Operations Manager

OPERATIONS MANAGER RECRUITMENT PACK

Registered Charity 1078794

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Who we are
Suffolk Refugee Support aims to ensure that all asylum seekers and refugees in Suffolk are enabled to live integrated, fulfilled and
contributing lives in their new communities. We provide a welcoming environment where clients can access help, advice, support and
practical services in order to be healthy and safe and begin to rebuild their lives. We work with external agencies, community and
voluntary  sector  organisations,  health  providers  and  others  to  enable  our  clients  to  access  a  range  of  support.  We  are  based  in
Ipswich, but our services operate increasingly on location with refugees and asylum seekers housed in accommodation across Suffolk.

Values
Individuals Matter - Each Client is unique and has an intrinsic value and constructive role to play in UK society
Respect - We are open, welcoming, respectful, and transparent in our dealings with one another and with others
Self Determination - We direct our efforts towards self-determination and ultimate independence for our Clients
Client Centred - We are led by the needs and interests of our Clients and design our services to work holistically
to meet these
Safe Environment - The all-round safety and security of our Clients and everyone who works for and with SRS
is of paramount importance
Keeping Informed - We keep ourselves fully informed and knowledgeable about every sphere of our work
Aims
Basic Needs - To address our Clients' fundamental needs including immigration status, housing, education, physical and mental
health, employment and personal safety
Social Well-being – To facilitate and support recreational and leisure-time activities aimed at enhancing our Clients’ social well-being
and quality of life
Independence - To support our Clients in transitioning towards independence from SRS’ services
Awareness  and  Rights  -  To  promote  awareness  and  understanding  of  our  Clients’  experience  in  the  community,  including
advocating, advising, and lobbying to encourage statutory and other bodies to meet their obligations to our Clients
Client Partnership - To develop our partnership with our Clients to achieve a co-production model of service design, evaluation, and
delivery
Governance - To uphold the effective governance and management of SRS in order to maximise its impact and ensure that its work
is informed by ‘voices of lived experience’
Staff - To maintain a workplace that values and supports Staff, enabling them to effectively carry out their roles in a healthy working
environment
Volunteers - To increase and develop Volunteers’ contribution to the work of SRS

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Our structure

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What we offer

Financial

•  Competitive salaries
•  Contributory  pension  scheme  –  up  to  6%  Employer  contribution  in  addition  to  Employee

contribution

•  Enhanced sick pay scheme after successful probation period

Development

We  believe  that  investment  in  our  staff  to  develop  their  skills  is  essential  to  providing  high  quality
support to our clients. We provide:

•  Training for role related duties
•  Generic skills training to contribute towards personal development
•  On the job training and mentoring
•  Opportunities to shadow other roles or activities within the wider team

Wellbeing

•  Hybrid working (role dependant)
•  Opportunities for social activities
•  Workplace activity sessions, for example, lunchtime walks
•  A welcoming, diverse team with lots of cooking skills and a strong sense of community!

Time off

•  25 days annual leave pro rata (plus public holidays pro rata)
•  One-week pro rata paid carer’s leave
•  One-week pro rata paid compassionate leave
•  Options for unpaid leave after successful probation period

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Job Title

Operations Manager

Reports to

Charity Manager

The opportunity

Hours

Salary

Contract

Location

35 hours a week

£37,454 per annum

Permanent, subject to a 3 months’ probation review

Partly  based  at  Suffolk  Refugee  Support  offices,  38  St  Matthew’s  Street,  Ipswich,  IP1  3EP  and  on
location in Suffolk. This role may involve travel across the county.

About the role
The Operations Manager sits within a team of six managers who are responsible for providing the strategic lead for all the activities
of Suffolk Refugee Support. This is a senior operational role with responsibility for overseeing key programme areas including HR
and facilities, volunteering, our ESOL provision and our International Women’s Group. The role will also oversee the development of
SRS’s Client Partnership work, ensuring this is shaped through co-production with the clients we work with, supports strong external
relationships, and is delivered through an effective, outcome-focused work plan. Working closely with staff, trustees, partners and
clients, the postholder will contribute to the effective management and ongoing development of the organisation.

The role line manages a team of Officers and Coordinators responsible for specific programme areas, ensuring that the activities
within  their  remit  are  effective,  compliant  and  responsive,  meeting  both  the  charitable  aims  of  SRS  and  the  needs  of  the  asylum
seekers and refugees we support (see appendix).

Main Deliverables

Management Team:

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•  As part of the Management Team, oversee the function of the organisation and its strategic development by using knowledge

of needs of clients, gaps in existing services and opportunities as they arise

•  Work with the Management Team to agree funds required for services to be run and delivered, setting achievable outcomes

for reporting back to funders

•  Liaise with Trustees to involve them in strategic processes in collaboration with the Management Team

•  Provide a monthly report of activities and achievements to the Charity Manager and Trustees

•  Organise one-hour team meetings for the staff of SRS every two weeks, with a subject of interest or a key speaker (in liaison

with the Management Team)

•  Attend occasional joint manager/trustee meetings and liaise with Trustees on key strategic issues when needed

•  As part of the Management Team, provide office management and occasional cover for other managers including the Charity

Manager if needed

•  Represent the Management Team on the HR and Client Partnership sub committees

•  Act as Deputy Safeguarding Lead in recording and acting upon safeguarding incidents and facilitating regular safeguarding

meetings with the SRS team

•  Support the Charity Manager and Trustees with disciplinary proceedings with staff and volunteers when required

•  Work with  the  Fundraising  and  Communications  Manager to assess  funding  opportunities,  providing  operational insight  on

capacity, risk and deliverability

•  Oversee data protection and data-sharing practices across the organisation, ensuring appropriate handling, storage, and
protection of personal data internally and externally, including responsibility for ensuring DSAs and DPIAs are completed

Programme Management

•  Develop and manage the following client focused activities:

o  English language teaching
o
o  One-off activities

International Women’s Group

•  Ensure that activities have the staff, volunteers and resources needed to run effectively and as cost efficiently as possible.

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•  Develop and manage the following operational areas of work:

o  Volunteer programme
o  HR & Training
o  Facilities and IT coordination
o  Client Partnership work

•  Provide strategic and operational oversight to our Client Partnership work

•  Ensure the above align with organisational priorities, client needs and funder requirements

•  Ensure accurate recording of activity outputs and outcomes to support internal monitoring and external reporting

•  Oversee the completion and submission of funder monitoring reports in close collaboration with your team and relevant project

leads

•  Ensure  that  activities  run  safely  and  within  legal  and  organisational  guidelines.  This  includes  ensuring  that  Data  Sharing

Agreements with other organisations are in place when needed.

•  Understand project funding and funder requirements and ensure that projects stay within agreed budgets

•  Provide management support (via telephone and occasionally in person) to offsite activity leaders (including evening groups)

if needed. Ensure another manager covers this role when not available.

HR, People Management & Facilities

In partnership with the HR and Training Officer, provide strategic and operational oversight of the HR functions of SRS to ensure they
are efficient and effective, including:

•  Planning and ensuring staffing structures meet current and future organisational needs; assisting with recruitment and induction

of new staff members as necessary

•  Staff development and training

•  Reviewing policies and procedures (in line with legal changes)

•  Evaluating and implementing the use of external professional HR services

Line Management

•  Line manage the following key staff members in the delivery of the above:

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o  HR and Training Officer
o  Volunteer Officer
o  ESOL and Women’s Officer
o  Client Partnership Coordinator

•  Develop individual workplans with each member of the team with key performance indicators and others measures to monitor

progress against funders’ targets and organisational requirements

•

Implement innovative ways of achieving targets whilst working to maintain high standards of performance from the team

•  Maintain a motivated and cohesive workforce, tackling staff performance issues using supportive management techniques

•  Ensure all policies and procedures, including health and safety and equal opportunities, are adhered to by staff in the above

activities

•  Find cover for staff sickness and absence in partnership with the SRS Management Team

Networking & Partnership Development

•  Explore and develop working relationships with external organisations to bring greater impact and benefit to our work. This

may include leading on the development of new joint projects and activities.

•  Attend external meetings when required to represent the views of SRS and its clients and feed information back to the team

Key supporting tasks

•  Provide occasional support and advice to service users

•  Lead on other projects as deemed necessary by the Charity Manager, Board of Trustees and organisation

Additional responsibilities

•  To contribute occasional articles and updates for inclusion in the SRS newsletter

•  Give occasional talks and workshops to external organisations and attend and contribute to meetings as required

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Other requirements
The role may require you to either hold a full and current driving licence and have access to personal transport or meet the  mobility
requirements of the role through other reasonable and suitable means. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability to
meet the travel requirements of this role, please speak with the HR and Training Officer on HR@suffolkrefugee.org.uk

To deliver services effectively, a degree of flexibility is needed, and you may be required to perform work not specifically referred to
above.  Such duties, however, will fall within the scope of the job, at the appropriate skills and responsibility level.  This job description
will therefore be subject to periodic review with the post-holder to ensure it accurately reflects the duties of the job.

Please note that an Enhanced DBS Check is required for this post. The decision to request a DBS disclosure is made in accordance
with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The check will be paid for by Suffolk Refugee Support.

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What we are looking for

Person Specification

Experience and knowledge

Essential

Desirable

At least two years’ staff and project management experience in
community,  voluntary  sector  or  social  care  settings;  or  other
proven relevant management experience

Understanding of the experiences of people seeking asylum in
the  UK  and  commitment  to  upholding  their  legal  rights  and
entitlement

including  delivery  planning,
Experience  of  managing  staff
performance monitoring, practising HR & disciplinary processes,
and motivating positive work environments

Experience of developing, managing and evaluating programmes
to  meet  identified  needs  using  imaginative  ideas  and  making
efficient use of restricted resources

Experience of working with volunteers

Knowledge of participatory consultation/research techniques

Experience  of  using/developing  assessment  tools  to  monitor
service outputs and outcomes

Ability  to  use  effective  negotiation  to  achieve  harmonious
working environments

Knowledge of laws and policies applicable to Human Resources
management

Lived experience of the UK asylum system

Knowledge  of  safeguarding,  data  protection  and  equality  good
practice

Skills

Essential

Desirable

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Strategic planning skills with the ability to work in conjunction with
the  Charity  Manager  and  management  team  to  agree  plans  of
work for the whole organisation to maximise impact for clients

Valid driver’s licence, reliable vehicle with current insurance,
and the ability to travel throughout the service delivery area
as required

Proficient  in  using  all  MS  office  applications  and  CRM  or  data
management  system,  (experience  with  Charitylog  or  similar
database platforms preferred)

Conscientious, calm, and well-organised with the ability to keep
the balance between short & long-term tasks/goals

Proven  ability  to  write  concise  and  informative  reports  that  are
appropriate to the target audience, and which summarise a large
amount of information

Attributes

Essential

A strong commitment to Equal Opportunities and Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults

Commitment to people in the asylum system and insight into their experiences

Confident, friendly manner and the ability to put people at their ease

Flexible approach and willingness to occasionally work outside the office in various settings and some evenings if needed (by
agreement).

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Equal Opportunities Statement
Suffolk Refugee Support (SRS) is committed to equal opportunities and to supporting diversity both in the provision of services and
as an employer. These commitments are set out in the Equality and Diversity policy and are integral to the provision of SRS’s services
and to the work done by its staff, trustees, and volunteers, who are expected to promote equality in the workplace and to deliver
services with sensitivity.

In essence, this means that no service user, job applicant, employee, volunteer, trustee, or member will be treated less favourably on
the grounds of the following protected characteristics: age, disability (physical or mental impairment), gender reassignment, marital
or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race (colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religious beliefs, sex and sexual
orientation. In addition, SRS is committed to ensuring that no service user, job applicant, employee, volunteer, trustee, or member
will be treated less favourably on the grounds of membership of a particular social group, political opinion, caring responsibilities, HIV
status and employment status.

SRS  recognises  that  refugees  and  asylum  seekers  are  a  particularly  vulnerable  group  of  people  and  may  experience  additional
prejudice and  discrimination.  As  a  result, SRS  is committed  to  supporting  refugees  and  asylum  seekers to  take  their  full  place  in
society, including being involved in SRS’s governance structures.

Equality and Diversity and you
You will be required to support individuals, families, children, women, and young people from very diverse backgrounds and engage
them equally irrespective of political, religious or other affiliations.

We expect our team members to act professionally at all times and uphold the values, ambitions and aims of Suffolk Refugee Support.

We are committed to making every reasonable adjustment to the workplace or working arrangements to accommodate people with
disabilities.

Please be aware that our offices are accessed via a steep staircase.  We will endeavour to accommodate staff with mobility issues
as far as possible.

You will have received an Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form as part of this recruitment pack.  Please complete and return to
Marianne Walker at HR@suffolkrefugee.org.uk

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How to apply

Please complete the Application Form, the Equality Monitoring Form and attach your CV (which should cover your education history,
employment history and any relevant training) and send the three documents to Marianne Walker at HR@suffolkrefugee.org.uk

If you require a larger print form or a paper form, please contact Marianne Walker at HR@suffolkrefugee.org.uk

Alternatively, you can send the documents by post to Suffolk Refugee Support, 38 St Matthews Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 3EP.

Deadline for submission: no later than 12 noon on 7th May 2026

Interview date: 15th May 2026

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early and interview at an earlier date if we receive sufficient
applications  for  the  role.  Therefore,  if  you  are  interested,  please  submit  your  application  as  early  as
possible.

How we choose who we invite to an interview

Shortlisting is completed by a panel of Suffolk Refugee Support staff members and a trustee from the management board who will
review and independently score your anonymised CV and the responses you have given to the questions asked in the application
form’s Why are you the right person for this job section.

They then meet as a group to discuss their scores and decide which candidates’ answers have ranked highest for them.

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