Housing Innovation Project Manager

Salary£35,000 - £42,000 per annum. (FTE)Benefits• Company pension scheme; free on-site parking; Bike2Work Scheme• Life Insurance• Flexible working• Casual dress• Wellness Programme • Previously awarded the best not for profit employer in the Eastern Region.• Be a part of a community that drives innovation with a focus on addressing environmental and social challenges

Closing: 22/07/2022

Location: Cambridge
Hours: Full-Time – Monday to Friday (35 hours a week) – will consider 4 days, 28 hours.
Salary: £35,000 – £42,000 per annum. (FTE)
Contract: 6 months Fixed Term. Our project review envisages a self-funded business, with a permanent position possible once the Project Manager has sourced ongoing funding.
Reports to: CEO of Allia Impact Ltd

Candidates must be eligible to work in the UK without sponsorship.

About Us
Allia is a charity that helps small businesses and charities to develop, grow and achieve their impact aims, through a range of ways. From its Future Business Centres that support local business communities; its support programmes that help entrepreneurs and ventures to grow their ideas and businesses; and through advising and arranging finance for charitable organisations.

Since 1999, with initiatives across the UK that include housing, cleantech and social innovation, it has helped hundreds of start-ups, small businesses and impact ventures to develop and scale, enabling significant employment opportunities, transforming communities and creating positive impact for people, place and planet.

Our people are pivotal to our success, and we have grown expediently. We are an equal opportunities employer who embraces diversity, inclusion and flexible working. We offer a great working environment, true team working ethos, good benefits and much more.

Background
Allia Impact Ltd has successfully delivered two 6-unit schemes of relocatable modular homes in Cambridge and Wisbech, designed to make use of temporary and/or marginal sites to provide cost-effective housing for people to move out of rough sleeping. Based on the level of interest in this approach, and examples of similar schemes around the country, Allia believes that many more locations in the UK would be capable of developing their own schemes, given the right guidance and support.

Cambridge project: https://futurebusinesscentre.co.uk/our-impact/future-homes/
Wisbech project: https://futurebusinesscentre.co.uk/second-modular-home-project-co-ordinated-by-allia-partner-organisations-in-cambridgeshire/

We therefore commissioned sector experts Livshare to design a model which distils the experience and best practice from successful project examples into a staged process that will enable local partners to navigate the journey more quickly, cost effectively and successfully than attempting to start from scratch.

The 3 stages of this process are:
1. A free feasibility stage with templates and a guide to identify a suitable site, operating partner and permissions required, supported by a consultation call.

2. A low-cost Toolbox with more detailed information and template documents to assist in preparing a planning application and identify a unit supplier and funding, supported by the postholder of this role.

3. Delivery of homes once planning permission is secured, most likely through the operating partner identified, or with bespoke project support as needed.

The focus of the role being appointed is on the two early stages where the priority is support and encouragement to local groups to make progress; it is not a role project managing individual developments to completion.

Purpose: To set up a national support service that takes the learning from early modular housing schemes tackling homelessness and uses it to enable any community in the country to develop their own successful schemes. Aiming to stimulate delivery of at least 200 new homes over 3 years.

Role Responsibilities

Promote, deliver, and develop a support service enabling sympathetic landowners in local communities to achieve a successful modular housing scheme to tackle local homelessness.

1. Promote: networking with churches and other groups leading to viable sites being put forward.

2. Deliver: using the process guide created and assisting with the standardisation of the template documents in the Toolbox, to provide virtual support for local groups to confirm suitability of sites, prepare to apply for planning permission and assist groups to identify what is needed and methods to secure them in association with a development partner. (Targets 10 Toolbox sales in Y1, 25 in Y2, 35 in Y3)

3. Develop: strategy for increasing scale of national roll-out through securing funding and pro bono support.

Experience and skills needed

• Construction/development management
• Project management
• Good interpersonal skills and communication
• Ambition to make a significant impact on homelessness

We are committed to equality and diversity for our ventures, tenants, colleagues, volunteers, trustees and supporters. We value the strength that comes with difference and the positive contribution that diversity brings to the communities in which we serve. We are working to increase diversity and would particularly welcome applications from groups that are currently under-represented, including those from a BAME background.

To apply for this role, please send an up-to-date CV with a supporting covering letter highlighting your skills and experience along with why we should consider you for the role and your salary expectations to recruitment@allia.org.uk. Applications will not be considered without this information.

All applications should be submitted by 4 July 2022.