Job pack
Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
ID9404
Age UK Retail, Trading and Training Ltd, January 2011
This pack contains the
following sections:
 About Age UK
 About Age UK Trading
 Equalities and diversity policy
 How to apply
 Role description
 Terms and conditions
Age UK Job Pack – Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
2
About Age UK
Age UK is the new force combining Age Concern and Help the Aged. The Age UK
family includes Age Scotland, Age Cymru and Age NI and, additionally, many local
Age Concerns are changing their name to Age UK.
We will help people enjoy a better later life – here and in 40 other countries – by
providing life-enhancing services and vital support. We will keep developing products
that are specifically designed for people in later life, and funding pioneering research
into all aspects of getting older. By joining forces, we will ensure that more of our
funds go where they’re needed. We are now one of the most powerful and influential
organisations in the UK.
Our Vision
A world where older people flourish
We will help people enjoy a better later life – here and in 70 other countries – by
providing life-enhancing services and vital support. By joining forces, we will ensure
that more of our funds go where they’re needed.
Our mission
To improve later life for everyone
We will offer information and advice to help and support people in later life, develop
products that are specifically designed for older people, and fund pioneering research
into age-related conditions.
Age UK Job Pack – Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
3
Our story
The new organisation we created in April 2009 brings together almost 120 years of
shared history of working with and for older people.
1940-1950
World War II brought hardship to everyone in Britain, and older people were
especially vulnerable. Many families had lost their main breadwinner, or become
separated. There was no welfare state and the 'poor law' provision of the time was
woefully inadequate.
In 1940 a group of individuals, governmental and voluntary organisations came
together to discuss how this situation could be improved. The Old People's Welfare
Committee was born.
The committee soon gained national recognition and in 1944 it became known as the
National Old People's Welfare Committee (NOPWC), taking under its umbrella many
local organisations working to improve older people’s welfare.
1950-1960
With the advent of the welfare state, government money became available to fund
work with older people. The NOPWC co-ordinated and facilitated the work of an
increasing number of committees.
1960-1970
Meanwhile, the Help the Aged Refugees Appeal was set up in 1961 by businessman
Cecil Jackson-Cole in response to the needs of older refugees in response to the
needs of older people following natural disasters and conflict in the former
Yugoslavia, former East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and Rwanda. The appeal raised
£105,302 in its first year.
The nascent organisation, renamed Help the Aged, continued to raise money for
emergency aid overseas. It also became involved with projects for older people in the
UK, establishing day centres and pioneering the building of better housing for older
people. In 1963 it opened its first permanent gift shop in Bexhill, East Sussex.
1970-1980
In 1971 the NOPWC became completely independent of government, and was
renamed Age Concern. Many local groups took on the Age Concern name as time
went on, and together they benefited from a unified image and a name reflecting the
fact that they were not just committees but active providers of direct services.
Yours, the first national monthly newsletter for older people, was published by Help
the Aged in 1973.
Meanwhile, Age Concern published the first report on the situation of older people
from ethnic minority groups and began to develop services for these groups.
Age UK Job Pack – Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
4
Help the Aged continued to develop successful fundraising and awareness-raising
initiatives, including Adopt a Granny and Gifted Housing. A national minibus scheme
resulted in 12 specially-adapted vehicles being donated to community groups.
In 1977 Help the Aged (Trading) Ltd was launched to raise funds through commercial
activities.
1980-1990
In a period of high unemployment, Age Concern became a national agent for jobcreation and training schemes run by local groups, and drew attention to the plight of
older people suffering from long-term unemployment or redundancy.
HelpAge International was founded in 1983 by organisations including Help the
Aged. It created a worldwide network of organisations working to improve older
people’s lives.
1984 saw the opening of the first high street Help the Aged shop selling secondhand
goods. The charity continued to fundraise through national appeals, including a major
appeal to launch the SeniorLink personal alarm service.
1990-2000
During this decade of social, political and financial change, Age Concern and Help
the Aged continued to provide essential services to older people and to prepare for
the challenges of the new century.
Help the Aged launched a free telephone advice line, SeniorLine, and the HandyVan
home safety and security service. The Heating or Eating appeal raised over £1
million in 1998, and led to the Government’s decision to make winter fuel payments
to older people.
Both charities went online, launching websites that provided a range of information
and support for older people.
2000-present
In July 2000, organisations sharing the name Age Concern came together to work in
a federation: a structure which reflected their independence and autonomy but also
their interdependence. Age Concern England, as the national federation member,
worked alongside local Age Concerns and provided support and leadership in areas
like campaigning and policy.
In 2001, Help the Aged merged with Research into Ageing. The charity continued to
build on its research and policy work, and in 2005 it took a new strategic direction,
shifting its focus to disadvantaged older people.
Help the Aged achieved great success with its campaigns: 27,000 people pledged
support for the campaign against elder abuse and the Just Equal Treatment
campaign led to a government promise to end age discrimination.
Age UK Job Pack – Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
5
In 2006, Help the Aged launched Cows ‘n’ Things, an ethical gift range sold in
support of the charity’s work overseas. In 2007, it launched intune, a company
specialising in financial products for the over-50s, and engage, a business network
helping companies to become age-positive.
On 1 April 2009, Age Concern England and Help the Aged joined together to create a
new charity dedicated to improving later life for everyone.
As of April 2010, we are now known as Age UK.
Age UK Job Pack – Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
6
About Age UK Trading
Age UK Trading includes Retail, Affinity and Training. We have incredibly ambitious
plans for our world. These can be broken down into 3 key areas:
1.
To provide increased amounts of unrestricted money to support those in later
life, last year this was approaching £10m.
2.
To support the growth and development of Age UK by effective use of all our
assets, whether that be nearly 500 retail shops and fascias, 17 Training
Centres, our affinity marketing, promoting who we are and what we do to our
20m customers a year, to the 30m people who pass our shops weekly, or via
the 50m collection sacks we post through letter boxes every year.
3.
To develop closer working and daily links with our Brand Partners, so we
mutually benefit from a strong relationship, by effective signposting to
activities, products and services for those in later life locally nationally and
Internationally.
Retail
Currently a 45m retail business employing 1400 staff with 8,000 volunteers over 480
high street locations. Our aim to continue our impressive profit growth, whilst
maximising the use of our retail footprint as a Gateway to Age UK. This involves
utilising our retail presence to show both supporters and beneficiaries who we are
and what we do as an organisation.
Ours shops also provide information and advice via leaflets (we are also testing
interactive hubs), support our campaigning, services, enterprise and fundraising
activity.
Affinity
Through our affinity business we offer exceptional “Products for Later Life” through
specially selected partners. To date these include stairlifts and bathing products but
our ambitions spread well beyond these. We will not only support changing markets
but also generate profits from this area.
Age UK Job Pack – Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
7
Age UK Training
Overview
We are a national training provider involved in the creation and provision of:
 qualification programmes,
 employment acquisition initiatives,
 innovative learning solutions and
 skills development,
Our services are designed to address the needs of customers across age groups
throughout the UK and internationally.
Who we are
We are part of the Retail, Trading and Training division of Age UK and our Managing
Director is Hugh Forde. The division also encompasses a retail business, with 484
shops across the United Kingdom and Ireland.
We are a nationally accredited training provider that is approved to deliver
Government funded training programmes as well as a wide spectrum of tailored
commercial services.
We have nearly 200 experienced specialist and qualified staff who are supported
through our Central Office in Wakefield, Yorkshire, and a further 100+ associate
trainers coordinated from our Commercial Sales Centre in Cannock, Staffordshire.
What we stand for
We aim to lead the way in the provision of quality training that reflects our:



innovation and creativity
expertise and dynamism
influential and inclusive approaches
Why we exist
Our mission is to maximise the role of Age UK as a provider of quality services which
improve the quality of life for older people.
What we offer
Our work involves the tailored provision of creative learning solutions designed to
address the needs of professionals, employers and individuals, of all ages,
throughout the UK and internationally.
Whilst health and social care is our core business sector market we also:

run programmes relating to other occupational sectors
Age UK Job Pack – Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
8


deliver bespoke services for non-care related public, business and voluntary
sectors
undertake innovation projects for UK and European organisations and
government on a wide range of social and workforce development areas that
have a learning context.
Specifically we offer:

Apprenticeships, qualifications, vocational development and ‘skills for life’
programmes for success at work, across a range of sectors but particularly in
social care and health occupational areas.

An exciting range of short courses, events and services all designed to help meet
the challenges of providing quality health and social care provision now and in the
future

Distinctive employment acquisition and ‘preparation for retirement’ initiatives
providing choices for older workers, helping to shape policy and developing good
employment practice amongst employers.

Unique life long learning opportunities benefiting people in later life

Tailored support to enable businesses, agencies and suppliers to enhance their
provision of products and services to people in later life
Our history and successes
We are a successful national accredited training provider who has been delivering
quality services for the past 60 years.
We currently reach over 10,000 learners per year and our provision and learner
achievements have been externally commended at national and local levels
Our social care training services have been recognised at the sectors top prestigious
Skills for Care Annual Accolades over the past 4 years, achieving the esteemed
Winner of Winners Award in 2006.
We have recently been cited as an exemplary training provider by Ofsted, the
regulatory and inspection body of education and skills for learners of all ages. At our
last Ofsted / Estyn inspection we were graded a 'Good' training provider overall and
our Health and Social Care provision showed we have:
“Outstanding success rates in apprenticeship provision at all levels”
In addition to our accreditations to deliver qualifications through a variety of
Awarding Bodies we have been awarded the following external quality marks:
Age UK Job Pack – Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
9
Investors in People / Customer First / ISO 9001:2008 / MATRIX
Locations
We deliver our services via:




a network of 18 training centres in England and Wales (see below)
external open course venues
customer in-house locations.
international activity on a bespoke basis.
We also have a fleet of 4 single-decker Computer Explorers buses that are disablefriendly, fully-equipped mobile IT suites delivering outreach activity.
Our training centres are located in England and Wales:
Cumbria: Barrow-in-Furness
Greater Manchester: Ashton under Lyne / Little Hulton / Hyde, Cheshire
Greater Merseyside: St Helens,
Lancashire : Preston,
London: Norbury
North East: Newcastle upon Tyne
Derbyshire: Chesterfield, Derby, High Peak
South East: Ashford, Kent
Wales: Ebbw Vale
West Midlands: Walsall
Yorkshire: Barnsley / Bradford / Scarborough / Wakefield
Partners
We have a successful track record in collaborating with a vast array of employers,
public body and intermediary agencies, individuals, businesses and services
providers who liaise with people in later life as part of their profession or service
provision.
We are able to operate as a lead or joint partner and our internal and external partner
base in the UK and internationally has been extensive and enables us to work with
Age UK Job Pack – Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
10
many types of people, age groups, academic levels and learning abilities, businesses
and organisations.
We welcome the opportunity to share and further develop our expertise through
collaborative ventures relating to employment and learning topics such as:






health and social care provision workforce development
barriers to learning and employment
social inclusion
combating ageism
ageing
volunteering
Age UK Job Pack – Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
11
Equalities and
diversity policy
Age UK will strive to take all practical steps to prevent discrimination (on any basis)
during the course of its work providing a supportive, challenging and empowering
environment for all.
It is our aim to ensure that all persons employed by Age UK work in an environment
that is free from discrimination and able to achieve their full potential without
disadvantage regardless of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, or religion.
We will monitor the conduct of actions taken under the framework of all policies,
including recruitment in order to identify inequalities and formulate plans to address
them ensuring Fairness of Treatment at work under the Equalities Act 2010 and the
cultural values of Age UK.
How to apply
Please ensure you first read our guidance notes on how to apply. You can apply
electronically, by downloading and completing an application form, which can be
returned to us by email.
Please ensure that your supporting statement demonstrates how your experience‚
skills and abilities meet the selection criteria set out in the Role Description. A Role
Description can be found in the next section of this pack. Please also ensure you
complete the equal opportunities monitoring section at the end of your application
form.
Completed applications should be returned to us by 9am on the closing date.
Applications received after that time will not normally be considered for short listing.
Completed electronic applications must be sent to recruitment@ageuk.org.uk,
ensuring you clearly mark the post you're applying for.
Due to the high cost of postage‚ we regret we shall not be able to write personally to
applicants who are not short-listed. Therefore, if you have not heard from us‚ you
should presume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.
Age UK Job Pack – Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
12
Role description
Job Title:
Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
Charity:
Age UK
Division Name:
Age UK Trading
Department Name:
Age UK Training
Location:
TBC
Type of role
People Manager
Contractual Status of Role:
Permanent
Job Title of Line Manager:
Managing Director, Trading



Job Titles and number of any direct
reports
e.g. Administrator (3)
Job Purpose:
Business Development Manager
Quality Manager
Operations Manager
To oversee the Business as Usual / Government funded
operation of Age UK Training and to devise a strategy to
significantly develop income from such in line with
agreed objectives
Main Responsibilities/Deliverables:
People and Performance Management

Ensure the right culture, skills and, knowledge are in place to deliver the business
plan

Ensure performance management and people development processes are in place
across the team
 Develop team structures which support profit objectives and business needs

Ensure business management and financial reports are communicated to direct
reports
 Lead and develop a team to achieve results measured by the quality of training output
and achievement of financial targets
Business Management



Create and agree business plans, budgets, re-forecasts, resource plans and
associated risk management processes.
Review standards, KPI’s, audits, policies and procedures and implement consistent
processes to drive business performance
Use financial management to identify new opportunities, manage existing
performance and report to the business
Age UK Job Pack – Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
13
Business Performance














tinually meet or exceed profit delivery across all revenue streams in line with
budgetary expectations, expenditure and return on investment
Oversee the implementation of systems which drive business performance e.g.
operational manuals and processes, quality control, etc
Devise strategy to significantly develop income from government funded / business as
usual areas (health and social care, Sector Skills Councils, NHS, etc)
Maximise the value of Training Centres and ensure customer centric service is delivered
Strategically manage training solutions and ensure interventions are integrated with
business need and group approach
Ensure appropriate service level agreements are in place and consistently reviewed
Review and address poor Centre performance throughout the division
Plan considered approaches which add value and develop marketing material with Head
of Affinity & Trading / Marketing
Evaluate and report on new initiatives used to improve sales
Build relationships with brand partners to benefit products/services and people in later life
Devise strategy to significantly develop income from mutually beneficial
relationships/brand leverage in line with agreed objectives
Negotiate commercial terms and manage contract process ensuring sign off by the
Trading Board, where required
As a senior member of the Age UK Trading team:
o Formulate divisional strategy and align with Age UK aims
o Deliver broad and innovative trading opportunities which add value and
maximise presence
o Create credible relationships with key stakeholders to maximise value of
relationships and promote awareness of Trading
o Support the delivery of new opportunities and large scale projects
o Participate and utilise the Age UK Trading employee forum.
o Maintain up to date knowledge of competitor, market place and trends
Policy / Initiatives

Develop policy work concerned with funding and work for people in later life. including
aspects of regional policy. This will involve working with other divisions within Age UK
(Services: Information & Advice, Regional Policy & Development Officers; Public Affairs)
or Age UK Stakeholders (PRIME).
Deliver direct interventions to enable and support people in later life into employment and selfemployment including the following aspects:
Age UK Job Pack – Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
14
o Training initiatives on age diversity in the workplace
o Age UK’s role in Government and EU Programmes concerned with older workers and
employment in later life
o Digital inclusion initiatives which encourage and enable people in later life to be
included digitally e.g. the Internet
Quality and Age UK Added Value / Customer Experience





Oversee the maintenance and achievement of Quality Standards. This will include
oversight of existing quality systems and processes and a continuing commitment to
value.
Effective implementation of Quality Standards which serve to enhance and not restrict
or constrict the operation
Build profit plans and maximise use of best practice across the Division
Support and build brand through utilising the estate effectively and maximising
customer awareness
Support and develop an operating framework to deliver new TFLL developments e.g.
processes, procedures, roles, skills and resource
Partner Collaboration
o Work across the Group and with Brand Partners to develop and support effective
training throughout Age UK
o Support the development of systems of qualifications and certified training with Brand
Partners
Quantitative Aspects of Role:
In excess of £4m (profit delivery target)
Continually meet or exceed profit delivery across all
revenue streams in line with budgetary expectations,
expenditure and return on investment
Experience.






Experience in successful strategic management
of training for professional staff including
experience in the negotiation and management
of government funded training schemes
Experience and demonstrable success in
strategic and business planning and the
development and operation of quality systems
Proven management record with substantial
experience in the management of staff including
the issues associated with target setting,
employment and staff reviews
Experience and ability in financial management
including budgeting, financial control and
financial and management information systems
Experience and knowledge of the enterprise and
training field
Sound knowledge and understanding of policy
Age UK Job Pack – Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
15
Knowledge & Skills
Qualifications
Additional Circumstances:
issues involved with the provision of training in
areas in which the division operates
 The ability to provide leadership for a large and
geographically dispersed team
 Proven analytical skills and the ability to
formulate clear strategies and plans and to
review and amend them in the light of changing
circumstances
 Outstanding communication and interpersonal
skills with the ability to negotiate effectively and
on a one to one basis, with groups, with large
audiences, as well as with staff and senior
management
Either a current driving licence or the ability to travel
freely within the United Kingdom
An entirely flexible approach to working hours and
extensive travel demands, overnight stays may be
required
Notes:

This role description is not intended to be exhaustive in every respect, but rather to
clearly define the fundamental purpose, responsibilities and dimensions for the role.
Therefore, this role description does not describe any individual role holder.

In addition to the contents of this role description, employees are expected to undertake
any and all other reasonable and related tasks allocated by line management.
Age UK Job Pack – Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
16
Terms and condition
Salary
Starting salary £55 to £65k
AgeUK operates a performance related pay scheme with an
annual salary review date of 1 April.
Hours of work
Standard office hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and
the standard working week is 35 hours.
Premises
This post is field based. Please note Age UK will be relocating
from its Kings Cross, London N1 site (York House) and Norbury,
London SW16 site (Astral House) to Tavis House, Euston in the
first quarter of 2011.
Pension scheme
AgeUK offer a Group Personal Pension (GPP) to all employees
aged 18 and over. The Charity believes it is important that
employees are able to afford to make a provision for their future.
In order to encourage this and to ensure that employees have
the opportunity to maximise their pension benefits, AgeUK
currently contribute 8% of the pensionable salary to the GPP
and we ask employees to contribute a minimum of 3%. These
levels of contribution are subject to review and the Charity’s
ability to pay. AgeUK operates a Pension Sacrifice Scheme, this
is optional.
Life Assurance
Life Assurance is equal to 2 x Salary which is enhanced to 4 x
Salary if the employee is a member of the Pension Scheme.
Income
Protection
This is paid for a maximum of 2 years if the employee is a
member of the GPP Pension Scheme.
Other Benefits

Simply Health (Assistance Programme)

Interest Free Season Ticket Loan

Child Care Vouchers

Cycle to Work Scheme
Age UK Job Pack – Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
17
This document is neither an offer of employment nor a statement of terms
and condition.
Age UK Job Pack – Head of Training (Government Funded Schemes)
18