Project Manager

POST TITLE: Project Manager Day Service Modernisation

GRADE: PO14

LOCATION: Durham

ORGANISATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

• Service Manager, Integrated Learning Disability Services

DESCRIPTION OF ROLE

• To provide leadership in the implementation of the modernisation of day services through the development of new ways of supporting people with learning disabilities through a person centred planning approach in line with the principle of rights, choice, inclusion and independence which underpin Valuing People.
  
  The post holder will be responsible for the management of a dedicated project management team who will take a lead role in driving the agenda for change.

CONTEXT OF THE POST

• The post is a Senior Management post located within Social Care and Health - Integrated Learning Disability Service.
  
  The post-holder will represent the Social Care and Health Service as required and work directly with Executive Managers, elected Members and Senior colleagues from partner agencies. Additionally, the post holder will be required to ensure significant levels of involvement with service users, parent/carers and staff within the quality assurance arrangements for the project.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES SPECIFIC TO THIS POST

Leading implementation of the Day Services Strategy;

• To implement the shift away from traditional day services based around large day centres through the development of support services in response to peoples person centred plans based upon the principle of choice, rights, inclusion and independence.
• To work in partnership with the Day Services Task Group and Project Manager (Valuing People)
• To support the work of the task groups and provide relevant information and guidance in relation to progress of day service modernisation.
• To develop new services
• To implement new ways of working
• To evaluate new processes and approaches
• To engage in continuous improvement
• To ensure implementation of a specific project plan and work to agreed deadlines.

Managing Quality & Performance:

• To work closely with Senior & Middle Managers, Key Stakeholders to highlight areas of concern and identity and implement corrective action to ensure the project plan stays on course.
• To monitor team/individual performance against the overall strategic plan
• To manage financial resources for new developments effectively.
• To ensure service users and parent/carers are central is the change agenda.
• To prepare and deliver regular reports/briefings for the:
  • Learning Disability Partnership Board
  • Elected Members
  • Integrated Services Core Group.

Managing People:

• To supervise, plan and allocate work to members of the project team
• To act as a role model
• To develop the potential of the team and individuals on the team
• To provide regular feedback on performance
• To ensure continuing professional training and development is effectively managed.

Managing External Relations:

• To handle public relations
• To ensure effective communication and dialogue with the user/carer forum
• To ensure regular communication with partner agencies and stakeholders
• To identify user and carer future need.

Managing co-ordination:

• To ensure effective use of financial resources
• To plan ahead
• To regularly review/evaluate progress against overall objectives
• To represent the team at appropriate management meetings, task groups and locality planning groups.
• To build partnerships particularly with communities and localities
• To develop and implement communication plan.

Managing operations:

• To oversee daily work operations
• To plan and allocate work to other team members
• To ensure financial resources are available to carry out agreed plans
• To communicate the needs and requirements of the team
• To ensure safe and high standards of working

Dimensions:

• Direct management of the project team

Communication and Working Relationships:

• Learning Disability Partnership Board
• Modernising Day Services Task Group
• Learning Disability Integrated Management Team
• Service Manager, Community Learning Disability Services Valuing People Team Manager
• Head of Service
• Integrated Services Core Group (ISCG)
• User/Carer Forum
• Service users and carers.

COMMON DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Quality Assurance
  To set, monitor and evaluate standards across the County so as to ensure that user and Social Care and Health outcomes are being met and legislative and Social Care and Health policy requirements form the basis of all performance appraisal, together with the investigation of and response to formal complaints or allegations of service failures, answering correspondence from MP’s and senior members of the County Council.
• Communications
  To establish and manage a countywide communications system ensuring that the Social Care and Health policies, procedures, strategies and objectives are effectively communicated to staff.
• Professional Practice
  To ensure that Team Managers are monitoring and managing their team to the highest standards and the professional practice is being developed in line with Social Care and Health stated objectives of continual improvement in the quality of it’s service to internal and external customers.
• Health & Safety
  To ensure that a suitable and sufficient recorded assessment of the risks to the health and safety of Social Care and Health employees to which they are exposed to whilst at work and risks to persons not in the employment of Social Care and Health but arising out of or in connection with the conduct of business, are carried out. To identify the measures the Service needs to take to comply with the requirements and prohibitions by or under the relevant statutory provisions and ensure that identified measures are implemented.
• General Management
  To provide vision and leadership in the management of a group of specialist Team managers ensuring that effective county wide systems are in place for workload allocation and management, the application of the Authorities and Social Care and Health policies and procedures including those relating to equality, supervision and appraisals and all aspects of their performance, personal development health and welfare.
• Financial Management
  To manage a designated budget across the County ensuring that Social Care and Health achieves value for money in all circumstances through the appropriate delegation arrangements and monitoring and control of expenditure and the early identification of any financial irregularity in order that the right balance is achieved between identified needs, public demands and equitable distribution.
• Supervision and Appraisal
  All members of staff will receive supervision and appraisal and it is the responsibility of each member of staff to follow the Social Care and Health procedure in respect of supervision and appraisal.
• Equality and Diversity
  As an organisation we are committed to promoting a just society that gives everyone an equal chance to learn, work and live free from discrimination and prejudice. To ensure our commitment is put into practice we are developing policies, which will seek to remove any barriers to equality of opportunity and to eliminate unfair and unlawful discrimination.
  
  These policies apply to all employees of Durham County Council.
• Confidentiality
  All members of staff are required to undertake that they will not divulge to anyone personal and/or confidential information to which they may have access during the course of their work.
• Induction
  Social Care and Health has in place an induction programme designed to help new employees to become effective in their roles and to find their way in the organisation.

Social Care and Health Quality Standards

Social Care and Health are committed to continuous improvement and has developed a quality assurance framework called Aiming for Excellence. Aiming for Excellence provides a framework for monitoring our performance against a set of standards for all staff.

These standards are used to receive feedback from people who will use our services and are reviewed as part of the Social Care and Health Supervision and Appraisal Systems. All staff will have a set of standards against which they will be reviewed through questionnaires and observation in the workplace and information from these will be incorporated into the Supervision and Appraisal process.

The annual programme of supervision and appraisal will include 7 supervision sessions, 2 direct observations of practice and one appraisal. The appraisal scheme will bring together targets agreed for the previous 12 months and for the following 12 months and involves discussion about the appraisees job, his/her performance, development needs and any issues from supervision and will be part of an ongoing programme of supervision and training.

Conditions of Services

The terms and conditions of service are embodied in the National Agreement on Pay and Conditions of Service (commonly known as the Green Book) and supplemented by local collective agreements reached with Trade Unions recognised by the Council and by the regulations and policies of the Council:

1. The grade of the post is PO14 and salary is paid monthly by bank credit transfer.
2. The appointment will be subject to:
   • Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure check.
   • Satisfactory medical clearance. The successful candidate will be required to satisfy the Occupational Physician as to his/her fitness to perform the duties of the post.
   • Satisfactory references. References will be sought from your current or most recent employer and additional references may be requested.
   • Successful completion of a 6 month probationary period with the exception of staff transferring from another Authority.
3. The successful applicant may be entitled to relocation expenses in accordance with the Authority’s relocation expenses scheme.
4. The post holder will be entitled to join the local government pension scheme and contributions are 6% of salary.
5. A car user allowance may be attached to this post and the Council does provide an assisted car purchase scheme. Alternatively, an employer assisted car lease arrangement may be available.
6. Leave entitlement is a minimum of 22 days rising to 27 days following the completion of 5 years continuous local government service. In addition the post holder is entitled to 8 bank holidays. The above entitlements are reduced proportionately for employees working fewer than 37 hours per week.
7. Durham County Council operates a no smoking policy. Smoking is not allowed in Council offices or establishments.
8. This authority, as your employer, firmly supports the principles of collective bargaining in every way and believes in the principles of solving industrial relations problems by discussion and agreement. For practical purposes, this can only be conducted by representatives of the employers and of the employees. If collective bargaining of this kind is to continue and improve for the benefit of both it is essential and that the employees’ organisations should be fully representative. Your Authority is associated with other local authorities represented on the national and provincial councils dealing with local authorities’ services. It is equally sensible for you, too, to be in membership of a trade union representing you on the appropriate negotiating body, and you are strongly encouraged to do so.
   
   You have the right to join a trade union and to take part in its activities. Details of the specified trade unions on the appropriate negotiating body are available for you to refer to.
9. The County Council is an Equal Opportunities employer and welcomes applications, irrespective of race, sex, marital status, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation or political belief.
10. The County Council requires one month’s notice in writing of the post holders intention to terminate employment.

SENIOR MANAGER PERSON SPECIFICATION
POST: PROJECT MANAGER – DAY SERVICE MODERNISATION

LONGLISTING - PHASE ONE - Examination of application form and any required work

PHASE TWO - As above plus inter-personal assessments