Office and Volunteer Coordinator

Office and Volunteer Coordinator

South Yorkshire Refugee Law and Justice

Deadline for Applications: 9am Monday 3rd April 2023

Interviews: Provisionally set for Tuesday 18th April 2023

Job title: Office and Volunteer Coordinator

Responsible to: Director

Salary: £25,677 – 28,917 (pro rata, dependent on experience)

Hours: 3 days (21 hours) per week

Holidays: 28 days plus 8 English Bank Holidays (pro rata)

Contract: Permanent

Pension: 6% Employer contributions

Location: The Sanctuary, 37–39 Chapel Walk, Sheffield S1 2PD

Overview

South Yorkshire Refugee Law and Justice (SYRLJ) is a grassroots legal charity providing advice and representation to people seeking asylum and other migrants in South Yorkshire. We are seeking a highly organised and hardworking individual to help us increase our effectiveness and grow the capacity of our service.

We strive to maintain a supportive and inclusive working environment and we understand the need for a healthy work life balance. All staff have access to regular training and professional development opportunities as well as enhanced sickness and family friendly policies. Our salary structure is regularly reviewed, taking account of cost of living and inflation rates and we offer generous annual leave and Employer Pension Contributions. We are open to flexible working arrangements wherever possible.

SYRLJ was founded in 2011 in response to a chronic lack of legal advice and support for migrants in the region. Our current work consists of the following:

• The provision of legal casework representation to refused asylum seekers in South Yorkshire
• Provision of one-off direct immigration advice to migrants via monthly ‘drop in’ sessions
• Provision of both paid and voluntary opportunities to undertake training and gain experience in the field of human rights law.
• Provision of best practice training to stakeholders and partners.

This is an exciting time of expansion and development for SYRLJ and we welcome applicants who are keen to help our organisation grow and work with us to improve access to justice across the region.

As our Office and Volunteer Coordinator you will work closely with the Director and Legal Manager to facilitate the smooth running of the organisation and the development of our work with volunteers.

To apply for this role please send a C.V. and a letter of application which explains your suitability for the role to tara.topteagarden@syrlj.org.uk.

Please ensure that your letter explains how you meet each of the points on the Person Specification below.

We particularly welcome applications from candidates who have lived experience of immigration systems and processes.

SYRLJ is not able to sponsor visas, and therefore you must have a right to work in the UK in order to be appointed to this post.

Working arrangements

The post-holder will work a 21hr week and usually be based at the SYRLJ office in Sheffield city centre with the option to occasionally work from home subject to approval from your line manager. We would ideally want the post-holder to be able to work on Tuesdays and Wednesdays however some flexibility is possible. Normal working hours will be usual office hours between Monday and Thursday. However, there may occasionally be requirements to attend meetings, training and other events outside normal working hours.

The employer will review working arrangements on a regular basis to ensure the requirements of the position are being fulfilled and reserves the right to vary the arrangement if necessary.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss the role, please contact Tara Topteagarden, Director: tara.topteagarden@syrlj.org.uk or 07553 228289

Job Description

Office Coordination

• To help coordinate the smooth running of SYRLJ’s office base.
• To ensure office equipment is effectively acquired and maintained.
• To ensure all IT and administration systems and processes are working effectively and records are kept up to date.
• To help ensure high levels of organisational efficiency, effectiveness, communication and safety.
• To give administrative assistance to staff and volunteers in order to facilitate effective service delivery.
• To assist the Director in carrying out some financial functions and administration.
• To work with the Director on the development and implementation of office related policies such as health and safety and data protection.

Volunteer Coordination

• To work alongside the Director and Legal Manager to develop SYRLJ’s volunteer strategy in line with our organisational aims and objectives.
• To lead on/assist with the recruitment of volunteers in line with the needs of the organisation.
• To provide ongoing support and supervision to volunteers throughout their time with SYRLJ.
• To work with the Legal Manager to ensure volunteers are able to access the training and support needed to carry out their roles effectively and meet their development goals.
• To lead on/assist with the development and implementation of policies, structures and systems relating to volunteers in line with legislation and best practice.

Professional development

• To attend supervision and appraisal meetings.
• To attend training and address identified learning and development needs as appropriate.

General

• To attend team meetings as required.
• To undertake any other duties that are compatible with the functions of the post.
• To work alongside other staff and volunteers to create and maintain a positive and welcoming working environment.

Person Specification Criteria

Please write about how you meet each of the points below in your application letter

• A strong commitment to the aims and objectives of SYRLJ
• Ability to work with and support people from a wide range of diverse backgrounds
• Experience of office work and administration and of delivering administrative support to others
• Experience of working with and supporting volunteers
• Excellent IT skills and a high level of digital literacy
• A high level of attention to detail
• Clear and effective written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage and prioritise a wide range of tasks
• Ability to work independently and proactively and use initiative to problem solve
• Ability to work as part of a small team, providing assistance to colleagues when needed
• Ability to collaborate with, organise and motivate others
• Ability and willingness to contribute to the overall development of SYRLJ and the services we deliver

Desirable criteria

• Experience of financial administration
• Experience of management/supervision
• Experience of recruitment

Job Types: Part-time, Permanent
Part-time hours: 21 per week

Salary: £25,677.00-£28,917.00 per year

Benefits:

• Additional leave
• Company pension
• Enhanced maternity leave
• Sick pay

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 03/04/2023
Reference ID: SYRLJ OVC