About Joanna Project

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Thank you for your interest in the role of Director at Joanna Project.

We work with women who are facing multiple disadvantages, trapped by life controlling addictions and who are often involved in street sex work with all the exploitation and danger that involves.

Joanna Project was started in 2004 by three women, who, inspired by their Christian faith, reached out to women working in street sex work in Leeds. They went out to the streets of Leeds at night offering hot drinks and practical and emotional support. Since then we have grown to a team of 6 paid staff and over 20 volunteers. Evening Outreach remains a core part of our service and we now have Daytime Outreach and a Daytime Sanctuary. We currently have contact with over 200 women each year and our annual turnover is in the region of £200,000.

The Joanna Project is grounded in and motivated by Christian faith yet works inclusively with women irrespective of their personal beliefs and values and never imposes Christian faith on others. While this is the case, to maintain and uphold the Christian ethos on which the Joanna Project is founded, we require the Director to have an active Christian faith.

The successful candidate will be joining at an exciting time as we have just set  our new strategic plan. For a copy of this please e-mail chair@joannaproject.co.uk and our Chair of Trustees will be more than happy to send you a copy. 

 

Vision

We believe all women should be able to live healthy whole lives, free from exploitation, abuse, addiction and poverty. To have the self-belief, courage and strength to achieve their potential as full members of society, exercising choice and enjoying healthy relationships with hope for the future.

 

Mission

We actively reach out and journey with women involved in, or at risk of involvement in street-based sex work in Leeds. We accept each individual wherever they are on their journey, and work holistically through practical and emotional support, to build confidence and skills, increase their safety and raise self-esteem, hope and future aspiration.  We aim to provide a community where women are empowered to exercise choice and live lives free from exploitation and shame.

 

Our Values

We work inclusively with women, irrespective of their personal beliefs and values. The Joanna Project is grounded in and motivated by Christian faith and the love of God for all.

Our key values are HOPE, LOVE and DIGNITY, with the following values flowing out of those.

 

• Aspirational- we are always aspirational for change; no-one is too far gone.
• Committed – demonstrating a commitment to stand alongside those seeking help from the Joanna Project and to journey with them for as long as they want.
• Relational – we understand that relationships take time and trust can be hard when you’ve been let down. Our relationships are not transactional or target-driven and there is never a deadline.
• Acceptance - where women involved in sex work are accepted as they are and never judged.
• Generous – We aim to give the best that we can give to our staff and the women we exist to serve.
•  Creative help – we use a holistic approach, caring for the whole person: body, mind and spirit.  We are willing to be creative to develop our provision to meet need.
• Choice – we believe in the dignity of choice. Everyone deserves to have autonomy and preference.
• Respect - believing everyone is created in God's image, with unique worth and dignity.

 

Joanna Project is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).

Our Charity number is 1138640.

Our legal name is Joanna Leeds.

 

Although we are an independent charity we work in partnership with colleagues in statutory and third sector organisations including West Yorkshire Police and Leeds City Council.

 

You can find us on twitter: @joanna_project, on Instagram: joannaprojectleeds and on Facebook: Joanna Project

 

 

JOB DESCRIPTION

DIRECTOR

 

Role Purpose

The main purpose of the Director role is to provide leadership to Joanna Project in order for it to fulfil its vision, mission and values and ensure its smooth running, with emphasis on working in a woman-centred and trauma informed way. 

The Joanna Project’s work is an expression of our Christian faith. To retain our Christian ethos and identity, we require the Director to have their own active Christian faith.

 

Main Responsibilities and Duties

Organisational responsibilities

1. Provide the leadership required to ensure all aspects of Joanna Project operate to the highest standard and remain consistent with its values.

2. Consciously create and maintain a culture that is consistent with the vision, mission and values of the Joanna Project.

3. Provide spiritual and ethical leadership to ensure Joanna’s Christian ethos and values are protected and promoted and that prayer remains at the heart of the Joanna Project’s practice.

4. In cooperation with the Trustees,  implement, monitor and update the Strategic Plan.

5. Plan, implement and monitor systems that perform the work and fulfil the mission of the Joanna Project, efficiently and effectively.

6. Working with the Treasurer and Office manager, ensure the finances are managed effectively, in line with agreed budgets.

7. Ensure all work is carried out in line with the existing policies and procedures and develop and refine the policies and procedures as required.

8. Ensure the Health and Safety, Food Hygiene and Safeguarding Procedures are adhered in every activity of the organisation.

9. Make decisions that are responsible, accountable, justifiable, and defensible in accordance with the organisation’s policies and procedures.

10. Manage the preparation and maintenance of periodic reports for the Trustees, as necessary or requested, to track strategic goal accomplishment.

11. Identify areas for development and take full advantage of such opportunities.

 

 

Team Leadership

12. Lead in a collaborative way maintaining a work force where the contribution of all is respected and appreciated and all are encouraged to contribute to the development of the Joanna Project.

13. Line manage staff, being responsible for supervision, oversight, development, training, and support of the team, ensuring staff are equipped to meet the expectations of quality and performance, while ensuring staff maintain sustainable working practice and healthy boundaries.

 

 

Working with Women

14. Lead the direct care work in accordance with our values, providing case supervision and deploying staff in accordance with need.  On occasion this will require the post holder to determine on competing priorities leaving some challenges unanswered.

15. Maintain a frontline role, as appropriate, working directly with women when required in order to retain an understanding of direct work and model good practice.

16. Ensure that the team deliver the service using a woman centered, trauma informed and strengths-based approach.

17. Ensure you develop your own practice and learning so that you can pass that on and ensure all staff are up to date with best practice.

External Relationships

18. Represent the Joanna Project at events, networks and on boards locally and nationally, advocating for the needs of the women we represent and influencing systemic change.

19. Deliver training about the needs of the women we serve to other agencies, charities, and organisations.

20. Speak about the work of Joanna Project at events as required including leading church services.

21. Develop and maintain good relationships with supporters and funders taking advantage of opportunities for development in this area.

22. Maintain the established partnership that exists in Leeds ensuring the continuation of good relations with networks and partner agencies, protecting our excellent reputation.

23. Contribute to city wide systems change that will benefit the women we serve, within the City of Leeds.

 

Person specification

The Joanna Project is grounded in and motivated by Christian faith yet works inclusively with women irrespective of their personal beliefs and values and never imposes Christian faith on others. While this is the case, to maintain and uphold the Christian ethos on which the Joanna Project is founded, we require the Director to have an active Christian faith (genuine occupational requirement).

 

Due to the nature of this role in working alongside women with lived experience of violence against women, this post is restricted to female applicants under section 9 of the Equality Act 2010

 

Qualifications	Essential / Desirable	Tested in application (A), Interview (I) or CV
4 GCSE’s (or equivalent) including Maths and English	E	A
Qualification or training in one or more of the following addiction/ trauma-led approach/ domestic violence/ theology and social justice/ leadership.	D	A
Knowledge
Understanding of the violence against women and girls sector (VAWG) and how this relates to street sex work.	E	A,I
A thorough understanding of multi-agency working across statutory and non-statutory providers.	E	A,I
Knowledge of addiction, dual diagnosis and the importance of a women centered, trauma informed approach.	E	A,I
Proficiency in Office software, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Share point.	E	A
Knowledge of data protection and client confidentiality.	E	A
An understanding of how the Christian values of love, hope, dignity, forgiveness, and perseverance can be reflected through each level of an organisation and an understanding of some of the challenges this may bring.	E	A,I
Experience
Experience working with people experiencing one or more of the following: addiction, homelessness, street sex work, domestic abuse and/or sexual violence.	E	A,I
Experience of routinely dealing with potential crisis situations in a calm manner, demonstrating the ability to make safe decisions in a sometimes-chaotic pressured environment.	E	A,I
Experience of building and maintaining successful relationships with a diverse range of partners across public and third sectors.	E	A,I
Experience of leading and developing a team including staff and volunteers.	E	A,I
Experience of monitoring and evaluation of projects both quantitively and qualitatively.	D	A
Experience of writing/overseeing fundraising bids.	D	A
Skills and behaviours
Ability to make decisions in a pressured environment with competing demands.	E	A,I
Demonstrable commitment to safeguarding and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.	E	A,I
Ability to manage your own time and priorities to meet agreed objectives	E	A,I
Ability to engage positively and diplomatically in situations of conflict and/or with people displaying distress.	E	A,I
Ability to solve problems, working flexibly and collaboratively	E	I
Ability to manage a budget.	E	A,I
Commitment to personal professional development and that of the team.	E