Head of Skills & Employment Leadership

Organisational Level Tier 4

The City of Brighton & Hove has seen significant improvements in the delivery of its services for children and young people. Education standards in the city are at or above national averages at all phases of education. Young people not in Education Employment and Training (NEET) continue to be supported well and like all regions apprenticeship opportunities continue to be a focus for growth. The council supports people with disabilities into work, via its Supported Employment offer. The Local Authority has been recently judged in its ILACs inspection as good, has had a good SEND inspection and has higher than the national average percentage of schools and colleges that are good and outstanding. 

We are looking for an ambitious and exciting senior manager who can support the journey to excellence, building on the improvements.

You will be responsible for providing strategic leadership in relation to skills and employment services and associated partnerships across the city. This will involve providing appropriate challenge and support to other education and skills leaders and providers, ensuring quality of provision post 16 and adult education as well leading the cities apprenticeship strategy.  The role has a significant part to play in meeting the needs of vulnerable young people and adults including those with disabilities, developing their skills and gaining employment with support, to ensure ‘no one is left behind’. Developing and improving collaborative partnerships across the city and the region will be a significant part of your work, also ensuring that every opportunity is taken up to develop innovative and creative practice and to bring in funding to enhance the offer in relation to skills and employment.

About the role

Essential Qualifications

• Degree level qualification in a relevant discipline (or demonstrate relevant equivalent experience)
• A Management qualification or significant post qualifying experience and/or development

Key Attributes

• Substantial direct experience as a manager or senior leader in a council or other organisation or provision
• Experience of leading and managing services and teams, enabling others, problem solving and developing people – including setting objectives and managing performance.
• Experience of making change happen, responding to internal and external financial and organisational pressures
• Understanding of pathways to employment, including careers and IAG, for all ages
• Experience and Awareness of, and sensitivity to, the political implications of professional and managerial decisions
• Understanding of the context of Skills and Employment in the city and across the region and the opportunity this partnership brings
• Excellent communication, advocacy, presentation, influencing and negotiating skills
• Experience of working with collaboratively with internal colleagues to bring about improvements and change
• A passion for supporting vulnerable children and young people and adults with a focus on ‘no one left behind’
• Demonstrate skill and experience in engaging with a range of partners, including businesses, third sector organisations and training providers
• A passion and will to want to listen to the voice of children and young people
• Understanding of the role of Ofsted and other regulative bodies in relation to Skills and Employment
• Experience and understanding of budget management and bidding processes

For an informal conversation please contact Jo Lyons – Assistant Director for Families, Children & Learning (Education and Skills) on 01273 293514.

Additional information

Your starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is part-time or term-time only.

Work Permits: we may be able to obtain a Work Permit for this post but this is subject to meeting the requirements of the UK Border Agency's Points-based Immigration System.

From 6 April 2011 the Home Office has placed a permanent restriction on the number of migrant workers that all Tier 2 (General) Sponsors can recruit. Due to the restrictions we cannot guarantee that individuals that meet the requirements of the Points-based Immigration System will be issued with clearance to obtain work permits.

Company information

We welcome applications from all sections of the community but particularly encourage applicants from a BME or White Other background as well as those who identify as disabled, LGB, male or trans as these groups are currently under-represented in our Directorate workforce.

As part of Brighton & Hove City Council's ongoing commitment to redeployment, please note that this vacancy may be withdrawn at any stage of the recruitment process, without prior notice if a suitable redeployee (internal employee at risk of redundancy) is identified.