JOB: Consultant at The Social Change Agency
Asha Kaushal
About The Social Change Agency:
The Social Change Agency comprises a team that are experts in creating social impact using social innovation, peer networks, community organising, collaboration and systemic and organisational change approaches. We provide strategic consulting, communications expertise, training and programme design to create social impact. We combine tried and tested approaches with cutting edge tools and perspectives that often result in original programmes and services that breakthrough long-standing challenges. What do we do best? Creating bespoke, blended solutions so the organisations we work with can change the world.
Who we’re looking for:
We are looking for a Consultant who wants to be part of a growing organisation that makes impactful social change. We keep the leadership of people with experience of social issues at the heart of that change – it’s an important value of ours and expect our team to share this value.
The Consultant will be an integral part of the consultancy team, managed by and working closely with the Senior Consultant, and providing support to the rest of the team and our clients. As well as leading a handful of projects, you will be supporting the Senior Consultant and Head of Consultancy to deliver large, high quality projects for our clients.
Your skills and experience:
Client & Project Management: Experience working with clients or partners in a collaborative and flexible way. Clients come to us with challenges that require agile and iterative processes. You must be able to balance strong relationships with clients, flexibility to react to emerging challenges, and all within the constraints of resources available.
Facilitation: Demonstrable facilitation experience. You will be comfortable facilitating workshops and spaces, and have a collaborative style which is able to accommodate a range of audiences.
Team collaboration: You will be comfortable working with a team in a collaborative way, supporting colleagues and being actively engaged in the development and growth of the team.
Varied approach to social change: You will have a broad understanding of the different ways social change can be made, with a demonstrable understanding of a variety of approaches to social change (movements, network, community organising, asset based community development, and beyond). An interest in or experience of governance is desirable.
You will have a minimum of 2 years of experience in a social change setting. You should be used to working with and/or overseeing multidisciplinary projects, and confident serving as a SCA representative with clients and stakeholders, including mid to senior leadership of foundations, local authorities, NGOs, and/or corporations.
Our clients work with us to grow their impact/network/movements so an understanding of social change and/or social movements is needed. Of course we will give you full training in our own methodologies. We work with many organisations operating within the charity sector, so a broad overview of the sector and its limitations is useful. This must be balanced with a good business sense for effective delivery of consultancy services and sustainability.
You will typically be working on 4-6 clients/projects at any one time, we are in a period of growth and flux so you must be ready for the messy, passionate, and interconnected world that is social change and a growing business.
What you’ll be doing:
Project Delivery and Client Management 70%
- Delivery of consultancy projects in line with your skills and experience, as agreed with the Head of Consultancy and Senior Consultant.
- With support and oversight from the Head of Consultancy or Principal Director as appropriate, managing the delivery of small consultancy projects.
- Managing the relationship with clients of small consultancy projects, coordinating set up, delivery, and final reporting with the delivery team, and escalating any risks and changes or contractual decisions to SMT.
- Supporting wider projects where your skills and experience contribute to the success of the project, including participating in the drafting of reports and presenting the draft to the lead consultant as appropriate.
- Ensure that information related to the delivery of services is stored and shared appropriately.
Consultancy Team Support 20%
- Leading on the delivery of specific parts of programmes as required
- Provide support to members of the consultancy team delivering projects such as development of project plans, fieldwork task schedules, scheduling and preparing for workshops and interviews, gathering documentation, and liaising with client staff
- Report writing that can incorporate qualitative and quantitative research and/or communicates a summary of our work for both our clients and for SCA promotional communications
- Facilitation of external and internal workshops and meetings as required
- Research related to best practice and other needs of clients as instructed by the consultancy team and clients.
- Communicate with the Marketing Officer as and when needed to ensure they have what they need to communicate our services effectively.
Strengthening the business and personal development 10%
- Identify and make recommendations to improve work processes as applicable.
- Support internal activities and the development of the wider team that contribute to The Social Change Agency’s overall mission and strategy.
- Provide support as required to the success of the team.
- Work with your line manager to ensure that you are growing and developing your skills.
Terms and benefits:
Terms: The role will be full time (37.5 hours/week) fixed term for 1 year – we will consider well structured JobShare applications. As we often work with volunteers occasional evening and weekend work will be required and compensated through TOIL. Occasional UK or European travel will be required when we emerge from lockdown (by arrangement).
The role is a fixed term contract with potential opportunities for growth, development and expansion into a permanent role: we are a small, agile agency and are committed to supporting our staff to acquire the skills and grow in all areas of our business.
We are open to exploring flexible working arrangements and supporting you to meet commitments you may have.
Salary: £30,000 p/a
Application instructions and timeline
Webinar (optional): Monday 13th Sept at 6-7pm.
Applications will close on Wednesday 22nd Sept at 12 noon
Interviews will be held on Wednesday 29th Sept
To apply please fill out this application form. Please note that CVs, cover letters, and/or copies of the question outline will not be considered.