Hub Production Coordinator, Battersea

Fine Cell Work in Battersea is the head office of our Production, Design and Commissions, and
Fundraising and Sales teams. It is also the location of our Hub workshop for supporting prison-leavers, and small stock warehouse. The Hub continues to be an integral part of Fine Cell Work’s operations nationwide.

This new, entry-level role will provide pivotal support towards increased production outcomes, ensuring targets are met as part of the smooth running of the Battersea Hub over the next 12 months. The role will also provide administrative and operational support across teams, gaining a rounded understanding of the day-to-day running of a creative social enterprise.

The successful candidate will be an ambitious self-starter with extensive knowledge and practical understanding of textiles, specifically product construction, fabric cutting, and sewing machine skills. They will be accurate in their attention to detail, working autonomously to respond to areas of organisational need and prioritising their own workload accordingly. Supported by a dedicated line manager, they will promote Fine Cell Work’s mission and vision, demonstrating our organisational values in all aspects of this exciting and varied role.

Rank Foundation – Time to Shine:

This 12 month full-time position will be predominantly funded by The Rank Foundation’s ‘Time to Shine’ Programme. The specific aim of the programme is to enable an individual, either unemployed or underemployed, with the right skills and work ethic to experience a 12-month, full-time paid position. Rank defines underemployed as ‘an individual working below their current skillset or training’. For the purposes of the programme, the successful candidate will be known as a ‘T2S leader’. There is a requirement for T2S leaders and their managers to attend residential conferences during the programme which will include travel away from home and overnight stays. T2S leaders attend a series of leadership days throughout the year with their allocated peer support group and a facilitator. In addition, Rank offers membership of The Foundation’s RankNet Community and online digital platform, with access to training and development bursaries. There is an opportunity for the T2S leader to request a suitable mentor through the T2S Mentoring scheme.

Candidates should familiarise themselves with all aspects of the opportunity to ensure that it is right for them. Their understanding of, and commitment to, the Time 2 Shine programme are essential criteria.

Principal Accountabilities for the Core Job:

1. Making up of machine-made products including working with the Production Manager and Design and Commissions Specialist to prioritise sampling new products.

2. Oversight of the workshops retail partnerships, advising on the construction of new products.

3. Working with our prison-leavers on our post-release programme, Open the Gate (OTG), showcasing skills and supporting engagement in production processes.

4. Managing Fine Cell Work’s specialist services including personalisation, tapestry finishing, and cushion making-up, as well as receiving and managing thread and fabric donations requests.

5. Supporting Fine Cell Work Production and Sales team with day-to-day stock coordination including bi-annual stock counts.

6. Attending sales meetings to ensure FCW hub production is in line with the marketing plan, mindful to sales targets for each sales channel.

7. Leading and delegating to volunteers and prison-leavers during ad hoc OTG workshop cover.

8. Participating in, and contributing to, regular meetings on production, design development and commissions with the Workshops and Production Managers, and the Design and Commissions Specialist.

9. Working with the Design and Commissions team to assist with the preparation of digital printing files and assembling specialist commission kits.

10. Ad hoc duties to support the work of the charity as required including back-up support to Production, Design and Commissions, and Workshop teams.

11. Assisting with Fine Cell Work events as and when required.

12. Participating in monthly line management supervision meetings to discuss issues arising and identify and review areas of skills development.

Core Job Context:

Fine Cell Work is a unique charity transforming the lives of people in prison through training in high quality, creative, commercial needlework. Handmade products, finished in our prison and post-release workshops, are sold to public and to designers, artists, and heritage organisations, many of whom commission bespoke pieces. After more than two decades successfully supporting people in custody, in 2017, we established Open The Gate. The programme takes place at our Battersea workshop in London where we offer a rounded programme of post-release employment support. The prison-leavers who work with us as volunteers, who we refer to as apprentices, work alongside our wider staff team. We are a small, ambitious, and supportive team and we look forward to welcoming you.

The following skills and experience have been identified for the role:

Essential:

• Extensive knowledge and understanding of textiles, specifically product construction, fabric cutting, and sewing machine skills.
• A demonstrable interest in embroidery and/or needlepoint.
• Attention to detail for logging information and quality checking work.
• Organisational and administrative skills.
• Proficient in MS Office, particularly in Excel.
• Experience working as part of a team.
• A flexible approach to managing workload.
• The ability to take initiative, work autonomously, and prioritise workload.
• An enthusiastic and positive attitude.
• Able to attend residential conferences during the programme which will include travel away from home and overnight stays.

Desired:

• Experience working with digital embroidery or a willingness to learn.
• Experience of using digital printing and Illustrator files or a willingness to learn.
• Knowledge of or interest in the criminal justice sector and themes of rehabilitation.
• Experiencing teaching or training others.
• Experience working alongside volunteers.
  

Fine Cell Work offer the following benefits to all our team members:

• A supportive learning culture and opportunities to develop in your role.
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata) increasing after 2 years of service.
• Employer pension contribution of 5% to your workplace pension after 3 month probationary period.
• Season ticket loan.
• Cycle to work scheme.

Fine Cell Work is committed to the principle of equality. No job applicant, employee, volunteer or worker is discriminated against either directly or indirectly on the grounds of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, religious belief, sex, marital or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy status, age or disability and we will maintain a neutral working environment in which no employee or worker feels under threat or intimidated.

Salary: £28,860 - 12 Month, Full Time - Fixed Term Contract

How to apply:

To apply please submit a covering letter and CV demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the role to jobs@finecellwork.co.uk.

Please note, applications submitted without a covering letter will not be considered. Please note: Application deadline is 5pm on the 18th of February and first round interviews will be conducted on the week commencing 23rd of February.

This job is based in the FCW office in Battersea, London. This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare: all unspent cautions and/or unspent convictions