying opportunities for providing innovative services for older people via a broad range of funding and income generation mechanisms. c) Informing and advising the Board of Trustees in the formulation of policies and strategies for Age UK Wigan Borough and for implementation of the Board’s decisions. d) Working with senior staff in preparing, monitoring and updating the organisation’s Strategic Business Plan and, subject to approval from the Board of Trustees, determining and implementing actions to achieve the desired outcomes of the Plan. e) Advising the Board of Trustees on all matters relating to their legal obligations and charity law.

2. LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

a) Providing leadership to encourage, motivate and inspire all staff and volunteers working for Age UK Wigan Borough. b) Providing leadership, line management and support to senior and other directly reporting staff and ensuring all staff and volunteers are effectively led and supervised in a way which encourages optimum performance and dedication. c) Overseeing the work of senior staff and ensuring full legal and ethical compliance in all areas. d) Ensuring that all internal management and quality systems, including equal opportunities policy and procedures and health and safety policy, are fully developed and implemented. e) Ensuring the retention of external accreditation as appropriate. f) Providing leadership in the management of change and fostering innovation to ensure that Age UK Wigan Borough develops appropriately to meet future needs and challenges. g) Demonstrating an inclusive management style that incorporates consultative decision making, good communication and sharing of good practice within the organisation. Maintaining an environment that continues to attract, retain, and motivate high quality staff and volunteers. h) Facilitating a continual learning environment where all staff and volunteers can maintain and develop their skills to enhance and ensure an excellent quality of services provided for older people in Wigan Borough. i) Ensuring that all resources are managed efficiently and effectively focused on achieving the organisation’s mission and objectives.

3. FINANCE AND INCOME GENERATION

In accordance with the Board of Trustees and charity legislation, developing a financial strategy for the organisation which includes:  An effective income generation policy;  Prudent management of financial resources (including budget setting, financial reporting and monitoring);  Appropriate use of reserves;  Financial risk management.

4. PUBLIC RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS

a) Representing and campaigning for the rights and aspirations of local older people in Wigan Borough and representing the positive contribution made by older people in the community and to society. b) Implementing effective and appropriate external, and internal, communication strategies.

5. GOVERNANCE

a) Supporting the Company Secretary, ensuring that all requirements of the Companies Act and other appropriate legislation is met. b) Advising the Board of Trustees on their legal responsibilities, policy issues related to the work of the organisation and its management. c) Organising the publication of the Annual Report and Review and the Annual General Meeting. d) Working with the Chair of the Board of Trustees to recruit new members onto the Board, and providing induction and training for new Trustees as appropriate. e) Acting as Secretary to the Board of Trustees

6. PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION

a) Ensuring that Age UK Wigan Borough is an active and influential member of Age UK and works with other Age UKs at a local, regional and national level. b) Acting as a representative of the organisation, maintaining and further building positive relationships with statutory agencies, private and third sector organisations within the Borough and regionally. Identifying new opportunities and service initiatives that will benefit local older people. c) Identifying and building co-operative and collaborative working relationships with other organisations as appropriate that will help to achieve our aims and objectives for older people, including regional Age UK organisations and local voluntary sector organisations. d) Managing and maintaining good relationships with stakeholders and funders, and ensuring Age UK Wigan Borough is represented on appropriate groups and forums as appropriate and as required by the needs of the organisation. e) Continually seek to grow the organisation’s presence and impact in various ways.

7. SERVICES AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

a) Ensuring systems and methods are in place to support, monitor and performance measure services and activities of Age UK Wigan Borough to ensure targets and outcomes are achieved along with continued high quality. b) Collaborating and consulting with local older people to identify what services and support they need and want. c) Working with senior staff to develop new and sustainable services for the organisation and seeking funding to launch and support new initiatives from appropriate sources. d) Ensuring that quality marks appropriate to the activities of Age UK Wigan Borough are achieved and maintained.

Organisation-wide Responsibilities

 Supporting the organisation to fulfil its responsibilities under Health and Safety, ensuring that all health and safety requirements are effectively implemented.  Participating in Age UK Wigan Borough promotional fundraising, social events and other activities as required.  Working within all the guidelines, policies and procedures as set out by Age UK Wigan Borough.  Always working in accordance with the philosophy, ethos, values and principles of Age UK Wigan Borough.  Undertaking training and personal development to meet the emerging needs of the organisation and attending induction, training and staff meetings as and when required.  Carrying out any other duties as may be requested by the Board of Trustees which are consistent with the duties and responsibilities of the post.

AGE UK WIGAN BOROUGH PERSON SPECIFICATION – CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER BASED AT Age UK Wigan Borough

Please ensure that you show how you meet each of the following requirements when completing your application form.

ESSENTIAL EVIDENCE

Qualifications

Qualifications in the areas of social care and/or Application Form 1. management or relevant degree, evidence of training and development in management and/or social care Knowledge and Experience

1. Proven track record of management at a senior Application form level Interview 2. Experience of leadership and management of Application form projects/services, finances and people Interview

3. Knowledge and experience of the voluntary Application form sector, social care and health Interview

4. Knowledge of charity law, and of the roles and Interview responsibilities of trustees and staff

5. Knowledge of the changing environment and Application form social policy context in which charities now Interview operate

6. Knowledge and understanding of the challenges Interview and issues facing older people, their needs and aspirations

7. Experience of strategic planning and Application form organisational management and development Interview

8. Understanding of legal and regulatory Interview requirements relating to finance, employment, and health and safety, plus knowledge of sources of information and support in these areas

9. Experience of quality systems and development Application form of standards Interview

10. Demonstrable experience in developing and Application form implementing new services and evidence of Interview income generation

Skills

1. Proven management, team building and Application form leadership skills, including people development Interview and volunteer management

2. Ability to think strategically and to develop and Application form implement long and mid-term plans Interview

3. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills Interview with proven ability to develop effective working relationships with a wide range of organisations, stakeholders, funders, staff, volunteers and people using services

4. Excellent written and verbal communication skills Application form with proven ability to write reports, policies and Interview procedures, deliver presentations and public speaking 5. Ability to inspire and motivate others Interview

6. Understanding of and empathy with the needs Interview and aspirations of different groups of older people 7. Proven entrepreneurial and business skills with Interview the ability to think creatively and innovatively

General/Other requirements

1. Demonstration of the Age UK Wigan Borough Application form PRIDE values: Person-centred, Respectful, Interview Innovative, Dynamic, Empowering

2. Honesty and integrity, and with a passion and Interview enthusiasm for the values and aims of Age UK Wigan Borough in meeting the needs of older people 3. Commitment to promoting equality, diversity and Interview inclusion 4. IT literate Application form

5. Ability to work flexibly, including occasional Interview evenings and weekends

6. Committed and self-motivated with the ability to Interview meet deadlines and able to persuade others to meet shared/individual deadlines linked to the organisation’s activities

Originator: Board of Trustees Date: May 2021

How to Apply

To express an interest in this role and to be considered, please go to the Jobs page on our website and download the General Application Pack (GAP). Job opportunities | Age UK Wigan Borough

The General Application Pack (GAP) contains the following documents:

 GAP 1 – Application Form  GAP 2 – Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form  GAP 3 – Information about the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974  GAP 4 – Our Values Statement

Please ensure you read all the documents and then complete GAP 1, the application form and GAP 2, the Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form. Once completed, return GAP 1 and GAP 2 by email to [email protected] Alternatively, you can post your application to: Central Services Manager - Age UK Wigan Borough, Pennyhurst Mill Haig Street Wigan WN3 4AZ

Personal CVs will not be accepted as applications.

Key dates for the application process

 Closing date for applications: Friday 16 July 2021  Shortlisting: Week commencing 19 July 2021  Interview dates: 28th and 29th July 2021

Please note that expenses incurred by candidates during the recruitment process will not be reimbursed.

As part of our recruitment process, Age UK Wigan Borough will collect and process personal data relating to job applicants. We will only ask you to provide information which we believe is necessary for the application and recruitment process. You are under no statutory or contractual obligation to provide data during the recruitment process. However, if you do not provide sufficient information, we may not be able to process your application properly, or at all. Also, we may not be able to meet our legal obligations towards you with regard to reasonable adjustments.

Information you provide will be shared with those involved in the recruitment process and will be stored and held in line with our Data Retention Policy. By submitting an application form for this post, you consent to the use of your personal data as outlined above.