Job Title: Programme Manager
Reporting to the Director, the Programme Manager will be responsible for the management and development of Holywell's portfolio of services.
Key Responsibilities
* Programme Delivery:
o Managing and coordinating the day-to-day delivery of Holywell Trust programmes, under the guidance of the Director - facilitation, recruitment, training, development, administration, monitoring, and evaluating.
o Maintain, develop, and review meaningful quality assurance systems, ensuring standards of delivery are monitored and evaluated as required.
o Maintain, build, and develop robust relationships with delivery partners, key stakeholders, and funders as required.
* Leadership and Staff Management:
o Managing and developing a strong team, under the guidance of the Director, where individuals are engaged towards clear objectives which are aligned with the vision, mission, and values of the organisation.
o Enabling and supporting the Programme Team to deliver excellent results and build positive relationships with a range of stakeholders which result in increased visibility, programme impacts, and revenue for the organisation.
o Effectively line managing the Programme Team, providing support and supervision, monitoring performance, and ensuring they meet individual and team KPIs.
Personal Specification
* The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:
o Essential Experience & Skills:
+ Experience of working in a support capacity in the achievement of overall organisational aims and objectives.
+ Direct experience of project and programme development and management, ideally within a community sector setting.
+ Track record of quality assurance of projects and programmes including relevant robust evaluation and monitoring processes.
+ Strong history of relationship development and management with a range of stakeholders - community, public sector, funders, politicians etc.
+ Holds a big picture view, is aware of future opportunities and challenges, and has used this in a strategic context.
+ Minimum of 2 years experience of direct line management of staff, supporting a team to achieve results, including supporting CPD.
+ Has a record of securing funding for community projects from a range of sources.
o Desirable:
+ Representing the interests of an organisation or group to relevant stakeholders - government departments, policy makers, funders etc.
+ Communications and marketing experience relevant to the role - promotion of programmes and activities, recruitment of participants, opinion pieces etc.
About Holywell Trust
Holywell Trust is a community relations and community development charity established in 1988 to foster better relationships and social transformation in the North West and across Northern Ireland.
Through a range of groundbreaking approaches and methodologies, Holywell has contributed significantly to the tackling of contested space and the building of shared and respected places.
At the heart of our work is a praxis of ethical leadership that works towards partnership and collaboration, relationship building, cross-community and cross-cultural exploration and dialogue, policy formation, building the capacity of organisations and individuals concerned with peace building and social transformation.
Vision & Mission
Vision - A truly inclusive shared future.
Mission - to be a thought leader for the community, inspiring change and leading by example.
Our Trustees
Danny Bryce Chair
Judith Brady Trustee
Paula McFadden Trustee
Georgia OKane Trustee
Principles
The following principles guide our work.
Open & transparent - we run an open and transparent charity that adheres to best practice in the management and delivery of our work.
Partnership - we first look to work in partnership in the delivery of our work in recognition of the value of collaboration and the realisation that working together will have greater positive impacts for all.
Sustainability - our work will be sustained through careful management and the securing of resources through grant aid and raised revenue.
We will also take account of the UN Sustainability Goals in the development and delivery of our work.
Reconciliation - we will reflect the Strands of Reconciliation (as developed by our partner The Junction) in our work as key to developing a genuinely shared society.
Right relationships - we will respect the people and communities that we work with and treat all with the utmost respect.
Leadership - we will demonstrate best practice in community leadership and develop new community focused and non-party politically aligned leaders for the future.
Vision - we will continue to be a thought leader within the community sector and create, hold, and work to achieve a vision of a truly shared, reconciled, and prosperous community.
Shared space - we will provide a physical shared space for people to meet at our community spaces and notional shared space for challenging conversations.
International connections - we will continue to forge relationships with like-minded organisations from other places to share best practice and to place our challenges in a global context.
Cross-border - where possible we will deliver our work with the natural hinterland on a cross-border basis to increase connections and build a stronger North West.
Fact-based - we will strive for all of our work to be data-driven, based on evidence, and informed by research.
Our Programmes
The following is a breakdown of our current and soon to be started programmes of work.
HOLYWELL Building
We own and manage the HOLYWELL building at the heart of the city.
Our 11 meeting spaces are used by our tenant groups and 100+ other organisations to deliver over 2000 community events and meetings annually.
Leadership Collective & Investing in Community Leadership in the West
Community leadership is an issue that we have been working on for a number of years.
Through the Investing in Community Leadership in the West project, which we deliver in partnership with Fermanagh Trust and Rural Community Network, we have developed the Leadership Collective programme.
In 2025 we will work with a cohort of 30+ leaders to impart the skills and knowledge to build a collective willing and capable of creating real change in the North West.
Future Relationship Conversations
This project examines the constitutional question.
We are convinced of the importance of open, fact-based conversations on important issues.
This project uses community engagement and focused research to broaden understanding in relation to the issue.
Arts & Community Relations
Through a range of partnerships we use the creative arts to address the impact and legacy of the Conflict.
In the past we have partnered with The Playhouse on significant PEACE funded programmes including Theatre of Witness and Theatre Peace Building Academy.
Holywell Trust Conversations Podcast
With the support of Paul Gosling we have produced 4 series of this podcast which is a positively focused conversation on the future of this place.
Through the podcasts we engage with contributors on a range of topics that we need to collectively address to create the conditions where we can have a truly inclusive and prosperous future.
Thirty
In 2023 we delivered Thirty, a series of mini citizens assemblies examining issues from the past that need to be addressed to help us all move forward.
Plans are in place to scale this programme over the coming years.
Garden of Reflection
In partnership with Inner City Trust we will continue to animate the Garden of Reflection space adjacent to our building.
During the Spring and Summer months we will develop and deliver a range of accessible events to encourage use of the shared public space to coincide with festivals taking place in the city.
Other Programmes
We continue to develop and deliver programmes and activities in line with our Strategic Plan and the needs of the community.
Holywell Trust will continue to be responsive and forward-looking in relation to building a better society for all.
Appointment Process
If you are interested in the role of Programme Manager with Holywell Trust, the process is straightforward.
Please submit an application to Holywell Trust consisting of a cover letter, no longer than 2 pages, outlining why you are interested in the role along with a recent two-page CV.
Please refer closely to the Job Description and Personal Specification, with particular attention to the essential and desirable criteria, when preparing these documents.
Submissions should be made by clicking apply All applications will be treated in confidence.
The following schedule will be followed for the recruitment of the Programme Manager position:
Position advertised - 28th January 2025.
Application deadline - 4.00pm Tuesday 25th February 2025.
Interviews will be held in person only during the week commencing 3rd March 2025.
Additional stages may be required.
Our selection process will centre on a competency-based interview for all applicants successfully shortlisted on application.
We have developed an interview where the competencies we will explore are rooted in the Essential Experience and Skills section below.
Applicants should consider identifying a specific example from their past experience in response to each question and focus on providing a structured and detailed overview which prioritises their specific role, actions, outcomes, and potentially learnings.