Programmes Support Assistant
Action Duchenne was established in 2001 as the first national charity dedicated to supporting young
people, adults and their families living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. 87p in every £1 we raise
is invested in charitable activities; research, educational and support programmes, and life-changing
campaigns. We are looking to appoint a Head of Fundraising, to make a real contribution to the lives
of those living with Duchenne.
Job Title: Programmes Support Assistant
Reports to: Head of Programmes
Type: Immediate start FTC to end December 2023
Working week: 21hrs, 3-4 days/week, days to be agreed
Salary: £22,000 per annum pro rata equates to £13,200 per annum.
Location: Home based
Line Management: None
Overview
Most children are diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy around the age of 4. Hearing the
words “your child has Duchenne muscular dystrophy” is extremely upsetting and emotionally
challenging for families to understand, process and cope with. It leads to a myriad of dark thoughts
and feelings and anticipatory grieving shortly follows.
We would like to provide all families living with Duchenne with free and widely available support
that is not otherwise available. We want every family receiving this life-changing diagnosis to be able
to immediately access whatever it is they need to help them at such a difficult time. This role is a
vital part of that plan.
Benefits
We offer the competitive salary shown, flexible working hours, home-working and an innovative and
supportive working environment.
Why should you apply for the role of Programmes Support
Assistant?
Young people and adults living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) face many challenges in
their foreshortened lives. Our support is vital to thousands of young people, adults and families
living with Duchenne. We developed our progamme in response to their needs and since 2017 we
have been developing a sustainable, long-term funding model for this work.
We work to achieve our vision by
- Supporting the Duchenne community – to bring people together to share their experiences
and learn from each other. - Working with the NHS to improve care and provide their patients with the earliest possible
access to approved medicines. - Funding research into potential therapeutic strategies for everybody living with Duchenne.
- Helping to create an inclusive society where everybody is equal, and disability is accepted.
About the role
This is a great opportunity for you to make a significant contribution within our small yet vital
patient organisation.
We launched a new two-year support programme, delivered with partner organisations, to bring
people together in a physical and emotional sense, we will build our community and improve the
communities and places that matter to our families. This role is a vital part of that plan.
Key deliverables will be
- Event support: Assisting the smooth running of the Science on Tour events and Action
Duchenne’s Annual International Conference - Volunteer management: Assist with interviewing potential volunteers and match their
talents with our needs; process, organise and maintain volunteer paperwork; coordinate
volunteers for programme support, special events and communicate outreach efforts;
Facilitate good communication with and between volunteers. - Administrative support to programmes and social media including: track projects; update
database; grow our online presence and community with a focus on engagement.
This will be an interesting part-time role (21 hours per week over 3 – 4 days) – for a good team-
player who is well organised and conscientious with excellent writing and communication skills.
KEYWORDS
Organisation skills, administration, social media engagement.
About You
The successful Programmes Support Assistant will have a strong commitment to Action Duchenne’s
aims and objectives and a drive to deliver outcomes. You will be a self-starter with a hands-on
attitude to work. As Programmes Support Assistant you will work in a collaborative and flexible
manner with our team of staff, volunteers, committees, and Trustees.
Essential criteria
- Good general education or equivalent work-related experience.
- Experience of organising events and workshops.
- Great administration skills, ability to take notes of action points at meetings and follow up.
- Experience of writing blogs and posts on a variety of social media platforms.
- Strong MS Office skills
Also About You
- Strong organisational skills, able to multitask on different work priorities and meet deadlines.
- Ability to liaise with a range of stakeholders such as families, volunteers, suppliers, speakers,
and activity leads. - Ability to adapt to and manage variety and ambiguity.
- Ability to work as part of a team and work on own initiative.
- Ability to build strong working relationships across teams.
- Willingness and ability to travel across the UK (including remote sites).
- Excellent writing skills.
- An understanding of and commitment to Equal Opportunities and the ability to promote this
in the day-to-day work of the post.
How to apply
Send your CV and cover letter to HR@actionduchenne.org, explaining why you are the best
candidate for the Programmes Support Assistant and what is your connection, if any, to Duchenne
muscular dystrophy.
Application deadline: 31st May 2023.
Successful applicants will be invited to attend a face to face first interview via video, with further
interviews arranged as appropriate.
If this sounds like an opportunity you would succeed in, please get in touch!
A note to candidates:
Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they
believe they meet every single one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are
committed to building a diverse and inclusive environment and we are most interested in finding the
BEST candidate for the job. That candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional
background, and that’s okay. We would strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe
you meet every one of the qualifications described.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES STATEMENT
As part of its recruitment policy, Action Duchenne intends to ensure that no prospective or actual
employee is discriminated against on the basis of race, sex nationality, marital status, sexual
orientation, employment status, class, disability, age, religious belief, or political persuasion, or is
disadvantaged by any condition or requirement which is not demonstrably justifiable.
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