Countrymen’s Club Manager – Job Description
Our Charitable Purpose: Countrymen UK use the farm and countryside environment to help to meet the challenges being faced by men who find themselves isolated because of deteriorating physical or mental health or changing social circumstances. Conditions may include Dementia, Parkinson’s, Stroke, Isolation, Injuries, Anxiety, Depression, Post-Traumatic stress, Chronic Pain, Cancer, Heart and Lung conditions and others.
Charity number 1184921
Purpose of the position: To continue the sustainability of the charity whilst maintaining the ethos of the Club through the positive coordination and management of resources, opportunities, staff, volunteers and stakeholders.
Enable older men to participate in practical outdoor activities related to the countryside and farming.
To keep the Charity legally and financially compliant – ensuring that the right policies are in place and adhered to, that all reporting is prepared in good time and that Trustees are well informed and in a good position to meet their responsibilities.
To be the Safeguarding Lead, follow Health and Safety procedure at the farm and complete risk assessments as required.
Location: Rylands Farm, Boyshill Drove, Holnest, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5PS
Responsible to: The Trustees of the Charity, including Founder Charity Commission
Refer to the Directors of Future Roots and Rylands Farm in session planning and working practice.
Responsibilities: The planning, communications, administration and management necessary to deliver safe and professional services for our Countrymen and their carers. This will include, but is not limited to, coordinating Countrymen session bookings and invoicing, staff and volunteer rotas and responsibilities, ensuring that all staff and volunteers are trained and supported appropriately and other tasks as appropriate.
Ensure the club delivers sessions that are tailored and meaningful for our Men, therefore a knowledge of or enthusiasm to learn about farming and horticulture is important.
Supervise supporting staff and maintain successful marketing and fundraising activities; this will include attendance at events and meetings as well as supporting the development of productive relationships with potential commissioners and relevant external organisations. Maintaining a database of such contacts and applying for charity bids and grants.
Responsible for the recruitment and retention of Countrymen with support from the wider team.
Sound management and reporting of our session delivery, budget and reporting to the Board.
Work effectively and professionally with our many stakeholders, e.g. Trustees and partners and external organisations and colleagues from Future Roots and Rylands Farm. At all times be an excellent brand ambassador.
Identify, review and implement Policies and Procedures.
The Safeguarding and Health and Safety lead for the Countrymen’s Club at Rylands Farm.
Ensuring that Countrymen UK is financially and legally compliant.
Other tasks may reasonably be required to support the success of the Charity.
In time this role may evolve to include more work supporting the club membership or developing a different revenue model for the club which may involve new staff or volunteer roles.
Accountability: To deliver the role as defined by this job description and in line with Trustee approved plans and targets; to escalate risks or concerns early to the Trustees to enable them to support or intervene before risk or harm to any of our Countrymen, staff, volunteers, partner workers and visitors or to the reputation of Countrymen UK; to be familiar with policies and site rules and to use these to ensure that health and safety and safeguarding risks are minimised, recorded and reported in good time.
Development: Personal development – a Trustee will meet with you regularly to allow time for reflection and learning. An annual appraisal with a Trustee will also identify any training or development needs and a plan to meet these.
Organisation development – Currently Rylands Farm is the only fully operational Countrymen UK Club. We are engaged at various levels with nearly a dozen organisations across the UK. The membership is under supported and not leveraged. As the Dorset Club is now financially stable we are developing a new strategy for the development of the charity. As the Manager of the flagship club this role will be pivotal in the development of the membership strategy and what opportunities this affords the existing members.
Administrative support – the board is keen to tap into the skills of our volunteer team to gain some admin support and may be open to the use of paid admin support in time.
Terms and Conditions: Pay rate, expectation £15.50 to £17 per hour according to relevant experience.
Hours of work: 21hrs per week with some flexibility about remote working but must include Tuesdays and Thursdays 10-5pm on site. The role is year round with a pro rata allowance of statutory holiday and bank holidays.
There is the opportunity to incorporate in this role the management of Potter’s Garden which offers the direct delivery of therapeutic gardening for an additional day per week to adults over 25 who are experiencing isolation through poor mental health or learning disabilities. This is line managed separately by the Director of Rylands Farm.
There will be ad hoc weekend or evening work usually to support fundraising or brand building events or to attend key meetings. Trustee meetings are usually quarterly and in the evening.
The role reports into the Trustees and Founder who retain responsibility for the vision, strategy and budget setting. Limits of authority to be determined and agreed as part of the appointment process.
Travel to meetings is required, we therefore prefer a car owner/driver and will reimburse mileage outside of the usual travel to and from work. Please note on your application if you are unable to drive yourself to meetings so that we can consider if adaptations can be made. Meetings will generally be within an hour’s drive of Rylands Farm.
This is a permanent position with a six month probationary period.