1. Healthcare

BRACKNELL & DISTRICT CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU
Role profile
Job Title
Chief Executive Officer
Responsible to
Chair of Trustee Board
Direct reports
Bureau Services Manager
Administrative team
Advisory staff and volunteers
Indirect reports
Key relationships
Trustee Board, Citizens Advice (the national body), Bracknell Forest Council,
CEOs of Maidenhead and Slough CABx and the other Berkshire CABs
Context of role
The role operates within the Citizens’ Advice membership agreement and
compliance framework and is accountable to the Trustee Board.
Term of contract
18 month fixed term contract
Job purpose
Leads and manages the strategic development of the Bureau during a period of significant change to
achieve key service and strategic business plan objectives.
Duties and Responsibilities
1. Identify new potential methods and sources of sustainable funding, develop compelling bids and
produce fully worked up plans to deliver projects to develop the service provision.
2. Lead Bracknell’s input into the Advice Matters project and the Berkshire Consortium, representing
the best interests of Bracknell CAB, its funders and its local community to achieve optimum outputs.
3. Deliver effective change management within the Bureau, engaging staff and volunteers and
ensuring the objectives of all strategic projects are successfully achieved.
4. Ensure effective delivery of the CAB’s business plan and strategic objectives, developing plans
where required and providing regular progress reports to the Trustees.
5. Maintain sound financial management of the Bureau, identify risks and appropriate mitigating
actions, prepare reports for Trustee Board and implement performance improvements.
6. Coach and support the Bureau Services Manager, and other staff, in the delivery of services,
ensuring effective performance appraisal is carried out and training provided where required.
Bracknell CAB interim CEO role profile January 2015
7. Build strong and constructive relationships with CitA, local authorities, funders, agencies and other
groups and individuals to promote the Bureau and to identify and deliver suitable partnerships to
improve services to our clients.
8. Effectively manage the infrastructure and resources (including premises and IT) of the Bureau to
provide for a smooth running and sustainable operating environment.
Key competences
Essential
 Leadership skills
 Strategic thinking, drive and delivery
 Change management skills
 Organisational and business management skills
 Influencing, networking and communication skills
Desirable
 Understanding of local authority and third sector environment
 Ability to develop and deliver bids for funding
Bracknell CAB interim CEO role profile January 2015
Bracknell and District Citizens' Advice Bureau
Recruitment for Chief Executive Officer
Background Information
1. Context
The Trustee Board of Bracknell and District CAB is seeking an interim CEO following the resignation of the current postholder who has decided to move on after 8 years with the Bureau. The current post-holder has been hugely instrumental in
establishing a successful and well-regarded Bureau in the local area and has contributed to the first year of a two year
feasibility study on how three local Bureaux (Bracknell, Maidenhead and Slough) can work together to ensure a sustainable
future in the face of increasing financial challenges in the charity sector. This project which is known as ‘Advice Matters’,
has been funded by the Big Lottery Fund and runs for two years from August 2013 to July 2015 (see below).
Against this background we are now seeking an interim CEO to lead Bracknell’s input into the second year of this project
and to ensure implementation of the project’s outcomes to the benefit of the Bureau and our local client population. As
the future business model for CAB advice across East Berkshire is still unknown, the Trustees have decided that this
appointment will initially be for a fixed term of 18 months.
2. Governance
Bracknell CAB has a strong Trustee Board, with committed members with experience in management, HR, finance and
business planning. Each Trustee has a lead role to ensure the Bureau meets it obligations and to support the CEO. There are
two active subgroups of the board (the Strategy & Development and Finance & Operations Committees) which provide
active support to the Chief Executive from a team of people that understand the difference between executive and nonexecutive responsibilities.
4. Organisation and Finance
Bracknell CAB has a total of 10 staff making up 5 fte, some 60+ volunteers, and an annual income of £265k. For further
details, please visit our website http://www.bracknellcab.org.uk for more information
5. The Role
We are looking for a Chief Executive with strong all-round skills and experience to lead a charity of our size through a
period of significant change. In particular, someone who can develop and deliver the key elements of the strategy and
business plan that the Trustee Board has agreed with the current Chief Executive, participate in and implement the
outcomes of the Advice Matters project and secure the necessary sustainable funding to enable the expansion of our
services to clients.
6. Advice Matters
Advice Matters is a partnership between the Citizens Advice Bureaux of Bracknell, Maidenhead and Slough, and aims to
transform the provision of services in East Berkshire with three main outcomes:
1.
A stronger funding strategy enabling the bureaux to attract more revenue from a wider range of sources.
Bracknell CAB interim CEO role profile January 2015
2.
The ability to provide more services to more clients every year.
3.
Easier access to services.
An important element of the process is research to assess the options for a more effective business model/organisational
design for the three bureaux.
Person Specification
The key criteria are:
1. Effective leadership and management of paid staff and volunteers: the role requires someone who can nurture people to
perform at their best, can coach, delegate and empower effectively and can also address issues adversely affecting
performance where necessary;
2. Strategic vision, drive and delivery: we want someone who will be excited by the idea of managing today’s CAB rigorously
and professionally but can also think radically about options for developing the service, either through additional funding
or through strategic alliances or through highly innovative new approaches to the funding and delivery of services we can
offer;
3. Effective change management: generating and leading change and motivating staff and volunteers through that change
is a different skill to day-to-day management. Our key strategic objectives need both management and change
management skills;
4. Effective organisational and business management skills: whilst the stretch in this job relates to the strategic and change
management, the basics (finance, IT, risk management, project management, business planning) need to be in place as the
foundation for the business;
5. Excellent networking and influencing skills: you will need to build strong relationships with our partners , funders and
those you work with convincing them that we not only have the best ideas, but we can also be relied on to get things done
in practice;
6. Understanding of the local authority and third sector in which you will be operating: we need a Chief Executive who can
build and manage existing relationships, understanding the needs and constraints (including financial and service delivery
constraints) on our partners, and who can build effective links with other third sector organisations in the local community.
How to Apply
We will be assessing candidates against the key criteria for the role and on how well your experience and skill match these.
An application form is attached in which we invite you to demonstrate how you meet the key criteria, as well as providing
other essential background information, including details of your career and experience to date. We strongly suggest that
you link what you include against these criteria to the specific challenge of this role as set out in the job description and
person spec. Please make sure that you are clear about what you personally have done, and not what “we” have done.
If you would like a discussion about the post, please get in touch with the Chairperson, Brian Fries on e-mail
([email protected]).
Bracknell CAB interim CEO role profile January 2015
Completed applications can be e-mailed to [email protected]
Timetable:
Closing date for applications: 29 January 2015
Interview:
w/c 9 February 2015
In order that we can plan for any potential gap please let us know when you will be available to take up the role if you are
successful in your application.
Terms and Conditions:
Location: Bracknell town centre (regular travel to other Bureaux in Berkshire will be required, as well as occasional travel
to national meetings across the country)
Salary Guide: £30K - £34K (full time equivalent)
Hours: 30 hours per week
Working hours: 4 or 5 days per week to be agreed with the successful candidate. The CEO is expected to be flexible and
attendance at evening meetings is required for which time in lieu is granted.
Pension: Defined contribution scheme; employer contribution 7.5%, employee contribution 5%
Annual Leave: 22 days per calendar year, plus 8 bank holidays (pro-rated for part time employees)
This contract is expected to be for 18 months with potential for extension depending on the progress of the project.
Accompanying papers
Application form and guidance notes
Diversity monitoring form
Bracknell CAB interim CEO role profile January 2015