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Scottish Charity No. SC027945

Training Officer

Candidate Information Pack

July 2017

Port of Leith Housing Association Ltd 108 Constitution Street

Edinburgh EH6 6AZ

Chief Executive: Keith Anderson

BA CIHCM MRICS FRSA

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Information Pack Contents

• Port of Leith Housing Association Limited: Background Information

• The Recruitment and Selection Process

• Advert

• Job Description and Person Specification

• Summary of: Terms and Conditions of Service Downloads of key management documents are available to you available from the Port of Leith Housing Association website www.polha.co.uk

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OVERVIEW – THE ORGANISATION: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE

The Association was formed in 1975. Registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act of 1965, the Housing (Scotland) Act of 2001 and as a registered Scottish Charity, we operate to generate a profit/surplus, all of which is re-invested into our property and community and not distributed to any shareholder. We are an accredited Gold “Investor in People” and EFQM 4 star Recognised for Excellence organisation. Control of the Association is vested with a voluntary Board of Management which is elected by Members at the Annual General Meeting. Membership is open to anyone over 16 interested in improving housing conditions in Leith/ North Edinburgh. Tenants are particularly encouraged to become Members. No dividend is payable on shares and no member receives a personal benefit for their services. The Board of Management normally meets monthly. It delegates detailed risk and financial scrutiny matters to a sub Committee, the Audit Committee. Lead Board Members are allocated to the main business areas, discuss key issues for the future within a Strategy Group and work closely with the Senior Management Team on strategic direction. In order for the Association to undertake a wider range of housing products and services in support of the ongoing regeneration of the community, a new wholly owned subsidiary company called Persevere Developments Limited was established in 2011. PoLHA is the sole shareholder, and the relationship between this subsidiary and its parent body, PoLHA, is managed through an Independence Agreement. The day to day management arrangements are operated in accordance with a service level agreement established between both organisations. Our purpose is to provide high quality affordable homes, creating neighbourhoods which people consider are great places in which to live. Initially focussing on refurbishing the older semi derelict Victorian tenements of Leith, many of which would otherwise have been demolished without our activity, the development programme since 1989 has focussed primarily on building new homes in Leith and North Edinburgh, including within the new Waterfront regeneration areas in Leith, Newhaven and Granton. In all we have invested over £170m to date in our property. Parts of Leith used to be regarded as unattractive where people stayed often through lack of choice. Through our efforts and from the substantial investment by the public and private sectors in Leith, the area is now regarded as a regeneration success and seen as a desirable location. As the largest social landlord in Leith, the Association currently owns over 2,700 homes for rent and 100 for purchase under the Shared Ownership scheme. The Association operates a fair and objective allocations policy which prioritises people in greatest housing need. Working with the City Council and other housing associations through EDINDEX, Edinburgh’s single access point for affordable housing, homes are allocated using a choice-based letting process. Through Persevere Developments we are now able to offer mid rent accommodation, for the first time, in supporting our objective to widen access and choice for high quality affordable housing in the City.

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OUR AMBITION AND STRATEGIC GOALS Our Ambition To make Leith the best place to be What Is Valued in PoLHA We will respect, support, listen, encourage, challenge and deliver to achieve excellence. Our Strategic Goals 1. To make the PoLHA organisation and service delivery great 2. To make the physical infrastructure and environment of Leith great

3. To contribute towards making the availability of economic opportunity in

Leith great

4. To contribute towards making the social fabric of the community in Leith great

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Guidance on next steps with the recruitment and selection process

Applicants should submit an application form which includes details of their present salary and benefits package. An application form can be downloaded at www.polha.co.uk/about-us/work-for-us/current-vacancies.

Your application should include a supporting statement which demonstrates your suitability, competence and experience to perform the role of Training Officer with specific reference to the Job Description and Person Specification.

Please supply full contact details of two referees whom we may approach, one of which should be your present employer and the other a previous employer. The Association normally only takes up references for the candidate selected for appointment; however, we may contact them prior to inviting you to attend an interview unless you specify otherwise.

Completed applications should be sent by: 12 noon on Monday 7 August 2017.

e-mail to: recruitment@polha.co.uk

or to by post marked “Private & Confidential” to: Alison Petretti Corporate Business Co-ordinator Port of Leith Housing Association Ltd 108 Constitution Street Edinburgh EH6 6AZ

Please note we do not accept CVs. No Agencies The information provided by you on the application form and any supplementary forms will be used for the purpose of selection, recruitment and any further subsequent employment administration if the application is successful. If successful, the application form will be held on manual and computerised personnel systems. If you are unsuccessful the information will be retained for one year then destroyed. Key Dates To assist applicants to plan their availability for the selection process the following key dates should be noted: Applications should be received by 12 noon on Monday 31 July 2017. Short Listing Decision: Short listing will take place during the week commencing 31 July 2017. Interviews: Interviews will take place on 22 and 23 August 2017. Applicants invited for interview will be notified by telephone after the shortlisting process and a confirmation letter/email will then be sent with further details pertaining to the interview.

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Employment Policies The Association is a ‘Disability Confident Employer’ symbol holder and fully complies with the criteria set by JobCentre Plus. You are therefore asked if you consider yourself to have a disability to please regard this as a positive opportunity to let us give you any help you believe you may require by outlining any aspects of the post which may present some difficulty, and any suggestions you may have for overcoming them. The Association’s Equality and Diversity Policy provides more information. The Association’s office accommodation is accessible to all. As part of the selection process for the vacancy you will be asked to provide, in confidence, evidence of entitlement to work in the UK. Interview Expenses Where applicants are required to travel to attend interview the Association will reimburse reasonable travel and subsistence expenses incurred within the United Kingdom. All expense claims other than car mileage must be supported by receipts.

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TRAINING OFFICER Community Works Employability Service Grade 6: £28,553 - £31,727 35 hours per week Based in Leith, Edinburgh For the past 40 years Port of Leith HA has been actively providing high quality affordable housing and promoting the ongoing regeneration of Leith and neighbouring communities in North Edinburgh. Our ambition is “to make Leith the best place to be”. Community Works is our employability service which offers support to tenants and residents of Leith and North Edinburgh to get ready for, and obtain, employment. We are recruiting for a skilled and motivated Trainer who will be responsible for designing, evaluating and delivering training to groups and on a one to one basis. As well as relevant skills and experience, the successful candidate must be able to demonstrate a commitment to improving the life chances of our customers. A full candidate information pack is available for download at: http://www.polha.co.uk/about-us/work-for-us/current-vacancies Please note that the closing date for applications is 12 noon on 31st July 2017. Interviews will be held on 22nd and 23rd August 2017. This post will be subject to a PVG check.

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer A Registered Charity No. SC027945 No agencies or CV’s please

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PORT OF LEITH HOUSING ASSOCIATION

JOB DESCRIPTION & PERSON SPECIFICATION JOB DETAILS

Job Title: Training Officer

Department: Employability Service

Team Customer Services

Reports to: Employability Service Manager

Salary Grade: 6

Last JD Review Date: June 2017

Last Evaluation Date July 2017

CONTEXT OF THE ROLE

This role sits within the Employability Service Team which in turn is part of the Association’s Customer Services Department. The Customer Services Department is accountable for the delivery of a range the Association’s key customer facing activities. It is sub-divided into three service areas:

• Customer Advice Services, which provides the organisations first point of contact for tenants and key stakeholders where issues are either dealt with or referred onto the appropriate staff within the business

• Housing Management Services where day to day tenancy issues are handled for the range of different tenancy types the Association offers as well as providing support to vulnerable tenants to assist them to maintain their tenancy

• Employability Services which offers support to tenants and residents of Leith and North Edinburgh to help them get ready for and obtain employment

The Employability Service offer 1-2-1 personal support, training and work opportunities to its customers

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The purpose of this role is to provide training support to service users comprising of POLHA tenants and residents of Leith and North Edinburgh. The role holder will be accountable for:

• The design and maintenance of training course content and materials

• The delivery and evaluation of training workshops and 1-2-1 coaching of service users

• The sourcing and effective control of external training.

• Ensuring the service is compliant with the requirements to maintain Scottish Qualifications Authority Centre accreditation.

• Accurate record keeping and administration.

KEY DIMENSIONS

Staff Management Responsibilities: None

Budget Accountability: None

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Core Areas Of Responsibility

Key Activities

Training Design, Delivery and Evaluation Management

• Identify new areas of training requirement

• Source, assess and coordinate external training support

• Effectively oversee quality and consistency of content Coordinate an annual plan for training including non-certificated and certificated courses.

• Deliver both individual and group training courses

• Carry out assessment and internal verification of users work towards SQA qualification

• Evaluate training and amend/update as appropriate.

• Coordination of physical resources including; training spaces (internal and external), computers, projectors and coursework materials.

SQA Centre Compliance Management

• Coordinate the registration of candidates & claiming of service user outcomes

• Chair standardisation meetings when required

• Coordinate compliance audits in relation to SQA requirements and relevant POLHA policies and procedures and other guidelines.

• Assess and develop additional accredited courses

Recording and Reporting • Gather, collate and report on feedback from service users

• Record training attendance

General Service Support Activities

• Deliver presentations at external stakeholder events.

• Represent the Association at meetings, events and fora.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Comply with all PoLHA and subsidiary company policies and procedures relating to the governance and operations of the organisation at all times.

• Comply with all Association and subsidiary company policies and procedures appropriate to the role, in relation to professional, regulatory and statutory corporate requirements.

• Contribute to the public relations, external networking and communications work of the Association as required.

• Demonstrate at all times high standards of integrity and ethics and behaviours compatible with PoLHA’s values.

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PERSON SPECIFICATION FOR ROLE HOLDER

Knowledge:

• Detailed understanding of the employability training environment in Edinburgh and Scotland-wide.

• Understanding of the impact of training on employment prospects.

• Understanding of the Scottish Qualification Association methodology and structure of awards.

• Understanding of the barriers faced by unemployed individuals from a wide range of backgrounds.

• Understanding of the job market in Edinburgh, employer’s skills and attitude/aptitude requirements.

• Understanding of a holistic, person-centred approach to support and training.

Skills & Competences

• Excellent presentation and group teaching skills

• Ability to build rapport with service users while maintaining professional boundaries.

• Ability to relate with confidence and authority to service users but also empathise with the pressures faced by them.

• Counselling skills

• Ability to communicate effectively with a range of professional organisations.

• Good general verbal, written communication, and presentation skills

Personal Attributes

• Commitment to quality, continuous improvement and good customer service

• Commitment to improving the life chances of people

• Ability to provide and receive both positive and negative feedback

Experience & Track Record

• A track record (typically 3 years+) of developing and delivering employability training including SQA accredited courses.

• Experience (typically 2 years+) of working in an employment/employability setting providing support/mentoring to unemployed individuals.

• Experience (typically 2 years +) of working within a target-driven environment with a proven track record of achieving educational attainment and/or positive destination outcomes.

Education & Qualifications

• Educated to Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 8 (HND level)

• Holds SQA Certificate L&D9DI – Assess Workplace Competence Using Direct and Indirect Methods.

• IOSH Working Safely.

Other Requirements For the Role None

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OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE ROLE

COMMUNICATION AND REPRESENTING THE ORGANISATION

The post-holder will have excellent communication and presentation skills. The post-holder is required to deliver a range of training courses within a group teaching setting. The recipients of this training will be service users presenting a wide range of ages, backgrounds, abilities and barriers to both learning and employment. The post-holder will have well developed training and coaching skills to support the learning and development of and motivate service users. The post-holder will be required to regularly use skills of persuasion, coaching and listening to deliver set training objectives. The post-holder will communicate on a 121 basis, within a group setting and within a classroom setting and will be required to use a variety of methods to engage and teach effectively. The post holder is required to communicate with external organisations; particularly with regards to the sourcing and procuring of external training resources.

AUTHORITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

The post-holder is expected to manage their day to day tasks/core objectives (primarily the management and development of the training programme), autonomously with minimal supervision. The post holder will have regular access to managerial input however the responsibility for ensuring all operational targets are met lies with the post-holder. The post-holder will have responsibility for the SQA centre status. This will include ensuring the centre is fully compliant with SQA guidelines. The post-holder is required to amend policies and procedures pertaining to SQA compliance.

MANAGEMENT OF PHYSICAL RESOURCES AND INFORMATION

The post holder is responsible for the efficient and appropriate use of physical and digital training resources including the maintenance of training spaces. The post-holder will take responsibility for the sourcing of appropriate external training spaces as required. The post-holder will have access to moderately sensitive information pertaining to service users which must be dealt with confidentially and sensitively; in line with policies.

IMPACT OF THE ROLE ON THE ORGANISATION AND PEOPLE

The post-holder will have considerable direct impact on the public image of the service and success of the employment service overall. The post-holder will be expected to deliver a range of training to external service

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users. The post-holder is responsible for the ongoing success and appropriateness of the training provision through ongoing evaluation. This will include the assessment of new training needs, the cessation of current training and ongoing training schedules.

COMPLEXITY OF WORK AND PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS REQUIRED

The post-holder will deal with a range of topics which require ongoing developmental work over several months. The post-holder is required to interpret issues and develop solutions over varied periods of time; some immediately and some which will further develop over several weeks/months. The post-holder will be capable of developing and delivering training on a range of topics which will vary considerably due to service user needs. The post-holder will largely have control over the delivery of the training programme with few interruptions but with the occasional and predictable periods of pressure. The post-holder is required to maintain high levels of concentration over prolonged period of time; particularly when delivering group training sessions to a variety of Service Users.

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Summary of the Association’s Total Reward Package Salary The salary applicable to the post is £28,553 to £31,727 dependent on skills and experience. Hours (part-time): 35 hours per week (Monday to Friday) Leave: The leave entitlement for this post is 22 days (increasing annually to a maximum of 25 days) and 13 public holidays in a full year. Sickness Absence Provision If you are unfortunate enough to become ill and depending on your length of service, our sickness absence policy provides you with:

Length of Service Entitlement

Under 26 weeks service Up to 1 week full pay

Over 26 weeks but less than 1 years service

Up to 4 weeks full pay and 4 weeks half pay

Between 1 and 2 years service Up to 12 weeks full pay and 12 weeks half pay

Between 2 and 3 years service Up to 16 weeks full pay and 16 weeks half pay

Over 3 years service Up to 26 weeks full pay and 26 weeks half pay

Notice Period

8 weeks. Professional Subscriptions The Association pays for one professional subscription fee if you are required to be a member of a professional institute or association that has a direct link to your job. Training and Development We aim to ensure that all members of staff have the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to be successful in their jobs and to fulfil their career potential.

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Child Care Vouchers The Edenred Childcare Voucher Scheme is available to all staff on a full time, part time, permanent or fixed term contract with children up to the age of 15, or 16 if the child is disabled. Cycle to Work Scheme The Cycle to Work Scheme offers tax incentives that enable you to enjoy serious savings on the price of a new bicycle (plus related safety equipment such as a helmet and a set of lights). You will have the opportunity to lease the bicycle of your choice via a tax-efficient salary sacrifice scheme. Family Friendly Policies We have a range of family friendly policies to allow staff to balance work with other aspects of their lives. These include flexi-time, special leave provisions, sabbatical leave, flexible working arrangements and remote access via home PCs where appropriate. Maternity/Paternity/ Shared Parental Leave/Adoption provisions The Association pays maternity, paternity and adoption leave: many of these benefits are enhanced beyond statutory entitlements. Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) The Association has an independent, 100% confidential EAP service, delivered through Wellspring, offering professional and impartial advice, information and counselling on a range of issues. Occupational Health Service The Association works with its independent Occupational Health service provider OHSS (UK) Ltd, who provide independent support and advice for staff who have an illness or medical condition affecting their ability to work. Referrals are made through the Corporate Services team. Contribution towards the cost of glasses for VDU use Where you have been assessed as a VDU user the Association will contribute £55.60 towards the cost of glasses.

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Guidance on Completing your Application We wish to ensure that we do not ask for any unnecessary information which may suggest discrimination. Education and Training: Please give us enough details to assess your attainments in relation to the post for which you are applying. We may wish to see any certificates or qualifications you hold. We will ask you to bring them if you are invited to attend for interview. Employment Record: Please give as much detail as you feel gives us an accurate picture, both about the type of work you are/were doing and the responsibilities you have had. Please start with the most recent, supplying exact dates where possible. Continue on a separate sheet if necessary. Supplementary Information: Please detail any further experience or information relevant to the post for which you are applying, bearing in mind the information you have been given about the post. References: References will only be taken up if you are offered a post. Please indicate if you do not wish your referee(s) to be contacted without your consent. No offer of employment will be confirmed by the Association until satisfactory references have been received. General Information: You are asked to tell us if you are related to a current or former member of the Association’s staff or Board. This is so that we can demonstrate that any appointment has been made on merit and in accordance with recruitment and selection policy and procedures. You are asked to tell us if you are currently eligible for employment in the UK. This is so that we can ensure compliance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 which requires organisations to ensure individuals to whom they are offering employment have permission to work in the UK eg they hold a British passport/birth certificate/work permit etc. If appointed you will be required to produce such evidence. Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974: Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders

Act 1974 it is unlawful for an employer to discriminate on the grounds of a spent conviction. However, some types of jobs are exempt from this Act – this means you have to disclose spent convictions as well as unspent ones. Please be aware of your rights and responsibilities when disclosing convictions.