Recruitment – The Magpie Project

Who are we?

We are a young, dynamic, grass-roots, award-winning charity focused solely on helping under fives who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Newham and surrounding boroughs.
Our mission is to make sure that a period in temporary or insecure accommodation does not cause long term damage to the health, wellbeing and life chances of those under fives who experience it. Because of hte nature of the need we face up to 75% of those families we work alongside are subject to the hostile environment.
We have a strong staff team, a large group of volunteers, and we are well established in our community from which we enjoy unprecedented support.
We punch way above our weight on the local and national policy stage, making big noises in parliament, the house of lords, in the London Borough of Newham, in the arts and even in fashion.
Now, in our fifth year we are looking to take on a new building, and to consolidate and codify our work so that we can use our learning to keep improving the work we do alongside our families as well as help other organisations meet their needs.
We are hands on, curious, joyful and compassionate in our approach and we are looking for trustees who share our belief that every single child has the right to a secure, safe place to play, healthy food, engaged, informed parents, and access to support, no matter what their family circumstances.

Who are you?

You have a deep and demonstrable commitment to our aims and ethos of coproduction with, journeying alongside, meeting the needs of, and advocating for, our community of mothers and children who face multiple barriers to accessing services to which they are entitled. This will be visible in your professional and personal life.

You are honest about the amount of time you can give to our board and able to set that time aside each week/month.

You are committed to playing an active, curious, energetic part in the day-to-day life and growth of our charity.

You have experience of governance, VAWG, Homelessness, Immigration work or of HR or law.

If you have lived experience of any of the issues facing our families (temporary accommodation, forced migration, insecure housing) we would especially love to hear from you

Will be able to commit at least 3 solid focused hours a week to this role, although this will vary across weeks.

Please do think very carefully about whether this is the point in your life where you are able to take on a trustee role. In our experience – and we do this ourselves too – people tend to over-estimate how much time they will be able to commit and then, when in post, struggle to fulfil the commitment. This makes things stressful and difficult both for them – they feel guilty, or anxious and the trusteeship becomes a chore – and we feel bad for chasing up good people who we know are just over-committe

We offer

The chance to be part of a friendly, informal, supportive and effective board and organisation.

The opportunity to be part of an award winning, change making, innovative charity based in trauma- and psychologically-informed practice.

Training around being a trustee, governance, and safeguarding.

An arena in which to make a real difference that you can see and measure from week one.

Applications close May 25th noon.
Interviews first week in June.

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We are over the moon to say the we are recruiting for a paid post.

This is your chance to join a tiny, innovative and award-winning community charity that is making a real difference to Newham families and under fives.

We are looking for someone sensational to help in our back office.

Position: Admin Assistant

Home based. 2 day a week. six month contract on review. Computer provided.

See the Job description here: admiin-assistant-jd-1

Please note, unfortunately as a small team we have no capacity to train someone on the essentials of this post, so do not apply unless you are already able to fulfil the job brief and you would be confident in doing so with minimal direction.

Application deadline noon December 1st.

Email us your CV and a single page letter to let us know how you feel you fit the role.

Jane.Williams@themagpieproject.org

Salary on application.

Start date ASAP.

Administrative assistant

Two full day a week equivalent (choose your own hours, work from home, computer provided.)

Answering to:

Jane Williams Founder The Magpie Project.

Duration:

6 month contract to be reviewed/renewed dependent on funding.

Job Description

Hours 14 hours a week

Work closely with the Manager/founder to undertake administrative tasks essential to the project.
Organise basic banking and treasury roles.
Organise registers, attendance, volunteer attendance records.
File all correspondence regarding funding and partnership agreements.
Organise referrals in to and out of the project.
Organise applications for and distribution of grants on behalf of service users.
Data-entry, managing service user database, running reports.
Updating and managing accounts on Xero accounting software.
With guidance undertake monthly bank balance reconciliations.
Help timetable activities.
Help diarising meetings and training.
Willing to work within strict GDPR guidelines.
Ensure policies and procedures are adhered to within the project.
Liaise with potential volunteers and donors regarding clothes donations.

Person description

Excellent written and spoken English
Confidence in basic bookkeeping and financial management in a community or charity setting.
Organised,
Unflappable,
Able to work alone,
Accurate and fast,
Boundaried,
Non-judgemental,
Friendly,
Approachable,
Used to managing and organising competing deadlines
Able to work within existing safeguarding, health and safety, and equality policies.

You skills and qualifications will include:

Previous experience in administration in a charity, local authority or community setting.
Extremely proficient working with:

Microsoft Office including – Word, Excel, Doodle, Outlook, and remote servers,
First class book-keeping skills, using accounting software including Xero.

Knowledge preparing information for annual accounts.
Abililty to adapt and take on tasks in a small team and a fast moving environment.

Community contacts and knowledge a bonus.

Commitment

Willing to undergo training once a term and supervision and support on an ongoing basis.
Willing to communicate openly with all volunteers and staff.
Commitment to doing an exemplary job in a task-focused and self-motivating way.

Rewards

Working closely with the project founder of this award winning innovative charity at an exciting time in its development.
Work within a small team, friendly, open and fun, which is making a massive difference to marginalised families.
Being part of true change that will be visible to you from the first few weeks.

Account number	A 10-12 digit number given to your bank account. You can find your account number on your online banking page or on bank statements.
Card Number	A 16-digit number with that is found on the front of your debit/credit card.
Credit Card	A credit card doesn’t spend your money. It spends the bank’s money and you must pay it back. This means you can spend more than is in your account, but you might be charged extra for doing this, especially if you are late paying the bank.
Credit Score	A number that records how likely you are to repay your debts. High credit scores are better as it means financial products such as overdrafts and credit cards cost less.
Debit Card	A debit card is a card that lets you take out money from ATMs and make payments in stores or online from your account.
Financial Service Compensation Scheme (FSCS)	An organisation set up to protect the money you put in bank accounts. If you have a current or basic account, the FSCS will pay you up to £85,000 if your bank goes bankrupt.
National Insurance Number (NI)	The number makes sure that the National Insurance contributions and tax you pay are properly recorded on your account. It also acts as a reference number for the whole social security system.
Overdraft	An amount of money you can spend even when you have no money in your account. It is like a small loan from your bank. Overdrafts are often not free, so you need to be very aware what the costs are before using one.
Personal Identification Number (PIN)	A PIN is a 4-digit number that is given to you with a debit card. This is used when taking out money from ATMs or when making in-store purchases with your card. Never share your PIN with anyone as it could be used to commit fraud.
Security Code	A 3-4 digit number found on the back of your debit/credit card in the signature section. This number will be required for nearly all online payments. The code provides an extra layer of security to safeguard you from fraud.
Sort Code	A 6-digit number that is used to identify your bank. You can find your sort code on your online banking platform, on bank statements or on your debit card.
Standing Order	When a fixed amount that you choose is paid from your account to another person or organisation. This is different from the direct debit as the amount that is paid is the same each time.

Saves time – you don’t need to remember to pay a bill.	You need to make sure there is enough money in your account when the direct debit or standing order will be taken. If there is not enough money, you could be charged extra by the bank.
You will get money back for any incorrect payments for direct debits only.	You must remember to cancel standing orders when you want to stop paying someone regularly.
You can cancel a direct debit or a standing order at any time through your online banking account or by contacting your bank.	Sometimes you might think you are setting up a direct debit, but it is actually a recurring payment or continuous payment authority (CPA). Be careful if companies ask for the long number on your card instead of your sort code and account number. This will mean they can take money whenever they think they are owed.

Saves Time	Make sure there is enough money in your account when the direct debit or standing order will be taken. If there is not enough money, you could be charged extra by the bank.
You don’t need to remember to pay a bill	You must remember to cancel standing orders when you want to stop paying someone regularly.
You will get money back for any incorrect payments for direct debits only.	Sometimes you might think you are setting up a direct debit, but it is actually a recurring payment or continuous payment authority (CPA). Be careful if companies ask for the long number on your card instead of your sort code and account number. This will mean they can take money whenever they think they are owed.
You can cancel a direct debit or a standing order at any time through your online banking account or by contacting your bank.


Magpie Mums say: “Always use direct debits if you can, so you don’t forget to pay and are charged. If you can’t use direct debits, make sure you put the dates when you’re supposed to make payments in your phone calendar.” “I’m used to it. It’s easy on the phone. I try to avoid going to banks.”

Bank Examples	Forms of Identity Needed
Metro Bank	Asylum seekers can apply for a cash account and/or savings account. This requires an Application Registration Card (ARC), proof of address and confirmation of asylum seekers support allowance or other income.
Lloyds	You can apply for a Classic Current account with a BRP, ARC or a Home Office Immigration Status document. Refugees and asylum seekers can apply for a ‘Classic current account’. This includes an arranged overdraft. Fees are charged if you go into your overdraft.
Nationwide	You can get a ‘FlexBasic account’ (basic bank account) and an ‘Instant Access saver’ (basic savings account). They accept BRP, ARC and Home Office Immigration Status document.
HSBC	You cannot open a bank account if you are from outside the EU. They accept BRP but NOT ARC. They accept BRP but NOT ARC.
Monzo	Refugees can open a current account with a BRP and their UK address. However, Monzo do not accept ARC. You can get your benefits or salary (depending on your employer) paid into your Monzo account 1 day earlier.

Category: Recruitment

Recruiting: Trustee, and Chair of Trustees

Who are we?

Who are you?

We offer

Applications close May 25th noon.
Interviews first week in June.

We are recruiting! Join the magic

We are over the moon to say the we are recruiting for a paid post.

This is your chance to join a tiny, innovative and award-winning community charity that is making a real difference to Newham families and under fives.

Position: Admin Assistant

Who are we?

Who are you?

We offer

Applications close May 25th noon.Interviews first week in June.

We are over the moon to say the we are recruiting for a paid post.

This is your chance to join a tiny, innovative and award-winning community charity that is making a real difference to Newham families and under fives.

Position: Admin Assistant

Applications close May 25th noon.
Interviews first week in June.