This role is about providing leadership and clear and consistent oversight of our food bank-facing risk management work, ensuring that our network of more than 420 food banks and the Trussell Trust’s Operations Directorate are supported to manage and mitigate food bank-related risks. This role will involve working with the Safeguarding and Quality team who provide technical expertise on risk-related matters (including GDPR and Safeguarding) and the Area and Network Support Teams who act as the first point of contact for network-related enquiries and concerns.

Role responsibilities:

·       Providing expert advice and guidance to all members of the Operations Directorate, enabling them to understand and adhere to the risk policies and procedures consistently across the food bank network.

·       Case management of high-risk situations within the food bank network, liaising with both external and internal stakeholders, including the Senior Leadership Group, to ensure compliance with statutory responsibilities and reporting requirements. This includes ensuring food banks on Action Plans receive the appropriate support and that the escalation process is adopted consistently across the Directorate.

·       Develop and ensure the continued operationalisation of the Risk Management processes for the Foodbank Network. Working closely with others within the Operations directorate, the Safeguarding and Quality teams and the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion teams, to ensure processes remain proportionate, effective, and fit for purpose, including the design of appropriate reporting mechanisms, training resources, template policies and best practice guidance.

·       Ensuring SLG/COO/Director of Ops/Board of trustees receive timely updates of high-risk situations and that the Ops Directorate know how to appropriately record incidents of risk

·       Overseeing and updating the Complaints process for food bank-related complaints

Person Specification

Technical skills and minimum knowledge:

·       Demonstratable experience of assessing, overseeing and managing risk in community-based/third sector organisations  

·       Knowledge of risk management principles

·       Project management experience with an ability to work with and introduce new ICT systems to support service development activities

• Ability to capture, analyse and use data to prepare reports and communicate compelling propositions to make the case for change and improvements to business processes

·       Relevant professional accreditation, or willingness to work towards such, and experience working in the field of risk management

Behaviours and competencies:

·       Demonstrate a commitment to the values of the Trussell Trust;

·       Demonstrates empathy for people from disadvantaged, marginalised or socially- excluded backgrounds;

·       Role models inclusive behaviour, values and leadership

·       Proven ability to manage relationships well, including internally and with grassroots, community-based organisations

·       Proven ability to communicate effectively with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders, including those in senior leadership roles.

·       Staying on-task to completion, particularly in the face of obstacles or competing priorities;

Key Stakeholders

·       Safeguarding and Quality Team

·       Network Support and Grant Giving Team

·       Equity, Diversity and Inclusion department

·       England & Wales Area Team and Scotland and Northern Ireland Area Team

·       COO/Director of Operations

Our Values

The Trussell Trust is a charity that works to end the need for food banks. It is founded on and shaped by Christian principles.

Our values of dignity, justice, compassion and community, are central to all that we do and therefore supports our aim to be an organisation where the diversity of all employees is valued.  We welcome people of all faiths and none and those that are committed to these values.

We recognise that we have under-represented groups within our workforce. As part of our commitment to diversity and equality of opportunity we are actively encouraging applications from under-represented groups such as returning parents or carers who are re-entering work after a career break, people who are LGBT+, from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, with a disability, impairment, learning difference or long-term condition, with caring responsibilities, from different nations and regions and those with a lived experience of poverty as well as any other under-represented group in our workforce. We are committed to ensuring the safety and protection of our employees from all forms of harm.