Operations Coordinator

Job content

Operations Coordinator (Freelance)
Penrith and Eden Refugee Network

Our Operations Coordinator will support the development of new services for asylum seekers and new refugees in Carlisle and the surrounding areas. This role has been supported by The National Lottery Community Fund.

Role Description

Purpose of the Role
To oversee the day to day operation of PERN’s work with people seeking asylum and new refugees. This role involves working closely with the Director to help PERN navigate through a period of change and growth, and includes project management as well as face to face work. Please refer to our website for more information about PERN.

The Operations Coordinator will:

● Coordinate the PERN’s new formal Befriending Scheme- This will include recruiting participants with a variety of life experiences, providing training and then supporting them to have a successful experience. You will also manage scheme documentation and evaluation. You will ensure the scheme’s ethos of mutual exchange of ‘friendship’ is upheld.

● Coordinate PERN’s ‘Rent a Room to a Refugee’ Scheme- This will include promotion and recruitment, briefing and checking lodgers and landlords, problem solving and evaluation. You can read more about the scheme here.

● Coordinate other emerging services as required -This will include working with the Director on service set-up for the emerging needs of new refugees who have come through the asylum route who present to PERN, who may have housing, employment and other integration needs.

● To carry out any other reasonable tasks as required to support the effective running of PERN.

The balance of work between the above programmes will be determined as each scheme grows and develops, in response to local need.

The Coordinator will be accountable to the Director of PERN and will be supported in their role by PERN’s Charity Administrator. pern.org.uk

Person Specification for PERN Operations Coordinator

This person specification is indicative of what PERN thinks will be good qualities to fulfil this role well.

● Have knowledge of the UK systems for asylum seekers and refugees, including the impact of the hostile environment.

● Be committed to the independence and self-reliance of asylum seekers and refugees and practices of co-creation that bring empowerment.

● Value the experience, voice and leadership of those who seek sanctuary.
● Have experience of managing or working with community projects
● Be fantastic at communicating and influencing sensitively and effectively with people from a wide variety of backgrounds
● Have strong project administration and management skills eg. scheduling, managing logistics, evaluation
● Have experience of developing projects and ideas
● Be confident in planning and leading training sessions and presentations
● Be able to manage complex priorities within a fast paced environment
● Have the ability to work under their own initiative, with a solution focussed attitude
● Have strong collaboration skills and the ability to work as part of a small team
● Have good computer literacy including word processing and spreadsheets
● Have an active commitment to anti-racism, diversity, equality and inclusion practices

Time Commitment and Payment
Our Operations Coordinator will work for approximately 9 hours a week for one year, working flexibly across the month as the role requires. We understand that some weeks there will be more hours worked and some weeks there will be fewer - this will usually balance over the month. You will be paid £25 per hour, monthly in arrears on receipt of an invoice and timesheet demonstrating the hours worked.

As a freelancer you will be responsible for your own tax and National Insurance.

To Apply
Please send over your CV and a short covering letter to hello@pern.org.uk by 13th
December 2023 (midnight). If you require any assistance with your application or need to send it in a different format, please get in touch. For an informal chat about the role please email sarahw@pern.org.uk.

We will hold in person interviews on Monday 18th December in Penrith. pern.org.uk

Job Type: Freelance

Salary: £25.00 per hour

Expected hours: 9 per week

Benefits:

• Flexitime
• Work from home

Schedule:

• Flexitime

Work Location: In person