Senior Programme Logistics Manager – Holocaust Educational Trust

Permanent Full time

Location: Central London Office, with occasional travel around the UK and overseas (primarily Poland)

Sector: Operations

Senior Programme Logistics Manager is a senior operational leader, playing a critical leadership role in managing all aspects of the operational delivery of the Trust’s programmes. The programme logistics team is responsible for every aspect of the “customer” journey, from registration, scheduling, teacher liaison, travel (to Poland, for our flagship Lessons from Auschwitz Project), through to follow up and relationship management to encourage further engagement with the Trust.

This role is responsible for logistical delivery of a complex range of programmes and also for the continuous improvement of our processes, creating digitalised and streamlined processes, learning through experience and delivering greater cost-effectiveness over time. The role is responsible for ensuring that participation levels align with organisational targets, that our reach continues to grow and that processes are smooth and efficient for both our audiences and for the Trust.

An important aspect of the role is responsibility for the Trust’s Survivor Support function. This provides logistical and wellbeing support to Holocaust survivors in relation to their voluntary engagements booked through the Trust & supporting our Outreach work. As such, this role will participate in the Trust’s safeguarding team. The role is also a significant leader of people, with a team of around 10 staff. The role is also responsible for procurement and management of all logistics contracts (including but not limited to couriers and programmatic insurance provision). The role demands excellent stakeholder management, strong team leadership, and a systematic approach to process development and implementation.

Key responsibilities

• Operational delivery and improvement: Ensure all programme processes are designed to eliminate waste, inefficiency and delay and create excellent “customer” experiences for any individual or organisation engaging with the Trust. Ensure that designed processes are consistently applied in practice. Ensure that teams/staff engaged in the processes are achieving maximum productivity within their available time. Responsible for benchmarking and identifying best practice in conjunction with the programme teams. Develop and implement performance management systems. Design and maintain appropriate information systems to enable analysis and comparison of a wide range of information. Continuously monitor the performance of the logistics team, preparing and presenting options for improvement and ensuring that corrective action is taken promptly when progress against plan is not as expected. Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures, flow charts and other required documentation required to ensure the consistent and efficient logistical delivery of the Trust’s programmes.
• Governance and Risk: Ensure that effective systems and operational protocols are in place to ensure effective risk management. Ensure that these systems and protocols are adhered to. Ensure that risks are reported, monitored, and managed effectively. Escalate actual and potential risks to appropriate stakeholders and ensure that remedial and mitigating action is taken promptly where unacceptable risks are identified. Manage health and safety risks within the working environment.
• Workforce: Directly or indirectly manage all staff working in the logistics team, including recruitment, induction, development and training, appraisal, disciplinary, grievance and sickness management. Support the development of new roles that represent opportunities for improvement. Lead a motivated, cohesive and high performing team.
• Finance: Operational responsibility for the logistics function budget, ensuring that services are delivered within agreed financial plans and budgets, including any agreed cost efficiency improvements. Ensure that the Trust’s assets and resources are used efficiently and economically. Ensure that efficiency improvement initiatives and plans are achieved. Take corrective action in a timely manner where it becomes apparent that progress against plan is not as expected.
• Programme registration and coordination: Lead a team responsible for driving and managing school and organisational registrations, ensuring they meet agreed organisational targets. Maintain regular communication with schools and organisations to confirm participation, agreed delivery dates, and confirm teacher engagement. Act as the main point of contact for all schools and organisations and respond to all teacher enquiries related to the programme delivery. Coordinate the booking of our freelance educators, ensuring that all programme delivery is staffed by HET trained educators, and that educators are confirmed in advance, have all relevant information, and are ready to deliver respective programmes in line with confirmed bookings.
• Lessons from Auschwitz Project logistics: Lead a team responsible for logistical coordination and management of an annual calendar of 17 (or more) LFA Projects to ensure successful course delivery. Ensure that all equipment and staff are in place for every trip, including Lead Educator, logistics, and freelance educators, medic, rabbinical team and photographer. In line with funding agreements, ensure the smooth delivery of all LFA programmes and initiatives, from the point of school application through to the point that evaluations are returned.
• Safeguarding and compliance: Participate in the Trust’s Safeguarding team, ensuring safeguarding best practice is embedded in all logistics and delivery operations. Monitor and ensure completion of all compliance training and policy adherence by all delivery staff and organisational staff, as well as freelance educators and volunteers.
• Reporting, Compliance & Risk Management: Provide accurate information to enable the preparation of reports on the financial management and performance of programmes to the Board of Trustees. Monitor and review KPIs regularly, ensuring stats are kept up to date and flagging in advance if there is a chance of not meeting a KPI. Ensure the organisation meets legal, ethical and regulatory standards. Identify and mitigate risks to safeguard the trust’s reputation and assets. Ensure the logistics team understand their responsibilities related to data protection including General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, and that GDPR is part of programme planning across respective programmes. Take individual responsibility for promoting and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment for all employees. Ensuring compliance with all relevant health and safety regulations and standards.

This is not an exhaustive list, and the job holder may be asked to complete additional tasks by their line manager or members of senior management.

Person specification

• Significant relevant management experience leading a team in a complex operations environment working with large customer numbers, e.g. a customer service, booking centre or call centre setting.
• Experience of streamlining and digitising processes, using technology to update and improve Standard Operating Procedures to create consistency, efficiency and excellent customer experiences.
• Significant experience of managing teams and line management.
• Experience of designing and implementing systems to gather and analyse customer feedback and using it systematically to drive improvement.
• Experience of presenting complex data/information to staff at all levels and using this to influence decision making.
• Experience of developing policies, processes and standard operating procedures.
• Ability to produce error free and well-presented reports demonstrating a high level of accuracy.
• Successful delivery of complex projects using formal project management techniques.
• Experience of effective contract management of external suppliers.
• Experience of undertaking, or supervising the undertaking of risk assessments.
• Experience of developing a team of customer-facing staff through systematic monitoring and feedback.
• Experience of providing services to children and young people and/or with other vulnerable groups.
• Extensive experience of procuring and managing contracts with suppliers.

Skills:

• Strong people management skills, with experience in line management, staff development and training and motivating teams.
• Ability to manage teams to deliver objectives and targets.
• Excellent organisational and project management capabilities, with a keen eye for detail and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Demonstrable ability to develop and implement logistics systems and processes to improve operational efficiency at large scale.
• Confident communicator, with the ability to build strong relationships with organisations, corporates, schools, delivery partners, and internal teams.
• Sound judgement in managing safeguarding and compliance responsibilities.
• Highly proficient in using project management tools.
• Excellent negotiating skills.
• Excellent numeracy and IT skills.
• Ability to design and develop digital information systems to enable effective decision-making.
• Budget management.

Qualifications:

• Degree level education or equivalent professional qualification or experience.
• Evidence of professional management development.
• Evidence of a commitment to continuous professional development.
• Further professional development or training in a related field such as information governance, risk management, creation of SOPs, staff management.

For more information about the role, or to receive a personal recommendation, please contact our recruitment team. Tali – tali@theworkavenue.org.uk or Yael – yb@theworkavenue.org.uk