JOB DESCRIPTION – NEW FERRY CLT ADMINISTRATOR
Duration: Fixed term 8 months, re-negotiable
Hours: 3 days (21 hours) p/w equivalent
Salary: £12 per hour, for 21 hours p/w
Location: 116 New Chester Road, New Ferry, Wirral. CH62 5AG
Reports to: New Ferry Community Land Trust Board of Directors
Purpose of the role
To be the community land trust (CLT) Administrator, facilitator and spoke person of New Ferry CLT. Their key role is to represent the organisation to the community and foster a good relationship with the board, the partner organisations, its public sector and private sector funders and supporters. Also the general public in the area in which it operates. As a CLT representative. The post holder will need to demonstrate and reflect the CLT values and purpose at all times.
As a CLT administrator, responsibilities are to be carried out in accordance with the directions provided by New Ferry CLT board and within established guidelines so that organisational, operational, community relations and volunteer objectives are achieved. As an administrator you will be based at the temporary office at the above address until our new office is ready. Our new office is a 1 minute walk away from the temporary one.
This post will take New Ferry CLT through its exciting start-up phase of development both physically and organisationally. The job fall broadly into the following areas:
- Organisational development
- Development and project co-ordination
- Community engagement
- Strategic Partnerships and Networks
- Finance and fundraising
- Communications
The post holder will be expected to start towards the beginning of May 2021 and work on a 8 month contract through to December 2021. If the CLT is successful in bringing in more funding to continue its work and resources permit, a continuation of part time employment may be negotiable beyond December 2021.
Responsibilities
1. Organisational Development
Work with the board to provide information, monitor progress and make informed decisions.
Develop approaches to building and maintaining active membership in line with the CLT governing documents. This will include activities to aid the recruitment and induction of members. Ensure proper record keeping processes are developed and maintained for both the board and its membership.
2. Development and Project Management
Ensure day to day operations of the office and projects are delivered on time.
Identify further resource, partnership and investment opportunities.
Management , support and supervision of the volunteer team as required.
Identify any H&S issues and resolve or report to the board for them to resolve.
3. Community engagement
Develop and support a range of community engagement and consultation initiatives as directed by the board. Develop a community engagement plan which creates and nurtures a positive relationship between the CLT and wider stakeholders.
Ensuring accountability to and the engagement of the community to which the CLT is a part. Feed back any relevant information to the board in relation to community engagement. Attend community meetings and events on behalf of the CLT to listen to and engage in conversations about local issues and update them on the CLT’s activities.
4. Strategic Partnerships and Networks
Ensure relationships between partners and stakeholders are well managed and trust is built
Identify new partnerships and networks where they can assist in the delivery of the overarching aims.
Develop links with local, regional and national community land trust networks. Play an active part in the Liverpool City Region community led housing hub as directed by the CLT board.
5. Finance and fundraising
Ensure funding applications are made in line with the business plan. This will ensure that the CLT are able to develop into a financially robust and sustainable organisation.
Work with the board to manage the CLT budget and individual project budgets. Ensure appropriate records are maintained and comply with any relevant legislation or funder requirements the CLT activity falls within.
Be responsible for petty cash management and record keeping. Monitor financial objectives. Prepare and run the organisations’ annual budget. Monitor expenditure and variances and initiate corrective actions.
6. Communications
Develop a communications strategy in collaboration with the board which, builds the profile of the CLT locally, regionally and nationally.
Secure resources to support the development of communication material including social media presence.
Develop ideas around maintaining links with membership including quarterly news letters etc.
Person Specification
We are looking for someone with keen interest in working with grass roots community groups. We are looking for the real deal. Someone who can turn the aspirations of a community into a physical reality and involve us all along the way.
Essential attributes
- Strong personal and professional commitment to community enterprise and community development.
- Experience of working on neighbourhood projects. Where you have delivered good quality outcomes and engaged the community.
- A proven self starter
- An ability to think strategically and operationally. Arranging resources to accomplish objectives.
- An engaging communicator able to demonstrate the ability to get on with a wide variety of people.
- Good writing and presentation skills.
- An understanding of the needs and frustrations of the new ferry area.
- Financial management skills
- Educated to a degree level or equivalent post education experience
- A demonstrable commitment to equality and diversity
Desirable attributes
- Experience in managing teams
- Experience of managing a membership organisation
- Personal or professional experience in the communities we serve.
- An understanding of how communities play a role in regeneration
- Some knowledge of website building/editing.
Background Information
New Ferry was once an important local district centre on Wirral. It originated at a settlement before Port Sunlight Village was constructed, and its district centre served both communities, and became large enough to attract customers from a much wider area of Wirral. Its decline began in the 1980s with the development of out-of-centre retail parks such as The Croft at Bromborough which features an Asda amongst other major brand retail stores.
By 2010, New Ferry was recognised to be struggling and going rapidly downhill. It lost its last bank in 2016, along with Citizens Advice Bureau and Woolworth and Ethel Austins prior to that. Even the Job Centre had relocated to Bromborough. In 2012 it failed to win one of the Portas Pilot funding pots that were designed to regenerate town centres. With some of the lowest retail rents in Wirral, many of its absentee owners refused to invest in their properties, with much of the building stock in exceptionally poor condition.
Then came the New Ferry explosion in March 2017 which obliterated two whole blocks of buildings, eventually taking out 15 businesses. With little government support, there were only so many things which Wirral Council could do, and it has now taken over three years for the possibility of a redevelopment scheme coming forward. The Council has been actively using £1.3 million to buy the two main explosion cleared sites and additional properties on New Chester Road to be part of a scheme that will include part of the car park behind the shops. A preferred developer is likely to be announced later this year.
New Ferry Community Land Trust was established in autumn 2018 by a group of local volunteers who wanted to see something more positive achieved in the district centre before any promised regeneration could happen so far into the future. The businesses remaining in the precinct (pedestrianised area of Bebington Road) are failing due to ever decreasing footfall as shoppers go elsewhere. The aim of the CLT is to purchase empty properties, refurbish them for a mix of retail/commercial/leisure and also residential accommodation, and to let them out, using the rental income generated to pay for small scale environmental improvements in and around the district centre. Paying for plants and flowers to bring colour to the streetscape, events and markets to bring in visitors to benefit the shops, a summer festival in 2021 and also to pay for the town’s christmas lights for 2020/2021. The group has also been galvanising community support with monthly litter clean ups. The group have also funded the barrier baskets along the high street. It has also started up a scheme for local alleyway projects.
The aim is to acquire and regenerate some of the long-term vacant properties, bring them back into use as shops/commercial ventures that will bring footfall back into New Ferry, whilst the upper floors are to be used where possible to provide affordable housing. Parts of New Ferry are in the 10% worst of the UK’s areas for social deprivation, and there is a need for affordable, quality living accommodation
In December 2019, New Ferry Community Land Trust was awarded £500,000 through the Combined Authority’s “Town Centre Fund” to use to progress its aims. Wirral Borough Council purchased a property at auction, 78-80 New Chester Road (known as the Shillings Building) which had been repossessed from its former owner part way through a refurbishment programme. This would have seen its ground floor let for commercial space, with the two upper floors converting from a HMO to 4 individual flats. Three of the flats are currently 95% completed by the former owner, whilst the 4th and the ground floor retail space are currently back to brick awaiting refurbishment. The CLT’s aim is to complete the refurbishment of the building and to let it out so that the income it brings can be used to start benefitting the community.
The Combined Authority funding must be spent between January 2020 and December 2021. At present, December 2021 will also see the funding for this post terminate, although – if the CLT is able to obtain further grant funding to purchase and refurbish more properties, the income generated from these may be able to fund some part time support beyond the initial funding period.
Email if interested.
Deadline: Noon 30 April 2021
