Hub and Short Breaks Operations Manager

Norwood Ravenswood; London; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Norwood Ravenswood is seeking a Hub and Short Breaks Manager to lead and develop holistic services for neurodivergent children and their families. This role involves managing operations, ensuring service compliance, and facilitating innovative programs that respond to community needs and support the diverse abilities of children. Join a compassionate team in delivering impactful support within a dedicated environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary & benefits package

21 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Workplace Pension Scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Introduction bonus of £300

Free Eye test and Eyewear allowance

Access to discount scheme

Cycle to work scheme

Excellent career progression pathway

Enhanced benefits coming July 2025

Qualifications

• Significant experience of working with neurodivergent children and young people.
• Experience of financial and budget management.
• Knowledge of safeguarding policies.

Responsibilities

• Manage the day-to-day operations of the Hub and Short Breaks service.
• Develop activities for neurodivergent children and lead a team effectively.
• Ensure compliance with Ofsted regulations.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Time Management

Problem Solving

Flexibility

Collaboration

Active Listening

Education

Level 3 Qualification or Equivalent

Job description

Hub and Short Breaks Manager - Children and Family Services

Job Level: 4A

Job Type: Permanent

Hours: 35 hours per week

Shifts:Term Time: Monday – Thursday & Sunday (including some evening work).School Holidays: Monday – Friday.

Accountable to: Head of Children and Family Services

Department: Children and Family Services

Location: The Hub, Finchley

Do you have experience of leading teams in delivering high quality, responsive, holistic services for neurodivergent children and young people? Perhaps you have previously worked within special educational needs settings or residential settings with young people? Do you have a natural ability to lead, motivate and influence others with initiative and enthusiasm?If so, this role may be of interest to you!

About The Hub and Short Breaks service:

For over 20 years Norwood has run a Short Break service called Unity for young people on Sundays and during school holidays. Many families have benefited from this service, and it remains popular with families and local authority commissioners. There is a waiting list of children and young people across Barnet and Herts who wish to access this provision.

That’s why as part of our recently launched strategy, we’re expanding the Short Break Service offering, to support families and young people with a variety of choice and cohort-based opportunities including after school clubs. The opening of the Hub allows the expansion of activities throughout the week, term-time, and during school holidays, evenings and weekends.

With a recent refurbishment, we can now offer a location dedicated to supporting children throughout the week. The building has outdoor space, a sensory room, kitchen, activity rooms and multipurpose spaces which allow children the opportunity to thrive in a bespoke space for them.

The Children and Family Service Departmentwill deliver an ambitious Whole Family Centred, Strengths and Needs Based Model to empower children, young people, and their families.Thisexpert-led coordinated approach underpinned by robust governance and outcome and impact measures will seek to ensure families with a neurodivergent or neurodevelopmentally disabled child can realise their full potential and thrive.The objectives for each team member will be clear, ensuring a meaningful and positive impact on those accessing the services, with consistency in support and communications, and the ability to access services required effectively.

About the role:

This is one of a number of new vacancies being recruited as part of a dedicated team for the further development of the Hub and Short Breaks offering to extend the reach to more children and young people throughout the week.

As the Hub and Short Breaks Operations Manager, you will be responsible for the day-to-daymanagement of the service, plus take the lead in the growth and development of the service to maximize the reach and opportunities for young people within the community. The role will ensure the service is compliant with Ofsted, offers a varied timetable with clear criteria for each club/activity, undertakes referrals and assessments and works collaboratively with wider Norwood colleagues to flex, grow and change to meet the ever-changing needs of the community.

You will utilise your existing experience ofoperational, funding, budget and staff management, plus knowledge of children and young people curriculum totake ownership in shaping and driving the future of our Short Breaks provision through extensive strategic development and innovative ideas for our weekday, weekend and holiday programmes, ensuring Norwood continually responds to the wishes, aspirations and needs reflected by the young people we support to provide a meaningful, flexible and creative offering.

You will be responsible for all aspects of the management and delivery of the service including the management and recruitment of a team of permanent sessional workers, ad hoc sessional workers and volunteers. You will assess the suitability of young people to participate in the provision, design and develop choice and cohort-based sessions, whilst working within the framework of OFSTED to ensure quality and compliance.

Benefits at Norwood include:

• The opportunity to work for a leading UK charity
• Competitive salary & benefits package
• 21 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays and Jewish festivals where they fall on a working day and work is not permitted (FTE)
• Workplace Pension Scheme:Plan for your future with confidence.
• Employee Assistance Programme:We care about your well-being.
• £300 When You Introduce a Friend:Spread the word and reap the rewards.
• Free Eye test & Eyewear allowance
• Access to ‘Blue Light’ discount scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Excellent career progression pathway
• Enhanced benefits coming in July 2025

Essential skills and experience:

• Ability to commit to a full-time role with flexibility, covering the shifts required
• Significant experience of working with neurodivergent children, young people and parents/carers and of facilitating an inclusive child-centred service
• Experience of working in partnership with other agencies and organisations, with awareness of the support and advice which may be offered
• Recent experience of managing contract compliance with a demonstrable knowledge of regulatory frameworks (Ofsted, CQC contract compliance etc) and how to put these into practice
• Experience of financial and budget management
• An appropriate qualification at Level 3 or equivalent
• Knowledge and understanding of the range of interventions and approaches that can be used to support disabled children and young people
• An understanding of various communication aids including Makaton, PECS, AAC etc
• Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures
• A team player with strong leadership skills who enjoys working with others to achieve shared goals
• Excellent communication skills with a flexible style to communicate with people in a form and manner that is consistent with their level of understanding, culture, background and preferred ways of communicating
• Excellent time management skills who can work under pressure to meet deadlines
• Flexibility, initiative and the ability to respond appropriately to child and family needs
• Excellent active listening and problem-solving skills
• Embraces change and responds positively to new opportunities
• Motivates colleagues to understand the importance of inclusion and encourage them to improve standards of inclusive practice
• Design and deliver innovative sessions to support neurodivergent young people to develop new skills in a fun environment
• Develops and maintains mutually beneficial working relationships with key delivery partners
• Experience using observation to inform assessment and planning
• Flexibility, initiative and the ability to respond appropriately to child and family needs

About Norwood:

Founded in 1795, Norwood is the oldest Jewish charity in the UK. We support and empower neurodiverse children, their families and people with neurodevelopmental disabilities to live their best lives.

Click here to find out more aboutNorwood .

OurNorwood Values and Behaviours underpin everything we do as we continue to support and empower neurodiverse children, their families and people with neurodevelopmental disabilities to live their best lives:

Here is a shortNorwood video highlighting the vital work we do and the people we support.

If this opportunity interests you, please apply today and our Recruitment team will be in touch.

We reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Due to the high number of candidates who apply to our roles at Norwood, please note we can only provide feedback following an interview, if shortlisted.

We actively celebrate everyone's different abilities, sexual orientation, ethnicity, faith, and gender. Everyone is welcome and supported in their development at all stages in their journey with us.

We are a kind and compassionate community. Empowerment and respect are at the heart of everything we do and believe in at Norwood.

If you are positive and resilient and a force for good, we are for you!

We strive for excellence and to make a real difference to the lives of the people we support. Our team is one of our biggest assets.

We nurture a supportive environment for our people, with tailored training and career development at all levels.

We reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

We actively celebrate everyones different abilities, sexual orientation, ethnicity, faith, and gender.

Everyone is welcome and supported in their development at all stages in their journey with us.