Funding Officer in Lisburn

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Education Authority (Northern Ireland)

Funding Officer

Funding Officer in Lisburn

Lisburn Full-Time On-site

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PERSON SPECIFICATION

NOTES TO JOB APPLICANTS

1. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how, and to what extent you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria, where relevant.

2. You must demonstrate how you meet the criteria by the closing date for applications, unless the criteria state otherwise.

3. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is outlined in the table below.

4. Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form.

5. Please note that the Selection Panel reserves the right to shortlist only those applicants that it believes most strongly meet the criteria for the role.

6. In the event of an excessive number of applications, the Selection Panel also reserves the right to apply any desirable criteria as outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting, in which case these will be applied in the order listed. It is important therefore that you also clearly demonstrate on your application form on how you meet any desirable criteria.

Section 1 - Essential Criteria

The following are essential criteria which will initially be measured at the shortlisting stage and which may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form how, and to what extent you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.

Factor	Essential Criteria	Method of Assessment
Qualifications/ Experience	Be a qualified Youth Worker in accordance with the JNC Report for Youth Workers, Paragraph 5. Have a minimum of five years’ post qualifying experience managing a Youth Centre or Youth Project. Have a minimum of three years’ experience managing professional youth work staff. Demonstrable experience of effectively managing youth work projects across a range of settings to meet key outcomes. Demonstrable experience of effective engagement with a range of youth service stakeholders contributing to quality youth work delivery. Demonstrable experience of multi-agency working and contribution to the wider outcomes of children and young people.	Shortlisting by Application Form
Knowledge	Demonstrable working knowledge of information technology systems to include the following Microsoft Office packages\: Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint.	Shortlisting by Application Form
Skills/Abilities	Proven skills in developing local assessments of need and evaluating impact. Proven track record in the ability to quality assure and critically evaluate youth work. Demonstrable ability to develop effective partnerships, both internally and externally.	Shortlisting by Application Form
Other	The successful candidate will be required\: to have access to a suitable vehicle (appropriately maintained and insured for Education Authority business) that will enable them to carry out the mobility requirements of the post in an efficient and effective manner and thus meet this essential criterion; OR be able to provide sufficient information on the application form that will satisfy the employer that he/she has access to an appropriate alternative form of transport that will enable them to carry out the mobility requirements of the post in an efficient and effective manner and thus meet this essential criterion.	Shortlisting by Application Form

Section 2 - Essential Criteria

The following are additional essential criteria which will be measured during the interview/selection stage in line with EA’s Game Changing People Model.

Factor	Essential Criteria	Method of Assessment
Knowledge	Demonstrable knowledge of the following: Current youth work policies and frameworks, including the Priorities for Youth Policy. Risk management processes relative to the welfare of young people. Department of Education Child Protection regulations. The needs of children and young people. Management information systems.	Interview
Skills/ Abilities	In line with EA’s Game Changing People Model we will look for evidence of\: Ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with staff and young people. Evidence of excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Evidence of using financial management processes. Ability to use own initiative and make effective and objective decisions. Ability to effectively lead and manage people to deliver outcomes. Ability to work under pressure to strict deadlines. Ability to set and achieve targets through the planning process.	Interview
Values Orientation	Evidence of how your experience and approach to work reflect EA’s ethos and values. You will find information about our Values here.	Interview

Our Values

Through the selection process we will also seek evidence that the personal values of candidates align with those of the EA. This will include evidence of commitment to equality and excellence in service delivery. These reflect our aim which is to meet the needs of all our children and young people equally, removing barriers to learning and ensuring equality of access to excellent education services so that every child can develop to his or her full potential.

DISCLOSURE OF CRIMINAL BACKGROUND

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 defines working directly with children or young people or in specified places as ‘regulated activity’.

In the event that you are recommended for appointed to a post that involves ‘regulated activity’, the Education Authority will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure of Criminal Background. Please note that you WILL be expected to meet the cost of an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate. Details of how to make payment will be sent to you at the pre-employment stage.

Further information can be accessed at NI Direct or the Department of Justice.

APPLICANT GUIDANCE NOTES

To view the applicant guidance notes, please click here.

To learn about the many great benefits of joining the Education Authority, click here

The Education Authority is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: Funding Officer

RESPONSIBLE TO: Strategic Services Manager (or their nominated officer)

JOB PURPOSE:

To lead on the development of, and to monitor appropriately, Local Youth Development Plans and have responsibility for key areas of action, across all localities, identified through the Regional Youth Development Plan.
To allocate funding on a district council level based on Department of Education policy and Education Authority (EA) agreed frameworks to ensure the delivery of youth services (both statutory and voluntary).
To design, lead and report on high quality key stakeholder engagement for the planning, monitoring and reporting of youth services (both statutory and voluntary).
To design, implement, evaluate and report on all funding schemes required for the delivery of youth services from all government departments and other sources.
Ensure and report on the compliance of all processes associated with the planning, delivery and monitoring of funding to both the statutory and voluntary services as part of any funding scheme.
Through effective reporting and review, recommend efficiencies and more effective approaches to stakeholder engagement, the design and delivery of funding schemes, and the reporting of impact and measurement as required by the funder.
Ensure all voluntary youth organisations providing services, funded by the Education Authority Youth Service, are compliant with the Youth Service’s statutory duties under current legislation. The Officer will further ensure provision is aligned with key Youth Service funding schemes and principles and the Youth Service curriculum.
To ensure appropriate interventions and support mechanisms are put in place, linking with relevant service leads or regional voluntary youth organisations, when risks are identified to the funded provision or to children and young people.
To design, deliver and evaluate an annual framework of assurance and governance of youth service delivery.
Represent EA Youth Service at a range of local strategic fora, and contribute to the work of regional initiatives and projects as requested.
Plan and facilitate monitoring and moderation of all youth service funding.
To ensure that the voice of children and young people is central to all stakeholder engagements in the design, delivery and evaluation of youth service reporting.
Manage and supervise key staff as requested.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Compliance Management of the Education Authority Youth Service Funding Scheme:

To ensure that the procedure for developing funding awards meets the Youth Service requirements which have been approved by internal audit with a focus on meeting assessed need, policy requirements, financial controls, and consultation.
To provide support and guidance to voluntary groups, prior to any funding opportunity release, that will increase the voluntary sector’s capacity to apply and awareness of key Youth Service principles. This support should focus on the themes of assessing need, governance, curriculum development, safeguarding and training.
To co-ordinate the assessment of applications for funding made by voluntary youth organisations in line with essential criteria and weighting and provide verification checks when requested.
To conduct conditional offer meetings with applicants to the funding scheme prior to the issuing of a formal letter of offer. This meeting should ensure compliance against the identified delivery plan and identify any irregularities in relation to the funding scheme principles.
To review and report on all key milestones identified in delivery plans.
To liaise with finance administration staff to identify any key risks to provision and escalate as appropriate.

Quality Assurance and Finance:

To ensure the Education Authority Youth Service funding scheme benchmarking processes remain accurate to the cost of provision and to apply this process against all proposed funding awards.
Ensure that voluntary youth organisations are implementing effective quality assurance processes.
To maintain the Education Authority Youth Service ongoing monitoring framework that indicates the effectiveness of voluntary youth organisations across key result areas.
To develop the schedule for voluntary sector moderations in line with the principles outlined in the funding scheme.
To develop and implement actions that will increase consistency across all key moderation and monitoring areas.
To ensure all identified follow up actions, resulting from moderations, are completed. This should include liaising with the appropriate Headquarters support organisations and relevant service lead to assess the effectiveness of those actions. This will include the maintenance of a specific risk register for relevant organisations, and the provision or sourcing of direct support when the organisation is not linked to a Headquarter support organisation.
To identify and escalate any emerging themes or trends that could inform potential funding opportunities as a result of the moderation and monitoring process.
To assess and approve, within funding approval and specified time limits, funding reprofiling requests.

Management Responsibility for Staff:

Supervise appropriate staff, including the management and allocation of duties.
Develop and implement appropriate training programmes for youth service staff.
Manage staff to perform to their potential, promote their professional development and give support when required including appropriate support and supervision.

Representation:

To attend and report to the Planning, Monitoring and Finance Committee.
To support relevant service leads at Local Advisory and Regional Advisory Groups and attend both Local and Regional Management Team Meetings to assist in the development of future funding opportunities.
To contribute, and lead when requested, to Education Authority Youth Service events that identify and share best practice.

Other Duties:

Comply with EA policies and procedures in relation to the duties and responsibilities of the post.
Always maintain the confidentiality of information received in line with GDPR regulations.
Any such other duties that the EA may from time to time require.

This job description will be subject to review considering changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

In accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), the post-holder is expected to promote good relations, equality of opportunity and always pay due regard for equality legislation.

To view the summary of terms and conditions for this post, click here.