Job Description

We have an exciting new opportunity in our Strategy and Transformation Directorate for a Portfolio and Planning Manager.

For the next step on our journey Citizens Advice is developing our capacity in our important corporate functions. We\'ve adopted a Living Strategy approach which means we need to improve our processes for moving our resources to the most important and innovative work; we need to improve our sense of how we are performing, at different levels of the organisation; and in an unpredictable world we need to be resilient to external events and ready to take new opportunities.

The organisation has values and practices of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at its core; we are particularly keen to build diversity into this new team.

To fulfil this ambitious next phase of our development as a large national charity and as a system of local and nationally-provided services, we are looking for experienced leaders who can create and embed processes and cultures for these capabilities in a large organisation, supporting the Executive team and collaborating with a range of senior managers and teams from different disciplines. The roles will gather and analyse a range of data and information, capturing the most important findings and make evidence-based recommendations to senior decision-makers.

The posts sit within our new Strategy and Transformation Directorate which has been set up to give focus to our strategic direction and the capabilities for strategic change. The new PPPR Manager posts sit at the heart of this ambition and will provide the important evidence that underpins the changes we need to make, partnering with the whole organisation. Over time we want to develop these PPPR capabilities together with and for the whole system - both the national organisation and the network of around 250 independent local Citizens Advice offices.

The Portfolio and Planning Manager will develop a new \'portfolio\' view of the organisation that will provide a range of ways of understanding better all the work we do and how that needs to change to better meet our day-to-day and longer term challenges.

We are also planning to hire a Performance Manager and a Risk Manager and these roles will be going live in the coming weeks.

There will be an expectation that successful candidates will be flexible and collaborative, having a good awareness of the work of the whole team, and carrying out tasks across PPPR areas to help manage workloads and operational requirements.

Candidates with the right skills, knowledge and experience from all backgrounds are warmly invited to apply. We\'re keen to make reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process and day to day working for successful candidates.

Candidates who are keen to know more about the role can set up a preliminary discussion with Diccon Bright, Head of Portfolio, Planning, Performance and Risk at diccon.bright@citizensadvice.org.uk.

Please provide details in your cover letter to evidence the following essential criteria. Please make sure your cover letter provides evidence for the essential criteria succinctly, in no more than 2 pages.

• Significant experience of working in a large complex organisation effectively delivering, developing and embedding Portfolio and/or Planning practices;
• Strong analytical skills and judgement, with ability to handle large quantities and different types of data, weigh options, and present recommendations;
• Experience of working effectively at executive and board level, with the senior leadership cadre and people from a range of disciplines and levels in an organisation;
• Experience of achieving results through others: influencing and persuading, building and maintaining trust and effective relationships at all levels;

Citizens Advice offers confidential advice online, over the phone, and in person, for free. Through our national network of charities, we give people the knowledge and the confidence they need to find their way forward - whoever they are, and whatever their problem.

Do you want to work for an organisation that makes a difference, every single day, to people from all walks of life? The people that turn to Citizens Advice need help overcoming an obstacle in their lives - from debt to evictions to trouble at work - and you can be key to them getting the support they need in the quickest, easiest, and most effective way.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is of strategic importance within the organisation and recognised as integral to all we do as a service.

Central to pursuing our EDI mission is building diverse and inclusive teams in which everyone has a sense of belonging. We believe inclusion is a social justice issue - a principle that underpins our all EDI work. To that end, we particularly welcome applications from people we would like to see better represented in our organisation and sector - people of colour, LGBTQ+ people and disabled people. If you are disabled and meet our minimum criteria you will be guaranteed an interview for this role and we will provide reasonable adjustments as needed. We follow the social model of disability.

We\'re a flexible employer, so this role may suit anyone who\'d prefer a flexible arrangement to help their work/life balance, many of our colleagues spend most of their time working remotely. Whilst we prefer a blended approach between a local office, if one is near you, and home we\'re open to being flexible on location, occasionally a role may require you to be based in a certain location if that\'s the case it will be detailed in the advert or job description. This can be discussed in more detail during your interview.

The National Citizens Advice Operates from offices in England and Wales, with 4 regional offices based in Cardiff, London, Birmingham and Leeds, therefore all successful applicants must be based within England or Wales.

Our commitment to colleague wellbeing is reflected in us being awarded Gold in the Health & Wellbeing category, as well as Overall Winners, at the Employee Experience Awards 2022.

Please be aware that Citizens Advice is not a sponsoring organisation. Therefore the successful applicant must already possess the right to work in the UK or be able to secure the right to work in the UK independently.

In the event of a high number of applications, we reserve the right to close the application early.

This vacancy closes at 23.59 on the closing date.

For more information about the organisation, our values and benefits please see the following link -

Need help with your application, see our useful how to guides on the following page -

Citizens Advice