Job Information Pack Facilities Assistant Tower Hill, London March 2014 Alzheimer s Society, Devon House, 58 St Katharine s Way, London. Telephone +44 (0) 20 7423 3500. Fax 020 7423 3501 Email info@alzheimers.org.uk Website www.alzheimers.org.uk Registered Charity No. 296645. Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England No. 2115499
Dear Applicant Facilities Assistant Thank you for your interest in the above position with Alzheimer s Society. Please find enclosed an information pack as requested. Please fill in your application carefully, giving all relevant information and in particular, setting out the ways in which you meet the competencies outlined in the job description and person specification. You should provide clear and concise examples of a time when you have had to use the necessary skills. Your application should be typed or completed in black ink. The panel will consider the presentation of your application during the selection process. Your completed application should be returned to us by 5pm on 27 March 2014. Late applications will not be accepted. CVs will not be accepted. Interviews will be held on Friday 4 April 2014. Please send your completed application form to: Melanie Silva Alzheimer s Society Devon House 58 St Katharine s Way London E1W 1LB Or e-mail msilva@alzheimers.org.uk Yours faithfully Melanie Silva Facilities Supervisor V.1.1 2 of 10
Alzheimer s and Dementia Dementia is caused by disease of the brain; symptoms include loss of memory, confusion and problems with speech and understanding. It is progressive and eventually terminal. Dementia can happen to anyone and there is currently no cure. But with the right support, people can live well with dementia throughout the condition. 800,000 people live with dementia in the UK today with nowhere near enough services provided to meet their needs. There are over 17,000 people under 65 with dementia in the UK and 1 in 14 people over 65 have dementia. One in three people over 65 develop dementia. About Alzheimer s Society Alzheimer's Society champions the rights of people living with dementia and the millions of people who care for them. We are the leading support and research charity for people with dementia, their families and carers, with over 2000 employees and over 7000 volunteers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Alzheimer s Society provides over 2,000 services across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We provide information, education, support and care to help people live their lives to the full. We spent nearly 58 million on charitable activities in 2012/13, almost 80 per cent of which continued to be on providing care services and direct services to people with dementia and those who care for them. We also spent 5.8 million on research into the causes and treatment of dementia. Facilities/Corporate Resources Based in two National Offices in Tower Hill, the role of facilities assistant is a crucial one. The post holder will be the first point of contact for all the Societies staff and for the general public. They will work closely with the facilities supervisor and will have close liaison with all the teams within the organisation. The post holder will be required to work between the core hours of 10am to 6pm Monday to Friday, with one hour for lunch with compulsory adhoc weekend working. During this time they will also have to cover the essential duties of the receptionist V.1.1 3 of 10
over lunch. As well as this they will cover the receptionist during annual leave and during any sickness which may result in a temporary change in shift hours. The Facilities Assistant also needs to make executive decisions in the absence of the Facilities Manager / Facilities Supervisor to benefit the Society. The post holder will be required to attend a first aid training course should the post holder not hold a valid certificate. A crucial element of this position will be to manage the facilities helpdesk, which will provide a service to all the Societies offices. Position in Organisation The facilities assistant will report to the facilities supervisor and will be part of the Facilities team in the Corporate Resources directorate. The scope of the job To manage the facilities helpdesk for regional / area / locality offices, placing, accepting and sorting out deliveries, opening incoming post, franking outgoing post, and to provide a service of excellence to customers. To also provide comprehensive administrative assistance for the Society s two head offices in Devon House and Thomas More Square both within 5 minutes walking distance of each other.. V.1.1 4 of 10
Job Description Job title: Location: Salary Grade: Actual Salary: Hours: Contract Type: Facilities Assistant Tower Hill, London C2 21,552.00 per annum 35 per week Permanent Main purpose of job Based in Tower Hill, London the role of facilities assistant is a crucial one. The post holder will be the first point of contact for all the Societies staff and for the general public. They will work closely with the facilities coordinator and will have close liaison with all the teams within the organisation. The post holder will be required to work between the core hours of 10am to 6pm Monday to Friday, with one hour for lunch. During this time they will also have to cover the essential duties of the receptionist over lunch. As well as this they will cover the receptionist during annual leave and during any sickness. The Facilities Assistant also needs to make executive decisions in the absence of the Facilities Manager / Facilities Coordinator to benefit the Society. The post holder will be required to attend a first aid training course should the post holder not hold a valid certificate. A crucial element of this position will be to manage the facilities helpdesk, which will provide a service to all the Societies offices. Position in Organisation The facilities assistant will report to the facilities supervisor The scope of the job To manage the facilities helpdesk for regional offices and to provide a service of excellence to customers. To also provide comprehensive administrative assistance for the Society s two head offices in Devon House and Thomas more Square. Dimensions and limits of authority Responsible for administering the opening of mail and ensuring that cheques, cash and other items of value are recorded and accounted for. V.1.1 5 of 10
Duties and key responsibilities Provision of Services To ensure consistent and quality services are provided throughout the reception area in accordance with the society s standard. Helpdesk Responsible for managing the helpdesk. Process telephone calls and emails through the helpdesk database and deal with them expediently and professionally. To record and monitor progress of helpline contact. To liaise with the facilities Supervisor on issues arising from the helpline. To be competent in taking responsibility for making decisions without consultation. To liaise with suppliers and contractors, arranging visits and negotiating costs. To monitor progress on any work authorised. To liaise with the Society s staff and communicate to them in a polite and professional manner. Administration To carry out administration duties as and when requested by the facilities Supervisor. Health & Safety To complete office risk assessments. To ensure stockrooms, machine areas, kitchens and meeting rooms are free from health & safety hazards. Post To be responsible for managing the opening and distribution of all incoming mail in line with the society s standards. To assist the receptionist/administrative assistant with outgoing mail. To ensure the franking machine is always funded. To be responsible for calling couriers as requested by staff. To accept deliveries by couriers and inform staff accordingly. Reception To welcome visitors to the society in a courteous, friendly and polite manner. To maintain the reception area in a tidy manner and with specific attention to health & safety. Telephone Switchboard To operate the switchboard during the receptionists lunch break, annual leave and sickness. Person Specification V.1.1 6 of 10
All the following requirements are essential, except where stated, and will be assessed from a combination of information provided from the application form, extended interview process, panel interview and references. SKILLS: Experience of working in a helpdesk environment Experience of dealing with premises issues Experience of dealing with suppliers and contractors Experience of working in a busy office environment Working Knowledge of Microsoft word, outlook and excel Excellent interpersonal and communication skills KNOWLEDGE: An understanding of facilities An understanding of premises maintenance A good knowledge of health & safety regulations V.1.1 7 of 10
Job Application Guidelines Alzheimer's Society is an equal opportunities employer. We aim to treat every applicant fairly. The information you provide in your application form is the only information we will use in deciding whether or not you will be invited for interview, so it is important that you complete it with care. To help you, please follow these guidelines. 1. Please complete all sections of the form. 2. Please type the application form where possible. If you are filling in by hand please use black ink, as it may be photocopied. Do not stick or glue paper to the back of the form as it may get caught in the photocopier. Please add a separate piece of paper instead. 3. After reading the person specification and job description, think carefully about your application and consider to what extent you have the skills and experience necessary to meet the requirements of the post. 4. Your last and present post allows you the opportunity to tell us about the work you are doing or have done in the past. Be as brief as you can, and use the personal statement at the back of the form to describe in more depth your skills, knowledge and experience relevant to the job. 5. Under the section Education, qualifications and training you are asked to state your qualifications or name a course that you attended. It is sufficient to state that you have a specific number of A levels and GCSEs, or equivalent qualifications, unless you are asked for a specific qualification on the person specification, such as GCSE English. You should mention qualifications or training relevant to the post you are applying for. 6. The personal statement is an important part of the application form and should be used to tell us how you meet the person specification and what experience you have that is relevant to the job description. Always remember to specify your personal responsibilities rather than those of your section or department. Remember to explain how your current or previous experience relates to the job you are applying for. Your statement should ideally be no longer than 2 sides of A4 paper. 7. Please ensure that your completed application form is returned by the date and time stated at the beginning of this information pack, to the specified email or postal address. Do not attach any other documentation. Your completed equal opportunity form must be sent to recruitment@alzheimers.org.uk as stated on the equal opportunities form. Any attachments, such as CVs, references or photocopies of your qualifications will be disregarded and will not be seen by the selection panel. 8. We frequently receive a large number of applications for each role. In order to make good use of the charity s money we are unfortunately unable to acknowledge your application unless you are selected to attend an interview. V.1.1 8 of 10
Information for Candidates Terms and Conditions of Employment Outlined below are some of the main terms and conditions of employment relevant to all employees of the Society. Probation All posts are subject to a probationary period of 12 weeks unless otherwise stated in your contract, during which your performance will be reviewed from time to time. During this probationary period, either party may terminate the contract by giving the appropriate notice. After satisfactory completion of the probationary period, the notice stated on your contract of employment will apply. Location Your main place of work will be detailed in your contract of employment. You may be required to work in other locations from time to time. You will not be required to work outside the United Kingdom for a continuous period of more than one month. Salary Payment All new employees are placed on a set grade based on the Society s salary scheme, which is normally reviewed in April of each year. The commencing salary will be as stated in the contract of appointment. Salaries are paid in arrears on or around the 25th of each calendar month, by direct credit transfer into a bank or building society account. Annual Leave The holiday year runs from 1 April to 31 March. In each holiday year, in addition to bank and statutory holidays, the holiday entitlement in the first full year will be 25 days, pro-rated according to hours of work and start date. This increases in line with service as follows: during the first full leave year and up to 2 leave years 25 days, third leave year 26 days, fourth leave year 27 days, fifth leave year 30 days. Holiday will be calculated on a pro-rata basis for part-time workers. Pension Scheme All employees under the age of 75 may join the Society s nominated pension scheme subject to the rules of the scheme as amended from time to time. In accordance with the Pensions Act 2008 we must automatically enrol all employees who meet the eligibility criteria into our pension scheme. Further details about what this means for you, and about our pension scheme, are available on the Society s intranet. The Society currently operates a Group Personal pension scheme provided by Zurich. Employees may contribute a percentage of their salary to the scheme and the Society will double the employee s contribution up to 8% of the employees gross salary. This will mean that a 1% employee contribution will attain a 2% contribution from the Society and a 4% contribution will attain the maximum 8% from the Society. Alzheimer s Society will not pay into a personal pension scheme. V.1.1 9 of 10
Sick Leave The Society operates an occupational sick pay scheme that is based on length of service with the Society. Dignity at Work We are committed to creating and fostering a culture that promotes respect for each other and values individual differences. In line with our Dignity at Work policy, we will not condone, tolerate or ignore any form of discrimination (including discrimination by way of association) or unacceptable behaviour in our recruitment or employment practices. Benefits The Society offers a range of benefits to its employees including Life Assurance, a Cash Health Plan and Childcare Vouchers. No Smoking The Society operates a no smoking policy. V.1.1 10 of 10