Grant Officer
Service: Community Engagement Team
Grade scale: Grade 3 Level 2
Reports to: Community Participation Project Officer
Purpose of the job
To provide internal and external support for council funded grants. Internally, they will develop grant processes, deliver, monitor and report on council funded grant programmes delivered by the Community Engagement Team.
To provide support for the operation of council funded grants for other Officers across the council.
Key tasks and responsibilities
To manage and operate grant programmes as requested, including monitoring and evaluation and reporting on grants. It will support applicants, develop community capacity to successfully apply for and manage council grants.
To support internal Council officers with templates, guidance and advice to deliver council grant programmes in line with the grant policy and in the spirit of the Third Sector Partnership Agreement. Including an internal support network for Grant providers.
Responsible for the delivery and administration of the various Council funded grant programmes, and ad hoc external funders, hosted by the Community Engagement Team. Including but not limited to:
- Galas and Festivals Grants
- Culture Strategy Community Grants
- Third Sector Grant Funds
- Participatory Budgeting
- Local Action Fund support for Elected Members.
Within the Community Engagement Team, develop and coordinate fund outcomes, application forms, guidance notes and decision making processes, awards and monitoring process in line with the Grant Policy.
Monitor all grants issued by the Community Engagement Team, including assessment of their use and audit of reporting records.
Draft report content for all Community Engagement Team grant processes quarterly and annually as directed by the Community Participation Project Officer.
Evaluate the Community Engagement Team grants and draft content for the evaluation report.
Provide advice and guidance to other parts of the council on monitoring and evaluation of grants, in line with the Grant Policy.
Provide a source of guidance and support for all council services to implement the Grant Policy, including participatory budgeting processes.
Facilitate a Grant Officers Working Group.
Develop and administer cross council grant resources and templates.
Administer council funded grants on behalf of other council services, on an add hoc basis.
Deliver on tasks in the Third Sector Action Plan relating to funding and grants and the Officer’s working group.
Administer South Lanarkshire Council’s Grant Register.
Provide funding support and guidance to organisations in relation to council grant process, including the development and delivery of funding information sessions, online and in person.
Provision of general funding support and information to all Stakeholders.
Capacity building withing third sector and community organisations to ensure they are ‘fit for funding’ and able to manage and administer council grants.
Person specification
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Criteria |
Essential |
Desirable |
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Education, qualification and training |
Educated to a degree level is in a discipline relevant to the job description and/or equivalent experience |
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Skills, knowledge and experience |
Providing guidance and support to others in a professional capacity Experience developing and delivery efficient administrative processes Experience working in a community setting, the third sector or with volunteers Experience manging customer contact and/or communications Excellent customer service skills Problem solving skills Numeracy skills including ability to read basic accounts and financial information Ability to develop clear and concise information for the public Confident to deliver workshops, presentations or information session to a group of people. |
Experience participating in community led activity, either in a paid role or through volunteering Experience completing successful funding applications for community activities Experience developing content for workshops, presentations or information sessions. |
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Personal qualities |
Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to develop and maintain relationships with others Empowering approach to supporting others Ability to remain objective and professional in a very informal community environment |
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Other |
Ability to travel independently throughout South Lanarkshire Ability to work under own initiative Committed and self-motivated Adaptable and open to change Inclusive and supportive team player To work in a flexible, adaptable manner and to always act with discretion and tact |
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Safer recruitment checks
As part of our approach to good practice and safer recruitment we carry out a number of pre-employment checks:
- Asylum and Immigration right to work in the UK.
- Reference check: external candidates require 2 references, one of which must be from present or most recent employer; Internal candidates require 1 reference from current line manager.
- Candidate Disclosure Scotland check, where applicable.
Behaviour framework
The council’s behaviour framework is a set of core behaviours that defines how employees approach work to enable the delivery of key tasks for the role. The expected behaviours for this role are:
Efficient
- Use initiative and drive to improve and develop systems and processes to increase efficiency achieving better outcomes in service delivery.
- Suggests ways to improve how others organise their own work.
- As a manager or professional/expert you actively seek solutions to deliver improvements and involves others in the development of solutions and improvements.
- Agrees SMART objectives for both team and individual employees reviewing progress to achieve successful outcomes.
- Manage budgets with no overspends and applying the council’s financial policies and procedures.
- Ensures sustainability and environmental awareness practices are being implemented and that they inform the development of new projects/initiatives.
Flexible
- Anticipates and responds flexibly to changing priorities and modifies practice to meet changing environment.
- Identifies and implements new ways of working.
- Supports individuals and team at times of both organisational and personal change making appropriate adjustments to accommodate individual needs where required.
- Expresses a positive approach to change and promotes the benefits of change to team and colleagues.
- Actively listens to customer feedback and takes action to improve customer experience.
Performing
- Use professional expertise and knowledge to ensure the council is leading best practice to improve outcomes.
- Ensure that the council is meeting it’s legislative and statutory requirements by keeping abreast of new initiatives and legislation.
- Evaluates and reviews the impact of service improvements from the customers perspective.
- Identifies trends and creates solutions.
- Ensuring that health and safety practices, policies and procedures are applied keeping employees and customers safe and minimising workplace accidents and injuries.
- Implements the council’s maximising attendance policy and procedure ensuring action is taken and recorded on people connect.
- Considers risk in the context of service development and delivery.
Working with others
- Promotes a positive team environment with good morale.
- Works with other teams and colleagues internally and externally, developing relationships and sharing knowledge, ideas and expertise to achieve outcomes.
- Provide objective and constructive advice and support if tensions arise.
- Shares knowledge with internal and external colleagues to achieve common objectives.
- Giving praise and recognition for good work.
- Use professional identity and expert knowledge to work across disciplines breaking down professional barriers to improve outcomes for individuals and communities.
- Encourages colleagues to consider different perspectives in their work.
- Adapts communication to encourage desired behaviour.
Leading
- Understands what needs to be achieved and ensures that this is communicated to team members.
- Expresses positive expectations of others to support their development.
- Recognise individual and team achievements thanking and praising others.
- Maintain a positive approach and motivate team when things go wrong, or demands are high.
- You identify talent and provide opportunities for those individuals who wish to progress or learn new skills.
- Takes responsibility for personal and team development needs taking account of learning styles and available learning/training methods of delivery.
- Uses professional judgement/expert knowledge to make informed decisions.