Portfolio Manager (community engagement)

At Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity we are building a new way of working. We think it is possible to reduce health inequalities in inner-city areas. Our investments empower people to lead healthy lives and demonstrate the power of a long-term approach to complex health issues. We improve health by working jointly with Lambeth and Southwark residents, local and national government, community and private sector partners. By doing this, we aim to inspire others in the UK and abroad to create better health.

To do this, we have four programmes that each focus on one of the following health issues:
*childhood obesity
*multiple long-term conditions
*the health effects of air pollution
*adolescent mental health

We also have a team working on Research and Development for these programmes. This function is currently running an initiative to provide flexible funding and support to diverse-led organisations that fit within our focus and have been impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also want to develop new relationships with organisations that we have not yet worked with but fit within our long term strategy. The goal of our partnership is to ensure that they are sustained during this difficult period.

We are seeking four (FTE) Portfolio Managers (community engagement) to work on flexible funding for diverse-led organisations on a 6 month fixed term contract with possibility of extension. You will work in our Programmes team and with our lead consultant, Stephen Bediako, on these projects.

Three (FTE) of the Portfolio Managers (community engagement) will be based in the Research and Development function, working closely with the other Programmes’ teams, with a focus on delivering emergency funding through an equity lens. This role will also give you the opportunity to work on multiple projects across one or more of our four focused Programmes to deepen your knowledge of a specific health issue. You will also have the opportunity to contribute to strategy development.

One (FTE) Portfolio Manager (community engagement) will work in a dedicated fashion on our multiple long-term conditions programme. Our multiple long-term conditions programme aims to weaken the unfair link between precarious work, finances and housing and health. For people from Black communities and other ethnic minority backgrounds, living on low income in our urban place too commonly results in ill health. Our programme wants to change that.

Responsibilities

*Building an understanding of our programmes and where in Lambeth and Southwark we could add support to organisations that are driving towards those themes

*Identifying relevant community organisations and their teams

*Engaging and exploring the needs of these organisations

*Sharing our approach and, where appropriate, leading / supporting a process of exploration to see how we could partner with organisations

*Driving an inclusive / non-extractive due diligence process that helps to determine how we could partner with the organisation

*Developing and executing a plan of support and collaboration with the organisation which is open, honest and impact focused

*Project management such as setting up project meetings, tracking deliverables, managing risk, and ensuring timely internal and external meetings

*Contributing to, and potentially leading on, strategy development for our urban health programmes

*Collaborating with internal teams across the organisation, such as communications, evaluation and data to deliver programmes

Experience

*Deep experience of London’s communities (ideally Lambeth and Southwark), whether professionally or personally, and the challenges and opportunities they offer around improving community health

*Strategic thinking and setting plans/strategies (this could be in any context, including your personal life, employment or a volunteering role)

*Structuring and methodically collecting information, analysing and developing plans of support for community organisations

Knowledge

*An understanding of grant making, but with an openness to developing a flexible / innovative approach to working (this could be through working or volunteering for a grant funded organisation)

*An understanding of the foundation blocks for what makes organisations effective and work for people’s needs - especially in communities in Lambeth / Southwark

What you will bring to the role

*Strong engagement skills especially with diverse communities and an understanding and deep empathy or lived experience of the issues facing diverse leaders in Lambeth and Southwark communities during this moment

*Inclusive and quality communication skills, either written or verbal, in order to effectively communicate with partners

*The ability to independently work in uncertainty, fast changing environments and on issues that are complex in nature and don’t have silver bullet solutions

*Great listening skills, understanding the importance of hearing and taking meaning from what people are communicating before replying / actioning

*A growth mindset where you look at problems and issues as opportunities to learn and are constantly seeking to help others to grow and overcome their challenges

*An inclusive working style whereby you take responsibility and own actions, but also focus on bringing others into conversations

*A creative strategic thinker who can look at a complex problem and come up with solutions

We are one of the UK’s largest charitable foundations. For over 500 years we’ve been based in and focused on improving people’s health in Lambeth and Southwark, two vibrant inner-city areas with urban health challenges.

We work with a range of partners – both within and outside of Lambeth and Southwark – to identify, test and scale new approaches to health and healthcare. We take a programmatic approach, identifying the biggest health issues for people in our communities, understanding what’s underneath these issues, and working with others to address them. We collaborate with anyone who has the very best approaches and shares our drive to make them happen. Whenever possible, we fund jointly with others.

Through a combination of fundraising and our own philanthropic support, we also help Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust provide exceptional care and a world-class environment for patients and staff at Guy’s, St Thomas’ and Evelina Children’s Hospital, as well as in community health services across the boroughs.