The Greater Manchester Older People’s Network (GMOPN) is a network of people aged 50 and above and organisational representatives working for positive change for older people in Greater Manchester. The network has more than 500 members across Greater Manchester. The Network was established in 2015 and since this time has grown to be a well-respected and influential voice for older people in Greater Manchester.
GMOPN is facilitated by Macc but is a member-led Network and works according to the values, aims and objectives determined by its membership. These aims, objectives and values are complementary to those of Macc as the facilitating organisation.
The Network aims:
- To make sure that decisions made and work undertaken across Greater Manchester take into account the values and priorities of older people
- To promote the significance of older people as vital members of communities and society
- To make sure that older people from every borough of Greater Manchester and from diverse backgrounds have a chance to have their voices heard and have an influence
And has the following values and principles:
- Being led by older people – the network ensures that older people take a leading role in the network, shaping its direction and priorities
- Being Age Proud – the network works to celebrate ageing and to emphasise the contributions that older people bring to our society
- Being representative and inclusive – encouraging the input of older people from all areas of Greater Manchester, from across the age range and representing all voices, including the most marginalised
Macc also supports other community voice and influence projects. These include the GM Older People’s Equality Panel and GM Mature Minds Matter (Older People’s Mental Health Network). This role sits within the Older People’s Team and work undertaken by the network takes place in collaboration with these projects.
You can find out more about the GM Older People’s Network through the website: www.gmopn.org.uk
Salary: £27,291 (pro rata if reduced hours)
Hours: 35 hours per week (would consider as a 4 day/week role or 28hrs worked flexibly over 5 days)
Location: Based in the Macc office in Manchester City Centre but with some remote working
Contract: 1 year (extension subject to future funding)
Reporting to: Older People’s Team Manager
This role supports the Greater Manchester Older People’s Network to enable older people to influence public decisions, service provision and strategic decision-making in Greater Manchester.
The work is rooted in an asset-based approach to community development and lived-experience involvement, valuing the unique perspectives that older people contribute in working for positive change and social justice.
The role requires a creative approach to facilitate and develop engagement activities, working with members to develop specific campaigns, projects, events and engagement workshops that reflect the changing priorities of the membership and emerging opportunities to influence.
The post-holder will need to work collaboratively with the Greater Manchester Older People’s Steering Group, the wider network, other members of Macc’s Older People’s Team and key organisations and policy and strategy makers across Greater Manchester.
The main duties of the role are:
Being Supportive
- Support the Network to plan and deliver a programme of work on the basis of peer support, involvement and advocacy with regular GMOPN meetings and events
- Ensure the network is collectively owned by its members and engages and involves a wide range of people aged 50+ across GM that is representative of diverse individuals, communities and localities
- Work with the GMOPN Steering Group to ensure that decisions made about the direction and focus of the network are led by the network's members
- Ensure that all meetings and network activities take place within inclusive and supportive environments and that diverse members can express a range of opinions and share experiences in a respectful and mutually supportive way
- Develop the confidence and skills of members through training, development opportunities and peer mentoring
- Codesign and deliver a training programme for members in collaboration with the Older People's Team and other internal and external colleagues
- Work with the Manager and members to implement a communications strategy
- Ensure the GMOPN website and social media channels are an-up-to-date reflection of the Network's activities, projects and campaigns
- Oversee production of a monthly GMOPN Newsletter for members
- Respond to enquiries and communications made to the GMOPN in a timely manner
- Respond to compliments, comments and complaints in accordance with the relevant policies and procedures and in consultation with managers as required
- Maintain records of contacts and support provided to groups, organisations and individuals
- Monitor membership of the network to ensure diverse and representative recruitment
- Maintain a record of participation opportunities and engagement from members
- Manage specific budgets in relation to participation and events
- Ensure that the impact of the work is recorded and monitored and provide verbal and written reports as required
- Produce quarterly reports on the work of the network for the Steering Group and Macc Board of Trustees
Being Influential
- Engage in outreach work across GM to link with local groups and VCSE services, to grow the network's membership and ensuring that it is representative of GM's diverse population of people age 50+
- Plan and deliver campaigns and projects that reflect GMOPN’s values and priorities
- Support the development of wider engagement mechanisms through means such as consultation, facilitation and linking with local user groups
- Enable members to identify their own needs, opportunities, rights and responsibilities
- Ensure familiarity with the key messages and recommendations from the Network's reports and support members to do the same to ensure that the network focuses on agreed priority areas
- Uphold principles of community development, co-production, co-design and participation at all times
- Produce verbal and written reports and presentations to tell the story of GMOPN’s progress and impact to members, partners, funders and other stakeholders
- Evaluate the impact and effectiveness of campaign and project work
Being Collaborative
- Work with the Older People's Team to share opportunities and challenges, as well as ensuring cohesion and collaboration across all areas of Macc's Older People's work
- Work with external partners to bring relevant opportunities to influence to network members, through workshops, meetings, events and coproduction projects
- Work with older people and organisations from specific communities of identity or interest to ensure that network opportunities are accessible to a wide range of diverse individuals and communities
- Connect with a range of other local, regional and national networks as required and encourage network members to do the same
- Support other members of Macc Staff to develop and deliver events and projects that compliment the work of the network and Macc's wider focus on developing community power and voice
- Explore opportunities for future funding and ongoing sustainability for GMOPN in collaboration with Manager
General Responsibilities of all Macc Staff
- Uphold and promote the purpose, beliefs and values of Macc, supporting others to do so and reaching out to build new relationships
- Be kind: work to be inclusive and treat people with dignity, respect and empathy
- Be accountable internally and externally for your work
- Work collaboratively as a member of the Macc team and a partner in 10GM, contributing to the development of ideas, thinking, policy and good practice within Macc and beyond.
- Share general responsibility for
- Macc’s communications newsletters, bulletins, social media and online resources
- Macc’s contact and casework database
- Responding to enquiries
- Supporting meetings, events and training opportunities
- Reporting and being accountable for Macc’s impact
- Ensuring Macc’s facilities and the spaces we convene are inclusive and accessible
- Macc’s annual Spirit of Manchester programme celebrating the local voluntary, community and social enterprise sector’s work in the city
- Practical and administrative tasks as needed
- Contribute to income generation and general fundraising, including providing charged-for services where required
- Always be learning and be willing to undertake training
- Work in accordance with key policies to ensure Macc exemplifies good practice as a VCSE organisation
- Value diversity and be inclusive in line with Macc’s Equity and Inclusion Strategy and relevant policies.
- Stay safe and well, being responsible for your own health & safety and that of colleagues, in accordance with Macc’s policies on Health and Safety, Safeguarding and Staff Welfare
- Protect the integrity of our information and systems, being mindful of Macc policies on Data Protection, Cybersecurity and Open Data.
Who we’re looking for
We’re looking for someone who’s proactive, enthusiastic, and great at building relationships. This role is all about bringing people and organisations together to create positive change for and with older people in Greater Manchester.
You’ll need to be community-focused, with a strong commitment to improving the lives of local people. Some experience of the VCSE sector and how it makes a difference in communities is essential, especially in supporting Greater Manchester’s diverse communities. Collaboration will be at the heart of your work, so we’re looking for someone who thrives on building partnerships and working towards shared goals.
Being a great communicator is key. You’ll need to explain ideas clearly, whether that’s through writing reports, running training sessions, or delivering workshops. You’ll also need to feel comfortable engaging with all kinds of people—from grassroots community groups to councils and other public organisations.
Inclusivity is really important to us. We want to make sure that all voices are heard, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds. Part of your role will involve supporting diverse leaders to step up and play an active role in advocacy and decision-making. Creative thinking is also a big part of this job as it needs someone who can find engaging ways to champion community-led, person-centred approaches, focusing on the needs of people who are often overlooked.
This is a role for someone who’s confident in influencing and challenging ideas when necessary. You’ll help ensure sure that decisions reflect the needs and perspectives of the VCSE sector. At the same time, you’ll be a natural connector, skilled at bringing people and organisations together to create opportunities for collaboration and positive change.
Finally, you’ll need to be organised and thorough, keeping track of key contacts, activities, and developments. Being able to share progress updates clearly and professionally with others will also be an important part of your work.
You need to be willing and able to travel around Manchester - though driving ability is not essential as we encourage use of public transport and ’active travel’ (such as walking or cycling).
How to apply
If you believe you can fulfil the role and our values sound like something you would want to support, we’d love to hear from you!
Attached is a short application form in which we ask you for some basic details and a few questions about your skills, knowledge and relevant experience. There is also an equalities monitoring form with simple questions and a GDPR statement which we ask you to confirm you have read. Applications can be emailed to [email protected]
The closing date for applications is: 10 March 2025 at 12 noon
Interview date is: Monday 24 March 2025, all day
For an informal conversation regarding this post, please contact Pauline Clark before submitting your application. Email: [email protected] or telephone 0161 834 9823.
Macc is passionate about ensuring that everyone has a fair chance and that they are treated equally. We are aware of the underrepresentation of certain groups and communities in our sector. These include but are not limited to, people from racialised or minoritised backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQIA+ and those from working-class backgrounds. We want to change this and commit to playing our part in eradicating inequalities in both what we do and the way we do it.
Macc is an inclusive employer committed to building a diverse, effective workforce which reflects our local communities. We work hard to create a supportive, accessible environment. We celebrate difference, and welcome applications from a wide range of backgrounds, skills and abilities, recognising value in different perspectives.
If you require access to these documents in alternative formats, or if you have comments that would support us to improve access to our application processes more generally, please do contact us via email [email protected] or telephone us on 0161 834 9823.