Director

Job title: Director

Reporting to: Chair of Trustees

Duration: Permanent  

Context

Notre Dame Refugee Centre (NDRC) works with vulnerable asylum seekers, refugees, and other Human Rights applicants to provide expert immigration and other advice, within a safe environment  in which a wide range of other  services are available. 

The majority of our visitors are from Francophone Africa, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) but we are seeing increasing numbers of visitors from elsewhere. Many staff and volunteers are able to work in both French and English. Most of our clients live in severe poverty, a large number are homeless. We calculate we have 1600 active users of the Centre each year.   

Our Drop-in Cafés on Mondays and Thursdays offer a warm welcome and hot meal to people who can otherwise find themselves marginalised. Visitors can access a range of services on these days, including English classes, health advice, computer sessions, employment support and a variety of creative activities. We also offer clothing to the destitute and contribute towards their travel costs.  

NDRC is based in Leicester Square and welcomes visitors from all over London and beyond. It was established in 1996 by Notre Dame de France  Roman Catholic Church, with whom it maintains strong links. It became an independent charity in 2007, and registered as a CIO in 2018. Our  Advice   Service is currently qualified at OISC (Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner) level 3. The advice team has an active caseload of 1300  people and their immediate families.  

The Centre’s Director reports directly to the Chair of Trustees. He/she may also call on the support of a smaller Advisory Group chaired by the Vice Chair of the Board for specific tasks. Fundraising to ensure that services can continue at the highest possible standard in response to beneficiary need is core to this post. The post directly manages the staff  including the Volunteer Coordinator who coordinates the large body of volunteers.  

Overall purpose of the post

To ensure that: NDRC’s Advice Service meets Quality Standard mark requirements and OISC standards.

• NDRC is run competently, in accordance with Charity Commission rules including annual audited accounts, and the governance principles agreed by Trustees.
• Vulnerable asylum seekers, refugees and other Human Rights applicants receive timely and sensitive support to enable them to have the confidence to claim their basic rights and live with dignity.
• NDRC collaborates as appropriate with other players in the sector.  

Main duties and responsibilities

1.   Governance:

• Being responsible for the management and administration of NDRC in accordance with the Trustees’ overall strategy, ensuring agreed targets and objectives are met and the charity remains financially stable.
• Reporting to quarterly Trustee meetings, ensuring that Trustees receive appropriate advice and information on   relevant matters to enable them to fulfil  NDRC’s regulatory and governance responsibilities.

2.   Managing the Centre’s work:

• Overall management of the Centre’s Advice Service to ensure quality of service. The Senior Advisor provides professional supervision to the Advice staff and volunteers
• Recruitment and supervision of paid staff to ensure that services are provided at the highest possible standard. This includes the Centre Administrator and Advice staff
• Management of the Centre Administrator and Volunteer Coordinator in the running of the Centre’s twice weekly Drop-in Cafes
• Recruitment and supervision of the Volunteer Coordinator who coordinates the volunteers, ensuring that clear operational guidelines and policies are in place
• Developing services in response to annual consultations with and regular informal feedback with service users.

3.   Fundraising to ensure the Centre can continue its work:

• Maintaining and implementing a fundraising strategy, and identifying potential income sources - Writing bids to Trusts, foundations and institutional donors to cover salaries and overheads
• Liaising with and encouraging major donors
• Running Christmas and Lent appeals
• Overseeing annual fundraising events

4.   Financial management, including:

• Preparing monthly management accounts with the assistance of the charity’s accountant - Drawing up three-year annual budgets
• Overseeing the administration of emergency block grants from funders
• Preparing financial and narrative reports for Trusts and other donors
• Overseeing the handling of petty cash.

5.   Running the Advice Service

• Overall management of the Advice Service and supervision of the Senior Advisor
• Maintaining and monitoring policies and procedures to meet Advice Quality Standard mark requirements
• Liaising with OISC to ensure that advice is delivered at appropriate standards and levels and registration is maintained
• Preparing the Advice Service for audits by both the above bodies.

6.   Communications and partnerships, including:

• Representing the charity in the sector and beyond, consolidating and maintaining its profile
• Networking to share knowledge with partner organisations in the sector and beyond to strengthen services and jointly campaign to speak out on key issues
• Keeping staff and volunteers and supporters up-to-date with the charity’s activities, through updates, bulletins and   meetings in conjunction with the Volunteer Coordinator
• Working  closely with NDRC’s  supporter, namely Notre Dame  de France, whose aims are shared in attending to the needs of the poor
• Handling relations with the media
• Ensuring that the charity’s blog, website, Twitter and Facebook accounts are well maintained.  

Person Specification

Essential

• Strong commitment to the values and ethos of NDRC
• Proven management experience  with effective management skills both up and down: can both present strategies to Trustees as well as take direction, and drive through ideas at a practical level
• Proven  fundraising experience in raising funds from the  general public, trusts, foundations and institutional donors
• Financial management experience, particularly within charitable/third sector organisations
• Experience of recruiting and working with large volunteer  teams to deliver services
• Strong organisational and planning skills, with the ability to meet tight deadlines and work under pressure
• Good influencing and communications skills: able to motivate staff, volunteers and the public at every level
• A strong commitment to Equal Opportunities.  

Desirable

• Previous experience of working with refugees and asylum seekers
• Understanding of current immigration laws and regulations and their impact on people seeking asylum in the UK
• Strong numeracy skills, and experience of working with financial management tools
• Ability to speak and read French.  

Summary of Terms and Conditions

Employer: Notre Dame Refugee Centre Trust

Hours of work: This post is for 28 hours a week, including core hours of  Monday and Thursday 10am – 4pm. The remaining hours will be determined by the post-holder and NDRC Chair, according to the demands of the position.

Salary: The gross salary for this post is £31,850 (FTE £39,813) per annum.

Annual leave: Holiday entitlement is 25 days per annum pro rata.

Probationary period: The appointment is subject to a three months’ probationary period.