Area Partnership Manager (West Midlands)

Job Description

Context

CAP's mission is to end UK poverty by equipping churches to reach their communities. We exist to empower and serve churches through exceptional partnerships, delivering impactful debt advice and coaching services. Providing accessible, community-rooted support to those facing financial and social challenges across the UK. Our approach is centred on empowering individuals by providing holistic support to achieve financial resilience through expert debt advice and tailored coaching products. This approach goes far beyond financial stability, creating lasting personal and relational transformation and contributing to a society where all can flourish. We are committed to fostering strong relationships with our church partners, ensuring a collaborative and effective service that continually improves to meet the evolving needs of local communities.

Purpose

As a core member of our regional hub team, the role of the Area Partnership Manager is to be the on-the-ground catalyst for empowering and developing debt centres and coaching services (Job Club, Life Skills and Money Coaching) within your designated sub-region. You'll serve as the primary regional contact, providing vital support and driving excellence in services.

Your key focus will be to inspire, equip, and challenge frontline workers and church leaders, enabling them to effectively address financial vulnerability and crisis within their communities. You'll build and nurture strong relationships with church leaders and debt coaches, ensuring high-quality service delivery and impactful outcomes. You will build and develop strong local networks connecting centres and services together in specific regional settings.

 

Passion

Area Partnership Managers will be passionate about developing our relationship with churches and frontline workers to offer life transforming CAP services to local communities across the UK, whilst giving clients the opportunity to hear and respond to the love of Jesus.

Reports to:  Regional Director London, Midlands and East 

Direct Reports: This role doesn’t have any CAP staff reporting directly to it. However, you will be responsible for engaging frontline workers and church leaders in churches, using influence and persuasion rather than position power. 

Area Partnership Manager Scope

• Almost all APMs are part-time (2.5-4 days per week)

• Significant amount of travel. Most have centres >1.5hrs away, but others have centres 2+hrs in multiple directions. Most cover multiple (3-4) counties

• Strategic Partnership: Collaborate closely with the Partnership Development Manager to identify and cultivate opportunities for service expansion through existing and new church partnerships.

• Relationship Management: Build and maintain strong, effective relationships with church leaders and debt coaches, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment.

• Frontline Support & Development - Debt Centres: Provide direct support and development to debt centres  ensuring they are equipped to meet the needs of their communities.

• Frontline Support & Development - Coaching products: Build connections and networks for coaching services directing them to the central Service Support Hub for detailed expertise and practical support. Take a flexible and appropriate approach to visiting and supporting Coaching Service Managers, their courses and the partner churches.

• Innovation and Process Enhancements: Have a continual improvement mindset that looks to introduce innovation and enhancements across all CAP’s products and services.

• Data-Driven Problem Solving: Work with regional team managers to leverage data and real-time insights to identify and address challenges faced by debt coaches and clients.

• Cross-Regional Collaboration: Partner with other Area Partnership Managers across the region to deliver impactful training, events, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Service & Coaching Support Liaison: Work closely with the Service Support and Coaching Support functions contributing to and advising on expert coaching panels. 

Responsibilities

Service Expansion

• To provide local insight to the Partnership Development Team and support as necessary (for the purpose of opening new services) 

• To identify opportunities for additional services within the Area Partnership Manager’s network of partner churches. (The level and depth of involvement will vary, but can be all the way to gaining verbal agreement, before handing over to a Partnership Development Manager)

Church Relationship

• To be the point of contact for centres when there are national CAP announcements/ implementations of change; handling these with professionalism and grace

• To build & foster an active and collaborative relationship with church leaders (especially during times of change), ensuring CAP services are delivered in a way that serves the church(s) mission

• To contextualise CAP’s vision with the local church

• To speak on behalf of churches into CAP service leaders (e.g. consolidating feedback on service quality/ changes)

• To raise performance/ behaviour issues with the church leader when necessary and agree improvement plans

Centre Effectiveness - Debt Centres

• To inspire, encourage, motivate and challenge Centre Managers and Debt Coaches to deliver their service with excellence (e.g. bookings/ members, impact, Evangelism & Discipleship, publicity, befrienders, prayer team etc)

• To be the main source of expertise for Centre Managers with regards to all issues of running a CAP Debt centre. They are the first port of call for church partners.

• To undertake regular reviews and establish Service Development Plans with each Debt Centre Manager and Church Line Manager/church Leader to ensure each service serves its clients well & is achieving the mission goals of the church(es)

• To ensure services are set up for sustainability (including challenging churches on funding, connection with church mission, succession planning, volunteer teams etc)

• To monitor debt centre  performance utilising the network dashboard and other CAP systems and Management Information & work with the Debt Centre Manager to create improvement plans

• To provide some aspects of pastoral support for Debt Centre Managers in their role 

• To advise Debt Centre Manager on how to handle difficult client situations.

• To carry out annual audits of centres

• In conjunction with the Region Director/National Leader & church partners agree when/ if a service needs to close on a temporary/ permanent basis

• To negotiate changes to contributions (with the approval/ direction of the Region Director/National Leader)

Centre Effectiveness - Coaching Services

• To connect and build strong local networks in order that Coaching Services are well connected into the CAP family.

• To signpost and direct Coaching Service Managers to either the Service Support Hub, or expert local Coaching Services to enable them to get expert help and guidance in running a Coaching Service.

• To take a flexible and appropriate approach to visiting Coaching Service Managers and their courses. In this flexibility the Area Partnership Manager will be steered and motivated by what most helps service the church. It also recognises that one size doesn’t fit all.

Region

• To gather and share best practice across the network. This will involve feeding back innovation to Service Support Hub, Regional Debt Help Hub and Product Development teams.

• To participate in recruiting frontline Debt Centre workers.

• To host, create content and organise Area “Revive” days, Area clusters & hubs  for the frontline. (This includes identifying the development needs of the frontline and responding to this accordingly)

• To provide Area specific updates to the Region Director/National Leader 

Frontline Training

• To deliver and support online & in person training of frontline workers and follow this up with focused support to achieve operational competence and confidence. In particular, this will require significant support in the first year of a new Debt Centre to ensure it is set up well and sustainable. 

• To support Debt Centre Coaches and Managers through their Core Competency Framework sign off procedure, including taking coaches through run-throughs

• To work collaboratively with the Regional Team to design and deliver excellent equipping and inspiring events for the frontline. 

External Representation

• To represent CAP in their area, as required (e.g. speaking at church events in the area to inspire other local churches to consider partnering with CAP, speaking to referral agencies, diocese, local media etc)

• Represent CAP on local external bodies (e.g. a city wide multi-agency body addressing poverty)

APM accountabilities 

• Team Leadership and Employee Engagement: Lead, mentor, and develop team members to achieve their goals through regular catch-ups, annual appraisals and performance reviews. Build a positive team culture that boosts engagement and motivation. Hire and onboard new team members.

• Resource and Performance Management: Plan and manage resources effectively to meet business objectives and adjust to changing needs. Set clear expectations, monitor performance, and address any issues with action plans.

• Strategic Alignment and Problem Solving: Deliver department objectives through actionable team plans. Ensure adherence to policies, procedures, and industry standards. Address challenges, make informed decisions, and foster a problem-solving culture within the team.

• Communication and Change Management: Facilitate clear communication within the team and with wider stakeholders. Guide the team through changes, ensuring smooth transitions and adaptability.

Skills required

• Ability to challenge and coach poor performance

• A confident communicator who promotes CAP’s culture and values at all times

• A proven leader who can inspire, influence and deliver results

• Emotionally and spiritually mature

• Ability to develop strengths and skills in others to maximise performance

• Excellent organisational skills

• Adaptable to the changing nature of the organisation

• Flexible

• Ability to prioritise time, tasks and attention effectively (these roles are part time, interacting with people in multiple locations who are also part time)

• Ability to understand/sympathise with a variety of Christian denominations and streams within Scotland and the UK

• Ability to work collaboratively within the Scotland Hub Team

• Personable and friendly with good people skills

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working on your own initiative and being able to manage your own time and priorities effectively.

• Experience in training and developing people

• Experience of leading and managing a team of staff or volunteers (getting the best out of people who don’t report to you/ aren’t paid by your organisation and may not be paid at all)

• Experience of leading teams to meet key objectives or targets

• Experience of handling conflict

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and able to build strong and collaborative relationships with churches.

Desirable

• Experience of running one or more of CAP’s services in a local church context.

• Experience of delivering and arranging training sessions

• Public speaking experience

• Experience of leading and managing remote teams.

Christian Commitment

• The candidate must be able to give both verbal assent to and practical demonstration of Christians Against Poverty’s Statement of Faith 

• Must be able to actively participate in prayer and worship, whether individual, small group or corporately, as an expression of one's own personal faith and in line with CAP’s Statement of Faith.

All adults working in or on behalf of CAP have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults. This includes:

• A responsibility to ensure a safe environment in which CAP services can be delivered. 

• Identifying children and adults where there may be safeguarding concerns.

• Following the CAP Safeguarding policy in addressing any concerns appropriately.

Culture

Working at CAP is more than a job; it’s a commitment to a community and movement. We believe that a healthy culture is the fuel for our mission. This means we prioritise spiritual rhythms in our week—including dedicated time for morning prayer, worship, and team huddles. We are a 'joy-filled' office, which means we celebrate every win, from a client becoming debt-free to a colleague’s personal milestone. We expect our team to be 'all in'—not just in their tasks, but in contributing to a supportive, laughter-filled, and prayerful environment.

CAP is a mission-driven, fast-paced, and deeply relational environment. You will find a culture that prioritises:

• Spiritual Rhythms: We start our days with prayer and worship, staying connected to our 'Why.'

• Celebration: We are 'Debt-Free' obsessed. We ring bells, share stories, and celebrate transformation.

• Collaborative Bravery: We tackle big problems (like UK poverty) by working across teams and daring to try new things.

• Inclusive Belonging: We want you to bring your whole self to work, knowing you are valued for who God made you to be.

Other Responsibilities

• Being willing to pray with each other and fully engaged with our Christ-centred culture.

• Encouraging friends, family and other contacts to support the charity through the Life Changer programme and other fundraising initiatives.

• Attending annual CAP staff conferences and team revive days.

• Completing all compulsory CAP training within given timescales.

• This role falls within the scope of the FCA’s conduct rules, and you will be provided with training as to how these apply to the role. It is your responsibility to ensure that you follow these conduct rules.

The above job profile is a guide to the work you may be required to undertake but does not form part of your contract of employment and may change from time to time to reflect changing circumstances. 

 

Measurable Outputs:

The Area Partnership Manager is responsible for supporting the local church in getting the best out of CAP’s services and providing input to CAP’s constant desire to improve its service to the church. 

• 100% of Debt Centres have an active, relevant Service Development Plan (SDP) including a plan for Mission, Evangelism & Discipleship in partnership with their church.

• Face to Face reviews/connection with and ongoing relationship meetings with church (current recommendation of 2 face to face pa, one of which is with church leader. A lighter touch and more flexible approach is recommended for  Job Club, Life Skills and Money Coaching)

• 100% of church data held on Inspire checked and updated in a timely manner. (including updating with key relationship conversations that could affect the service)

• Frontline selection process for Debt Centres supported (3 times pa)

• Delivery of frontline training (online, in person to groups and one to one)

• Church contributions managed in line with Debt Centre changes (including checking contribution amounts and addressing problems)

• Responsible for FCA sign off process for all debt staff within the target timeframe. (90% of trainees signed off in 12 months)

• Target attendance at area, regional and national conferences & meetings achieved

• Encourage and influence churches to record the impacts of CAP services (e.g. Moments of Faith completion)

Educational requirements

N/A