Strategic Leads are a key part of the Active Partners Trust’s workforce and play a key role in enabling the Making our Move plan https://makingourmove.org.uk/about/making-our-move/ 

Strategic Leads work to connect, collaborate, influence and create a culture where everyone can be active in a way that is right for them. The work is achieved by considering how we better Understand our communities, Enable and influence change and seek Investment. Our Strategic Leads have two main areas of responsibility working in Place* and leading a Theme. 

*We refer to a Place as a geographical area of any size, from a street to a district, recognising each place has its own characteristics and identity. 

For this role, you are likely to be working in the northern districts and boroughs in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire initially. 

Place- Through place-based working, we can develop meaningful partnerships with communities and the organisations that support them (Local Authorities, NHS, Education, Adult Social Care, Community organisations etc.) With these partnerships in place, we can better **co-design opportunities which make it easier for residents to be active when they step out of their homes.

**Co-design - We refer to co-design as a collaborative approach where local organisations and residents work together as equal partners throughout the entire process - from identifying needs and challenges, to designing, testing, and implementing solutions together. We recognise that people with lived experience are experts of their own circumstances and that better outcomes are achieved when all stakeholders contribute their unique knowledge and perspectives in place. 

To achieve this, a Strategic Lead will need to:  

• Enable working together; from community members to voluntary organisations to local government to create change 

• Build networks, develop relationships and influence thinking 

• Break down the barriers that get in the way of being active, including influencing local policy decision-making, seeking investment and programme development 

• Understand and strengthen communities in a way that is reflective of their unique needs, relationships and geography. 

Theme – Based on individuals’ expertise and experience there may be a themed area to lead on for the whole organisation. This would entail leading on a key area of work, such as environment, health, inequalities, investment, workforce etc. 

The key principles of being a Theme Lead would be to: 

•  Set direction and vision 

• Enable advocacy by articulating and communicating the vision across sectors and systems 

• Empower leadership within the organisation and externally 

• Convene spaces to connect, learn and share opportunities across Notts and Derbyshire 

You will have the following areas of responsibility: 

Overall 

Being the face of Active Notts/Active Derbyshire in your places, representing the organisation in a professional and informed manner. Ensure physical activity is considered and embedded into wider Health and Wellbeing programmes and policies so local people are able to move more in a way that works for them. 

Understand 

Use of data, insight and local intelligence 

• Identify and provide support to individuals and community organisations (building on the insight and understanding that already exists) to capture local intelligence and insight from residents, taking into consideration the most appropriate way of capturing. 

• Support partners at various levels of the system, including the local relevant management groups and strategic partnerships, to understand and act upon insight from lived experience and resident voice.  

• Develop a clear understanding of the assets and strengths that could enable physical activity amongst partners across the whole community, health and wellbeing system.  

Enable  

Collaborate across and between partners and sectors 

• Model and promote collaborative leadership skills in suitable meetings to show the value of this way of working. 

• Identify stakeholders who share the same values, motivations and desire to cause change. This will involve working across different sectors, at different levels with new and existing organisations. This will include local authorities, public health, universities, voluntary sector organisations and delivery organisations. 

• Build open and honest relationships with the individuals and organisations who relate to the vision and/or shared aims in Making Our Move. Support them to work out what role they can play.  

Focus on learning and adapting 

• Create opportunities for partners and stakeholders to come together to share experiences and learning.  

• Support partners to evaluate the impact and value of their work, capture the learning and continue to improve approaches.  

• Share learning with colleagues and supported by the APT marketing team, share this learning more widely. 

Advocate for, and influence, policy and practice 

• Share our insight and learning on how certain policies and processes make it harder for people to move more. 

• Encourage and support partners to review their policies and processes considering any new insight and learning. Support them to involve their service users in this work. 

• Reflect on how they currently measure performance and whether there is a better way to measure change. 

Leadership and workforce development 

• Working with key partners, co-design a Workforce Development plan that complements local and national system leadership programmes 

• Supports the development of the of an inclusive workforce that is representative of local communities and enables people to be more active. 

Invest 

Target and align investment 

• Support new and current partners to focus their capacity and resources on the people and neighbourhoods that experience the greatest inequalities. 

• Encourage and support partners to align new funding to support the shared vision and shared aims of Making our Move. 

• Ensure Sport England’s programme funding is awarded to the organisations and projects that support the shared aims of Making a Move. 

Delivery 

• Provide vision, leadership and commitment in safeguarding, equity and diversity matters, with colleagues and stakeholders. 

• Be accountable for the achievement of identified actions in the annual operational plan. Regularly record change on APT systems. 

• Provide effective communications and reports to APT’s Board and county panels reporting on progress, evaluation and planning. 

• Set up and manage external contracts e.g. with external consultants, for programme delivery etc. 

Number of line reports 

None at present but in future this could be one/two 

Budget responsibility 

Variable depending on work area and funding received.  

We are looking for someone to join us with the following essential skills and qualities (we will be testing for these skills and qualities across the application and interview stages): 

• Is committed to reducing inequalities, recognising some communities need more support, and understands the role physical activity can play in this. 

• Recognises the importance of understanding residents’ needs. 

• Is a strategic thinker, has strong leadership skills, with the ability to work in complexity. 

• Can build positive relationships with leaders at all levels, supporting a collaborative way of working together. 

• Can apply principles of co-production in enabling change. 

• Understands the importance of values and behaviours in creating the culture and environment for place-based working. 

• Is self-reflective, self-aware and adapts own behaviours. 

• Is an excellent listener – inquisitive and curious and is skilled in facilitating conversations. 

• Understands the value of being humble.  

• Is an excellent communicator – writing, speaking and presenting to a variety of audiences. 

• Can use a range of IT platforms and equipment. 

• Understands the value of learning and evaluation and can embed this within place-based work. 

• Is analytical and able to interpret and understand data and insight and use it to inform the work. 

• Is motivated and able to plan, organise and prioritise their own workload to meet deadlines. 

• Can easily travel in and around districts and to and from the office base, which will be designated based on home address. 

Please note that these are the skills we want you to tell us about in your application as we’ll be assessing candidates against these.   

We are interested in hearing from people who may also have the following, desirable skills and qualities: 

• Has experience of managing funded projects, programmes and staff members. 

• Understands the relationship between physical activity and health. 

• Has experience of working collaboratively with external partners and leaders at all levels, including community leaders, senior public sector leaders and local councillors to develop and/or deliver a shared purpose. 

• Has experience of being a leader (officially/unofficially/professionally/in a voluntary capacity). 

• Is approachable and able to work well as part of an effective team.