Manager - Oldbury Cottage Care Farm

The closing date for applications is 2nd May 2025 at 6pm

Interviews will take place the week commencing Monday 12th May

Job specification

Business/Team Support

• Ensure standards are maintained and all policies/risk assessments are adhered to and periodically reviewed.
• Ensure OCCF remains financially viable with support from the Directors.
• Monitor attendance, bookings and payments of attendees including invoicing.
• Guide and support the performance and personal development of staff and volunteers.
• Deliver OCCF’s Induction package and organise relevant training for all new staff/volunteers.
• Ensure OCCF’s ethos is maintained
• Ensure OCCF’s policies are read and understood.
• Support OCCF team to achieve tasks and end goals.
• Manage staff and volunteer rotas including annual leave and absence cover.
• Manage and delegate daily activities to the support team.
• To conduct regular checks and maintain records to ensure that the overall health, welfare, and well-being needs of all staff, volunteers are met, in line with our Health and Well-being policy.
• To keep abreast of and share literature, ideas, and best practice in the field of the Care Farming, to improve the development of the Farm.
• Source suitable funding to sustain Oldbury Cottage Care Farm CIC (OCCF) with support from the Directors.

Animal care and welfare

• Ensure daily checks of animals, housing, and welfare are carried out.
• Check supplies weekly.
• Develop/Undertake risk assessments for all farm activities.

Attendees and families

• Take responsibility for all referrals and arrangements of taster/entry sessions.
• Manage entry paperwork ‘About Me’ form and collaborate with family and/or other professionals to agree the support required.
• Work with other professionals, such as social workers and therapists, to ensure consistency of support.
• Work closely with families and partners to agree person-centred goals for each attendee.
• Analyse an individual’s needs and draw up a person-centred support plan.
• Ensure individual needs are communicated to all staff/volunteers where appropriate.
• Understand each attendee’s communication needs and ensure staff/volunteers have the skill set to adapt their communication to everyone, e.g. sounds, tones, body language, Makaton, BSL.

Person specification

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

1. Sound judgement, skills and experience in relation to the following:

• A minimum qualification of Level 2 in Health and Social Care (or agree to be attained) and/or extensive experience/knowledge of business management.
• Experience of working with learning disabled people and those with dementia.
• Knowledge of mental health issues would be beneficial.
• Experience of managing and supervising staff and volunteers.
• Knowledge of invoicing, book-keeping, and spreadsheets.
• Co-ordination/project-management skills with the ability to take on tasks from conception to completion.

2. Communication

• Good interpersonal and motivational skills, with the ability to communicate effectively and appropriately with a wide range of people, internally and externally.
• Good verbal and written skills.
• Able to listen, respond and build on feedback received.

3. Creativity and change

• Able to oversee programmes of activities, aimed at meeting agreed attendee’s person-centred goals.
• Adaptable to recommended changes in policies, procedures, best practice and legislation.
• Open to new ideas and confident in putting them forward to colleagues.

1. Team-working skills

• Able to work effectively as part of a team.
• Able to work calmly when under pressure.

2. Planning and organisation

• Good planning disciplines, focused on clear outcomes.
• Able to manage and prioritise own workload and that of others to meet commitments and deadlines.
• IT skills: Able to use technology to support the delivery of the service and to ensure data and records are kept up to date and are stored safely.

3. Knowledge in the following areas:

• GDPR, safeguarding, food & hygiene, COSHH.
• Health and safety practices.

PERSON PROFILE

We are looking for a person who can demonstrate the following qualities:

• Proactive, positive, and flexible approach.
• Outcome-oriented; a ‘can-do’ person.
• Self-motivated and organised.
• Creative approach and problem-solver.
• Inclusive style, willing to share and learn.
• Operates to high standards.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

1.         Appointment to this post is dependent upon an enhanced DBS check being carried out - This is a legal requirement as OCCF works with vulnerable people. Refusal to give consent to carry out this check means you cannot be considered for this or any other position in the organisation.

2.         You will be required to visit the farm as part of your application prior to interview.

3.         You will be required to hold a full UK driving licence and have your own means of transport – this will include having business cover on your insurance.

4.         The jobholder will be required to work to OCCF’s standards of Animal Welfare, which embrace the standards of DEFRA.

5.         Flexible working hours will be required in some instances to facilitate the effective delivery of the farm’s activities/covering staff absences.

6.         As well as checking with referees and assuring qualifications, additional checks will be carried out.

Website job specification & application form link:  https://occf.org.uk/vacancies/manager/

 About Oldbury Cottage Care Farm CIC

Oldbury Cottage Care Farm CIC (OCCF) is a life-long dream of Jonathan Smith founder and Director, built upon his personal experiences driving his motivation, dedication, and devotion to provide a positive rural experience using traditional farming practices for people with learning disabilities and dementia to get close to nature. 

Offering hands-on with animals/horticulture allowing the development of practical/social skills and improve physical, emotional well-being and improve overall health. 

To find out more visit  http://occf.org.uk/

What we can offer you

The exciting opportunity to grow with us, with the project offering you a supportive, relaxed, and enjoyable place to be and work. Rewards are gained by doing the job well – to be part of our team enriching the lives of our amazing attendees. 

To have the best chance of success:

• Tailor your application for the advertised position, ensuring that it aligns with the Person Specification provided.
• Explain how you meet each of the criteria - provide information about examples of your skills and experience gained. This may be in paid employment, as a volunteer or within your personal capacity.
• Answer each point in detail – the recruitment panel cannot guess or make assumptions.  For example, it is not enough to say `I am well organised’ – you need to explain how you organise yourself.

• Remember that the short-listing panel are seeking to appoint the applicant who best meets the criteria specified in the person specification, in accordance with Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Please email the completed application form to info@occf.org.uk

Should you wish to return it by post, please email to notify us your application is on its way and mark the envelope:

“Private & Confidential –Oldbury Cottage Care Farm Application”

The Directors

2 Lodge Cottage, Oldbury, Nuneaton, CV10 0TJ.