Consultancy Opportunity

Building capacity in the VCSFE to support Displaced People 

8-10 days per month. Freelance position, £250 per day. Will consider salaried option.

Travel within Somerset will be required, public transport is limited. 

Contract until 31st March 2025, option to extend with additional funding.

We’re looking for an experienced specialist who has demonstrable strategic skills and experience in this area. We would also very much welcome applications from people who have lived experience.

Supported by funding from the Displaced People Service, this new project will seek to work with existing service providers in this area, as well as identifying other VCFSE organisations who would like to improve their accessibility for displaced people. We are looking for a skilled ‘thought leader’ who has the vision to build a clear strategy and who will guide and lead a range of organisations to work together to develop a more joined-up, consistent and ambitious offer.

You will bring a minimum of three years’ strategic experience of working with organisations that support displaced people across a broad geographical area. You will have experience of the programme, policy and partnership landscape and a deep and demonstrable knowledge of the challenges facing displaced people. A clear understanding of the local, regional and national context and how that impacts on the local offer would also be advantageous. 

Supported by key members of the Spark Somerset team, we are seeking an expert who can advise on the precise details of the work. However, key activities could include:

• Analysis of current engagement, identifying any barriers, duplication, and gaps across the sector.
• Leading network events to bring a range of organisations together, identify opportunities for learning development and training; build confidence, enable collaboration.
• Provide guidance on strengthening the voice of those with lived experience and coordinating representation of the sector at operational and strategic meetings.
• Advise and lead on the development of a VCFSE network of organisations, supporting displaced people, that can endure beyond the life of the project.

We are keen to hear from you if you can demonstrate your experience of delivering something similar, what you feel the main challenges are and your vision for how this work might be undertaken with clear aims, objectives and outcomes which can be achieved in what is a relatively short period of time. 

We will interview for the post on a rolling basis and would encourage early applications. We’re keen to begin the work as soon as possible.