The General Manager is the senior operational leader of Dancing for Well-Being.
The role is responsible for leading the charity's day-to-day operations, ensuring financial sustainability, supporting and developing staff, maintaining strong governance and identifying opportunities for growth and increased impact.
Working closely with the Board of Trustees, the General Manager will provide strategic and operational leadership, ensuring that DWB remains financially resilient, well governed and able to deliver high-quality services that improve people's wellbeing.
Key Responsibilities (suggested proportion of time spent on each in brackets)
1. Finance and Income Generation (30%)
This is the highest priority area of the role. The General Manager will:
- Prepare and manage annual budgets and financial forecasts.
- Monitor income, expenditure and cash flow.
- Produce accurate financial reports for Trustees.
- Work closely with external accountants and financial advisers.
- Develop and deliver an income generation strategy.
- Research and secure funding opportunities from trusts, foundations and grant makers.
- Lead the preparation of funding applications and reports.
- Develop new sources of earned income and community fundraising opportunities.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with funders and supporters.
- Set and monitor organisational income targets.
2. People Leadership and Organisational Development (20%)
The General Manager will:
- Lead, motivate and develop the staff team.
- Line manage the Operations Manager and sessional staff, and oversee performance management processes.
- Lead recruitment, induction and onboarding activities.
- Support staff wellbeing and development.
- Conduct appraisal and development reviews.
- Create a positive, inclusive and high-performing organisational culture.
- Review team structure and deployment to maximise organisational effectiveness.
- Lead workforce and succession planning.
- Facilitate regular team meetings and organisational communications.
3. Development of New Work and Strategic Growth (20%)
The General Manager will:
- Identify new opportunities that align with DWB's mission and strategy.
- Build partnerships with health, arts, voluntary sector and community organisations.
- Explore opportunities for service expansion and innovation.
- Develop new projects and programmes that increase impact and income.
- Assess community needs and emerging opportunities.
- Secure resources required to deliver new initiatives.
- Monitor and evaluate project performance and outcomes.
4. Governance, Compliance and Risk Management (20%)
The General Manager will:
- Work closely with the Board of Trustees.
- Prepare reports and papers for Trustee meetings.
- Support Trustees in delivering effective governance.
- Ensure compliance with Charity Commission requirements.
- Maintain organisational policies and procedures.
- Lead safeguarding, health and safety, equality, diversity and inclusion, data protection and other compliance areas.
- Maintain and manage organisational risk registers.
- Ensure appropriate systems and controls are in place.
5. Marketing, Representation and Profile Raising (10%)
The General Manager will:
- Raise awareness of DWB and its impact.
- Build relationships with referrers, funders and strategic partners.
- Represent DWB at meetings, conferences and community events.
- Support marketing, communications and public relations activities.
- Maintain awareness of developments in health, wellbeing, arts and community sectors.
- Promote DWB's reputation and profile across North Yorkshire and beyond.
Personal Qualities
We are looking for someone who is:
- Passionate about improving people's wellbeing.
- Values-led and aligned to DWB's ethos.
- Warm, approachable and emotionally intelligent.
- Proactive and self-motivated.
- Resilient and adaptable.
- Collaborative and supportive.
- Creative and solutions focused.
- Organised and able to work independently.
- Confident representing DWB externally.
WHAT WE’RE OFFERING
- Salary: £35,000-£36,000 per annum (subject to final approval)
- Contract: Fixed-term contract until September 2028 subject to funding
- Hours: 37.5 hours per week, with occasional evening and weekend work required
- Location: Office base in Harrogate (Harrogate Community House, HG1 5LT) with
- travel to locations across the area (mileage paid from office) with flexible and
- community-based working
- Annual Leave: 30 days including bank holidays
- Pension: Employer pension contribution of 3%
Other Requirements:
- Ability to travel across the Harrogate District and surrounding areas
- Access to a vehicle (mileage paid for travel away from office base, currently 55p per mile based on HMRC rates)
- Enhanced DBS check required
To apply, please submit to [email protected] the following:
1. A current CV including 2 references
2. A supporting statement of no more than 1000 words outlining how your experience, skills and knowledge meet the requirements of the role and person specification (Please email [email protected] to receive a full job pack that includes a full person specification before applying)
Applications can be sent to the Trustees by emailing [email protected] in advance of the deadline.
Alternatively, if you’d like an informal chat with one of the Trustees as a first step, please email [email protected] / [email protected] with your contact details.
We look forward to receiving your application by 12pm, Wednesday 30th September.
Please note, applications may close sooner at the trustees’ discretion: you are encouraged to apply as soon as you can.
Pay: £35,000.00-£36,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
