JOB DESCRIPTION - Head of Practice

N.B. we have used the job title Consultant in our adverts as it is more broadly recognised, but internally we use the title of Head of Practice.  Leading on project delivery, they may choose to specialise in a particular area of our practice.

About us

Collaborate is an innovative and growing social consultancy and think tank that supports services, systems and places who want to collaborate to deliver better outcomes for the public. We believe that complex social challenges need a collaborative, cross-sector response.  Recent work has included designing and leading a systems leadership development programme in Essex, developing an approach to place-based service integration in Oldham, and leading a system-wide learning and evaluation programme for Save the Children UK.

To find out more about us please go to our website, at www.collaboratecic.com.

About the role

The role of Head of Practice is a critical one at Collaborate, through which you will have a high level of responsibility for project work and teams, but also be guided by Senior Heads of Practice and Directors. They will support you in the development of your expertise and capabilities as an emerging leader within the organisation.

You will lead exciting, creative and innovative projects for Collaborate partners, delivering project work and helping us to build our relationships and networks. This role offers a chance to learn, grow and develop your own practice, as well as to contribute to the organisation’s development. 

Day-to-day, you will:

1.   Lead client work with support from senior team members:

-        deliver high-quality and innovative client-facing projects on time and on budget, with a positive, problem-solving approach

-        utilise the range of Collaborate’s methodologies and products when delivering client work and contribute to their continuous iteration

-        identify synergies between projects and developments in policy and practice, in the UK and internationally

2.   Manage relationships:

-        work closely with Collaborate colleagues, associates and partners, given support and direction from the senior team

-        effectively manage the project teams for work in which you have the project lead role, seeking input where appropriate

-        develop and widen the Collaborate network, impact and reputation, through attending events and managing meaningful relationships in the wider sector

3.   Business Development:

-        use existing practice areas and relationships and develop new ones to identify and grow new opportunities and to win new business for Collaborate.

-        aid the senior team with proposal writing and bid/tender writing to win new business, working with team members and partner organisations to ensure that quality bids are submitted to answer briefs by deadlines

4.   Produce thought leadership and associated products, as supported by the senior team:

-        use existing knowledge gathered from Collaborate’s practice work to write publications (e.g. blogs, articles, reports) that push the boundaries of traditional thinking and practice with regards to social change and showcase our work

-        contribute to organisational learning, through the sharing and dissemination of new skills, capabilities and innovative practice

5.   Contribute to wider team development and a positive collaborative team culture

-        support other team members to build their skills, aiding their development and taking on management roles as they arise

-        play an active role in team meetings, development days, operational and strategic planning

-        you will be expected to be an enthusiastic learner, and to be proactive in seeking out the support and leadership needed from your manager and the senior team

Skills & Experiences

We don't expect you to already have experience of doing all the tasks above. We believe in appointing based on potential rather than simply on past performance. You should have some demonstrable experience in the skills below, which could come from a combination of work, voluntary and/or personal experiences.

You could be the right person for this job if you’re:

·       an excellent communicator (verbally and in writing), with people at a range of levels. Able to find ways to engage others with new ideas, present complex information in compelling ways, preferably having worked within multi-stakeholder environments

·       able to take a leading role in a small project team, understanding a brief or problem and the key individuals involved, developing an approach to seek effective solutions and manage effective relationships to achieve a project’s desired outcomes

·       highly organised, good at prioritising multiple (and sometimes complex) tasks

·       happy working in a strong team culture, building different relationships and being responsive to the dynamics of different teams

·       comfortable working with numbers and on different computer packages

·       equipped with some understanding of some of the drivers and factors of social change. You are likely to have experience in some of the following: collaboration and partnership working in places, service integration, system leadership, culture change and/or systems change thinking

·       experienced in one or more of the following organisations: a public service setting (or related organisation), a consultancy, the voluntary sector, a funder, local government, or the health sector

Benefits

You'll benefit from:

·           additional holiday over Christmas, on top of 25 days' holiday and bank holidays
·           pension contribution
·           flexible working to balance personal needs with organisational ones
·           options for season ticket loans, bike-to-work scheme, eye tests and we're open to exploring more...
·           being part of an inclusive, team-led, learning environment!

Next steps

Please join an online Information and Question and Answer session on 12th October 13-13.45, where you can hear more about the role and the organisation - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87127085862, Meeting ID: 871 2708 5862, Passcode: 863604.

To start applying, just click in the right corner.

You’ll answer questions that are related to your interest in this role and your experiences and skills that would help you to do it. After the job closes, your answers will be anonymised, randomised and then reviewed by a panel of reviewers to ensure that every application is treated fairly and without bias.

If shortlisted, we’ll invite you to an interview, 8-10th November, to meet 2 members of the team to discuss your experience and skills and to complete a short task. N.B. We are flexible to hold interviews online or in person. The next stage will be a second interview 23-25th November with the opportunity to meet 2 more members of our team and to talk about you and the role with us further. We are keen to make an offer before Christmas!

Also, we love giving feedback, so at the end of the application process you'll receive insights into how well you performed.

We are an equal opportunities employer

Collaborate supports flexible working and there will also be the potential for growth within this role and within this growing organisation. 

We seek to be a genuinely collaborative organisation, sharing ideas and decisions across the team through weekly team meetings and regular learning sessions.  We collectively consider our broader strategy, examine and share learning across our projects, and explore how we might develop our work and our thinking.  

As a Living Wage employer, we believe in paying our team fairly and are committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff. We aim to create an inclusive working environment in which all individuals are able to make the best use of their skills and are enabled to thrive.

We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and circumstances and are happy to discuss individual working requirements.