Trust Links grows communities and transforms lives. Through our seven Growing Together community gardens across Essex, Healthy Mind Hub, Recovery College, Trust Links Counselling (TLC), children and youth projects, and environmental workshops, we work with more than 4,000 people each year. We work in a person-centred, grassroots and recovery-focused way, helping to save lives every day and move people on to better lives, with the support of their peers and the wider community.

Trust Links is funded from a range of sources to run impactful projects and services to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the people of Essex. Community services include the Growing Together therapeutic gardening in seven locations, greening and Orchard projects, a range of children & youth projects, Eco Days environmental workshops, TLC counselling, ReRooted Shop and training services. We have ambitions to sustain, strengthen and grow our services, to help support more people across a range of locations in Essex.

The Head of Community Services is a key leadership and strategic role, leading the sustainability, growth, development and delivery of community services and projects that are funded primarily by grants, trading and fundraising. A member of the Trust Links Senior Management Team, the postholder will play a pivotal role in the management, business development, delivery and reporting for these services and projects.

The Postholder will be required to:

· Identify and apply for grants and funding opportunities to develop community services

· Negotiate partnership and funding opportunities to maximise income for Trust Links

· Lead on the strengthening, development and delivery of community services, line managing team managers and setting high expectations for the teams

· Lead on the reporting for community services, quality assuring provision and ensuring achievement of KPIs

 

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST:

Business Development

· Develop positive relationships with statutory sector partners including NHS and Local Authority Commissioners

· Identify opportunities for sustaining, strengthening and growing existing projects and developing new projects and services in line with organisational strategy

· Identify opportunities for funding through commissioning, contracts and grants from statutory partners

· Develop business cases and proposals to maximise income

· Identify and pilot innovative service models and projects

· Increase income through traded services, ensuring income exceeds costs

· Lead on tender and funding applications and income generation, including contributing to central and overhead costs

· Negotiate opportunities with partner organisations, maximising opportunities for Trust Links

 

 

Service Development and Delivery

· Lead on the strengthening and development of existing and new services

· Line manage team managers and ensure effective management of staff and volunteers across services

· Support and mentor team managers to identify and implement solutions to deliver effective and efficient projects and services

· Implement and deliver services in line with project requirements and the expectations of funders

· Ensure Standard Operating Procedures are developed and complied with

· Oversee the budgets of community services, ensuring delivery is within financial constraints and resources are raised for overhead costs

 

Quality Assurance and Reporting

· Develop and implement quantitative and qualitative reporting, monitoring and evaluation for the services with support from Director of Services

· Ensure systems are in place to monitor the quality of services

· Ensure the voices of people with lived experience and beneficiaries are embedded in the design, delivery and evaluation of projects and services through effective co-production

· Produce reporting in line with funding, senior management, trustee and other stakeholder requirements

 

Senior Management Team

· Contribute to the Senior Management Team, supporting decision making for the benefit of the whole of Trust Links

· Encourage teams and services to contribute to the wider aims and objectives of Trust Links

· Represent Trust Links in external forums and strategic networks, promoting the work and development of Trust Links in Essex

 

Other

· Devise, plan and deliver training courses and workshops within areas of knowledge

· Adherence to data security requirements in line with current legislation, and remaining conversant with how any changes impact the role

· Ensure Safeguarding and Health and Safety requirements are met line with Trust Links Safeguarding and Health and Safety Policies and escalate concerns about the well-being of service users to the appropriate agency

· Ensure risks are assessed and managed appropriately

· Participate in regular supervision with the Director of Services and take responsibility for continuing self development, participating in training and development activities as appropriate

· The role will require occasional weekend and evening working, for which TOIL can be claimed as agreed with line manager

· Any other duties commensurate with the level of the post

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

Essential

· Significant experience of service development and delivery

· Excellent communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills

· Team player

· Strong IT skills

· Confident and outgoing approach

· Strong presentation skills

· Excellent standard of English

· Significant experience of people management

· Outward facing, with strong networking skills

 

Desirable

· Experience of business development

· Experience of grant funding

· Formal Training and Qualification in relevant subject

· Driving licence

· Access to own car

 

Personal qualities

· Commitment

· Tact

· Responsiveness

· Realism

· Honesty

· Enthusiasm

· Team Work

 

Closing date 23/03/26

** We do not accept CVs. Please download the application form via our website www.trustlinks.org/vacancies and send the application form to HR-assist@trustlinks.org**