Job description: UVW General Secretary

UVW JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title	United Voices of the World General Secretary
Term of office	Minimum 2 years, maximum 3 years
Pay and hours	UVW pay rate (currently £13.50 = London Living Wage + £1.55 per hour) Full time – 40 hours per week
Works closely with	UVW staff, UVW Executive Committee, UVW Sector Groups, UVW members, and external/partner organisations
Reports to	UVW Executive Committee

Main Job Purpose:

The main purpose of the role is to ensure the decisions of the membership are implemented by the union. This is the only paid official that is directly elected by and accountable to the entire UVW membership
The General Secretary works with the Executive Committee, staff, activists and members to ensure that UVW can achieve the goals set by its members, and remains true to its mission, vision and values. The General Secretary is a member of the UVW Executive Committee, providing advice and recommendations but without voting rights.

Main Responsibilities

• Assist the Executive Committee in overseeing the development of strategy and the effective use of available resources.
• Work with, support and coordinate members, staff and activists to drive and oversee the implementation of UVW’s strategy, goals and objectives.
• Stay abreast of performance and activities across the union and ensure regular updates are provided to the Executive Committee.
• Support the Executive Committee in overseeing UVW’s organising and campaigning activities.
• Identify and explore opportunities that would help UVW to achieve its goals and secure the long-term health and sustainability of the union.
• Support the Committee in ensuring that UVW meets its statutory and legal obligations in all union matters, including but not limited to areas relating to casework, staff employment, industrial disputes, GDPR, membership records, finance and the Certification Officer.
• Safeguard the integrity, reputation and resources of UVW, to manage risk and take such measures as are necessary to protect the interests of the union and its membership.
• Assist and support the Executive Committee in maintaining UVW’s democratic processes, including the AGM, the committee itself and any union elections in-line with the union’s rules and constitution.
• Ensure that the UVW Committee receives the appropriate advice and information required to effectively carry out its duties and make informed decisions.
• Represent UVW externally, build relationships with external organisations and be a spokesperson for the union where appropriate, necessary and where it is mandated by the Committee.
• Support the development and implementation of best employment practices, including relevant policies and procedures, and lead by example.

PERSON SPECIFICATION
	ESSENTIAL	DESIRABLE
Education level, qualifications or equivalent	Significant proven leadership experience in a trade union or social justice organisation
Knowledge, experience and technical skills	Strong leadership skills, and practical experience of leading / supervising teams. Sound knowledge and practical experience of organising, negotiating and/or campaigning within a trade union or similar context. Solid organisational and planning skills, with experience of managing budgets, at an organisation, team or a project level. Knowledge of the work and aims of the trade union movement. Proficient in English (verbal and written). Good knowledge of Spanish. I.T. literate, with experience of using standard programmes (e.g. MS office or Google Suite)	Experience of case handling, advocacy or representation. Legal knowledge or experience Experience of acting as a spokesperson to the media
Personal attributes and skills	Strong communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills, and the credibility to influence at all levels. Ability to exercise a high level of discretion, diplomacy, judgement and initiative. Ability to work to a broad brief, with competing priorities, under-pressure and without supervision. Analytical and creative problem-solving skills. Commitment to social justice and trade unions.

Agreed by Executive Committee 5 July 2023

Job description: UVW General Secretary

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