Spear Centre Manager

Oversee Spear Ipswich, supporting and empowering NEET young people to get back into work and education, working as part of our ‘Love Ipswich’ department.

Full-time (37.5 hours) | £25,213

Job title: Spear Centre Manager

Department: Love Ipswich

Reports to: Head of Social Transformation

Principal location: River Church Ipswich, Key Street, IP4 1BZ

DBS check required: Yes

Special conditions of employment: There is a genuine occupational requirement that the post-holder is a Christian, as permitted under the Equality Act 2010.

Start date: ASAP

Working days/hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours; primarily Monday-Friday, with some evening and weekend work on occasion.

Rate of pay: £25,213 per annum

Travel: May be required on occasion

Holiday: 25 days per annum plus bank holidays (pro rata)

Probation period: 6 months

Contract length: Initial 2 years, subject to successful completion of probation period, with potential to extend or become permanent.

Other expectations: The role holder will need to be available to work some other key dates outside the usual working pattern, such as special services (Christmas, Easter etc.), annual meetings, and Focus (our annual one-week church holiday in the summer). It is expected that staff members will be active members of River Church (i.e., praying, serving, giving, and growing as a disciple of Jesus).

Context: River Church currently has 10 staff, plus 3 vacancies, and some River College interns. The church has grown from an initial team of 15 people, to more than 300 (mainly under 35s) in its first 3 years, and we anticipate significant further growth.

Spear Programme

Spear Foundation is a 4-week initial phase, consisting of 2 group sessions and a 1:1 with each trainee per week, in which we coach young people around skills and mindsets to support them in returning to work or education, and equip them with the skills to stay there.

• Oversee the effective running of Spear Ipswich
• As a confident communicator, you will lead group sessions of around 10 young people, using coaching skills to transform attitudes to their own ability and the workplace, and to raise their awareness and maximise potential in stepping into the world of work
• Prepare and coach group and 1-1 sessions with the Spear centre Manager (training will be provided)
• Support the daily operational and administrative functions of the programme
• Line manage the Spear Assistant Coach and volunteer team

Partnership liaison and relationship management

• Purposefully build and manage relationships with relevant professionals at local organisations
• Communicate directly with young people to encourage referrals to the Spear programme, and think creatively about ways of building the profile of Spear locally, ensuring as many local young people as possible who would benefit have the chance to take part, and maximising the available spaces on the pilot programme
• Maintain and develop relationships with local partners to form a strong referral network

Supporting River Church’s mission and ministry

• Establish a strong presence at River Church to build a network of supporters for the Spear programme
• Contribute to the wider Love Ipswich team, including supporting our Crosslight Debt Centre and Money Courses, and River Store (social supermarket)
• Attend and participate in Staff Meeting, Tuesday morning Prayer Meeting, and Sunday Services (serving on a team at one or more Sunday service)
• Regularly pray for Spear, River Church, and in particular our Social Transformation work
• Attending other River Church events and services, occasionally speaking and/or contributing as required
• Ad hoc tasks and other project work