Who are People First?
People First have been supporting people to live their best lives for nearly 30 years in Cumbria. We have a massive range of project which supports us to achieve that; everything from one to one specialist Advocacy Support, Healthwatch, Mental HealthWise, Self Advocacy Groups, Conference Centre, Centre for Learning and loads more in between.

Job title:  Development Manager

Employer: People First Independent Advocacy

Where: Based in Cumbria

Take us through a typical day for the new Development Manager.
Wow, that’s a challenge – no two days are completely alike! Your work will revolve around the funding and tendering opportunities which you are engaged with. You’ll have found them because as part of this role you’ll be keeping an eye on upcoming opportunities and openings. You’re part of a small delivery team, and together you will figure out the most effective methodologies for approaching these opportunities, and deciding who does what exactly, to get the work done.

You might be reviewing and applying for a contract from a local authority to deliver a contracted service – this means you’ll be learning about legal requirements, interpreting service specification and developing financial models for the work.

You may be creating innovative project plans with colleagues from across the organisation and people we support, responding to needs we have identified for the people we work with! These project plans need just as much tender loving care in their financial and delivery planning!

You could be supporting the social enterprises we have developed at People First, by supporting the relationship development and communication with potential partners, or customers!

Or, you might be supporting colleagues from other project areas to develop their delivery and support them in striving for continuous improvement – offering the people we work with the best possible service! And of course, you’ll be keeping the organization in the loop with all of your work!

What are People First looking for in the ideal candidate?
The role is all about relationships, as they say, it's not what you know its who you know. You must be able to build professional relationships quickly, understanding what partners and organisations are seeking to achieve and thinking about how we can help. We value being a generous organisation, so whenever possible we will share our ideas and resources with like-minded organisations.

You will need to be able to see the big picture but also be able to focus on the detail required to put in a funding bid or proposal.

You will have excellent computer skills, be able to understand and use Excel, Outlook and Word as a minimum. We use a number of internet-based applications and portals to support our work, so you will need to be familiar with using the internet.

You will need to confident in presenting, and able to write reports of a high standard.

You must be able to show leadership skills, as a senior leader you will have a leadership role across the whole organisation.

What qualifications or experience do you need in your position?
We usually expect candidates for senior-level positions to be educated to degree level, but we also really value experience from the school of life. If you don’t meet the qualifications listed in the job description, but you know your experience can support you to do a great job, please get in touch with us!

What is a typical salary for your job? 
Pay for this post is in the band of £27,500-£35,000 dependent upon skill and experience!

For more information about this role please click HERE .