Role Title:              Community Solutions Learning and Improvement Officer         
Weekly Hours:       35
Status/Duration:    Temporary for 12 months – with extension subject to funding
Remuneration:       £27-29K(depending on experience and current/previous salary)
Probation:              three months  
Location:                blended working between home, VANL office and community venues in North Lanarkshire

Offer letter and contract provide full terms and conditions

1. Role Purpose and Background

This role is to provide additional capacity for 12 months to support the learning and improvement aspects of the North Lanarkshire Community Solutions programme.

Community Solutions is an exciting, respected and effective partnership programme which supports community and voluntary sector (CVS) organisations to improve people’s wellbeing, promote equality and provide support to vulnerable people across North Lanarkshire by:

• funding 6 locality host organisations to facilitate joint working at local level, including sharing information and good practice; identifying priority needs; managing allocation of small grants and more
• funding nearly 200 services/projects delivered by diverse CVS organisations to provide health and care support to local people
• supporting wider community engagement in the Community Solutions programme and health and social care
• promoting the Community Solutions values and approach and share learning from the programme to inform wider improvements in health and social care.

The Community Solutions programme was established in 2012 and now has recurrent annual funding of around £1.2 million from Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire (HSCNL), plus additional fixed-term funding from HSCNL and other sources which varies annually.

VANL hosts and manages the programme on behalf of HSCNL, supported by a Senior Manager post, VANL’s CEO and other VANL staff. The programme is governed through a partnership Governance Sub-Group, with regular reports to HSCNL Strategic Leadership Team and Integrated Joint Board and VANL’s Board

• Reports to and supported by:  Senior Evaluation Officer – Community Solutions
• Direct Reports:  none

4. Key Responsibilities
4.1 Role Specific

The post-holder will work with the Senior Manager, Senior Evaluation Officer Community Solutions to support the following work.

• Planning and supporting review of Community Solutions thematic funding as follows informed by:
• evaluation data from funded work to date.
• wider evidence on what works
• priority needs in the community
• stakeholder views
• gaps in provision
• improvement opportunities in specific services
• developments that support wider improvements in the local health and social care system.
• Working with relevant VANL staff such as the Senior Income Generation Office and staff within the Community Development Team, to provide guidance and support to CVS organisations currently receiving “thematic” funding through Community Solutions Programmes to help them secure further funding to support their work.
• Planning and supporting Community Solutions Fund Learning and Improvement Events and follow up improvement action with funded projects and colleagues in Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire.
• Working with appropriate VANL staff to support networking and the preparation of communications on learning and impact of CVS organisations funded through the Community Solutions programme, including:
  • contributing to the quarterly Community Solutions digital bulletin
  • maintaining and updating the Community Solutions website
  • providing information for VANL’s social media platforms
• Any other duties as required.

4.2 Professional and Corporate

• Fulfil the role to the highest possible standard, acting professionally at all times in line with VANL’s corporate values.
• Uphold VANL’s reputation at all times.

5. Person Specification

	Essential	Desirable
5.1 Educational Attainment
5.1.1 Graduate with degree in relevant discipline	x
5.1.2 Specialist training/qualification in a relevant subject		x
5.2 Values, attitudes and knowledge
5.2.1 An understanding of health and social care.	x
5.2.2 An understanding of approaches and methods to support review, learning and improvement in services.	x
5.2.3 Commitment to and understanding of the mission and values of VANL or a willingness to develop these	x
5.2.4 A genuine interest in and knowledge of the community and voluntary sector and/or a commitment to develop this.	x
5.2.5 Commitment to making a positive contribution to residents and communities in North Lanarkshire.	x
5.2.6 A positive and “can do” attitude with a willingness to reflect, learn and improve.	x
5.3 Skills and Qualities and Experience
5.3.1 Experience of supporting learning and improvement processes.	x
5.3.2 Good organisational and administrative skills	x
5.3.3 Good verbal and written communication skills	x
5.3.4 Able to capture, analyse and report on data and information.	x
5.3.5 Able to plan and manage work independently and well to deliver good-quality outputs to schedule.	x
5.3.6 Able to problem-solve and approach challenges constructively and also know when to ask for support and guidance.	x
5.3.7 Able to work well with internal and external colleagues	x
5.3.8 Able to use ICT effectively to fulfil working responsibilities	x