Purpose: NZF’s vision and mission

National Zakat Foundation (NZF) gives Muslims around the UK a way to bring their Zakat to life. It is the only organisation with a nationwide reach that helps Muslims calculate and give Zakat or apply for Zakat.

This is an exciting time to join NZF. With over ten years’ experience in collecting and distributing Zakat in the UK, NZF seeks to help as many people in need as possible with an experience that makes them feel valued members of the Muslim community.

Working closely with the CEO, COO and the Head of Technology, you will be responsible for designing and ensuring effective delivery of NZF’s flagship Zakat programme. Supported by your team, you will distribute a minimum of £5m in Zakat grants each year to Muslims in need across the UK directly to eligible applicants as well as increasingly through community-based partnerships you and your team develop. You will improve the design of the service to make it more efficient, scalable, and impactful for Zakat recipients. You will make sure there are suitable mechanisms in place to listen to applicants and community partners to inform these improvements.

As Head of Programmes, you will manage or ensure management of a team of Grants Officers who verify applicant eligibility and give out grants to people in need, and who support community partners. You will work closely with the Head of Technology to ensure technology enhancements effectively enable the team in that process. You will also manage or ensure management of the Customer Support Officer who helps applicants with queries, and the Audit and Assurance Officer who ensures quality. You will manage recruitment and ensure training of additional team members as needed.

You will be a member of the Management Team and be instrumental in ensuring projects are successfully implemented and reviewed across the organisation.

To succeed in this role, you will have excellent programme design skills, people management and change management skills. You will be highly motivated, versatile, empathetic, and have a good eye for detail. The opportunity to serve God through serving Zakat givers and recipients will be a key motivator for you. Ideally, you will have experience of managing grants programmes to individuals and UK community partners.

Typical Responsibilities and Key End Results of Position:

Programme Strategy development and implementation

·   Working closely with COO, set goals and objectives to deliver an excellent service in line with agreed strategy.

·   Ensure that data analysis, reporting and insights reflect the strategic direction.

·   Communicate with Executive Committee on programme status, risks and issues in an appropriate and timely manner.

Service Design

• Design, deliver and review Zakat programmes for optimum impact for direct applicants and for community partners.
• Work with team members, the CEO, COO and external advisors including Shariah Advisor to identify service design improvements.
• Ensure suitable mechanisms in place to listen to applicants and to community partners to help inform these improvements.
• Identify and manage risks.
• Work with the Head of Technology to design and implement service improvements.
• Ensure service design is appropriately documented and understood across the team.

Service Delivery

• Gain and maintain strong understanding of applicant and partner experience with NZF.
• Deliver a high level of customer service for Zakat recipients and community partners.
• Ensure service procedure is appropriately documented and understood.
• Work with the Data Insights team to ensure that KPIs for each service are monitored, reported and achieved.
• Work with the Audit and Assurance Officer to ensure all team members follow agreed policies and processes. 

Manage Teams

• Lead a team of Grants Officers, Audit and Assurance Officer and Customer Service representatives. Lead monthly team meetings and ensure effective daily team check-ins. 
• Manage the team. Ensure goals developed for each team member, in line with agreed strategy. Ensure each team member has at least monthly 1:1s and is held accountable for those goals at least semi-annually through the Enabling Excellence Process.
• Ensure adequate staffing levels. Manage recruitment and ensure training of additional team members.
• Work with the Head of People to motivate and coach the team to operational success.

Manage Partnerships

• Initiate, oversee and support Zakat distribution with community programme partners, working closely with Head of Fundraising and Community Engagement. This includes ongoing distribution and projects, as well as referral partners. 

Finance and Governance

• Work with Head of Finance to ensure Zakat spend remains within financially acceptable parameters.
• Ensure that appropriate processes and procedures are followed within the team for safeguarding, external audit, internal audit, and Shariah-compliance audit.

Management Team

• Contribute to overall strategy and annual budget process.
• Contribute to ensuring projects are successfully implemented and reviewed across the organisation.
• Input into Board papers to guide Board discussions and secure approval.

Stakeholders

• Represent NZF where needed to external stakeholders.
• Work with the Communications team to show the impact of Zakat giving to Zakat givers and recipients.
• Work with all teams within the charity, forming strong internal relationships based on a shared vision.

Approach

• Comply with relevant legislation and regulation ensuring that good practice is observed.
• Understand and support the vision, mission and aims of NZF.
• Adhere to and champion NZF’s policy and practices on safeguarding.
• Ensure the approach is coordinated with key stakeholders across the organisation
• Undertake any other duties requested by the line manager commensurate with the role.