The Economic Development Service (EDS) has an instrumental role in the delivery of the Council’s ambitions and in particular the vision to promote the growth of a sustainable Coventry economy. The department also delivers objectives set by central Government, the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) and West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).  

The Skills & Growth team in EDS provide support to Small , Medium Enterprises (SMEs) up to 249 employees businesses across a range of sectors  in Coventry and Warwickshire to close skills gaps and develop the skills levels of the local workforce to support business growth  and  diversification. The team manages European Social Fund (ESF) grants paid SMEs to support agreed costs of training packages which lead to accredited qualifications and skills development. There is a focus on upskilling employees qualification levels and abilities.   

It’s great to know that you are interested in working with us at Coventry City Council. As a prospective employee, it is important that everyone who works for us is committed to our One Coventry values and shares our commitment to becoming a more diverse and inclusive organisation. 

Our Values are:

This is a new role and an opportunity to join a dynamic and successful team within the Economic Development Service supporting local businesses and local people to gain higher skills. This is a short-term post to support a busy period and increased workload for the team .

As a Programme Officer you will work as part of a team to provide support and advice to businesses. You will liaise with the project’s framework of suppliers providing training services and other suppliers of training. You will also liaise with SMEs in Coventry and Warwickshire to support the closure of skills gaps in the business, this will involve the creation and completion of  documents with the business to enable the awarding of grant funding .

The role involves the following:

• Lead the collation and processing of programme claims to funding bodies and project claims from SME businesses.  Advising on eligibility, supporting the collation and appraisal of business grant applications and appraising grant claims submitted including local businesses receiving grant support.
• Lead the development of monitoring systems to track programme expenditure, outputs, risk, issues etc. Use these systems to analyse performance data and implement solutions with delivery partners.
• Support the financial management of Economic Development projects and programmes. Working with the Skills and Growth Manager/Budget Holder to set budgets, monitor and forecast expenditure, claim funds, track income, make payments etc.
• Lead the management of external audits from the funding bodies, national audit office and European Commission including the collation of procurement, recruitment, publicity, output and expenditure evidence. Undertake Systems Advice Visits and Monitoring Visits to ensure the programme partners have effective monitoring systems and audit trails in place.

This is a 6-month fixed term contract.

Working with the Programme Manager and Officers  you will be self-motivated  with a can-do attitude and work well in a team. You will have good organisational skills and excellent customer service skills with the confidence and ability to communicate effectively with businesses and suppliers of services and internal colleagues .

The ideal candidate will have experience of working on funded projects e.g., ESF /ERDF and of processing project paperwork. Experience of working in an adult education or training setting would be an asset.

You will have excellent communication and written skills, be able to work on your own initiative, have a meticulous approach and attention to detail with the ability to meet deadlines. 

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process'.

Interview date(s): 23/06/2022

Coventry is a lively, multicultural city, which embraces old and new. Around the modern city centre there are traces of history everywhere – in the old city walls, the timber-framed buildings and the reconstructed medieval Spon Street. But Coventry has always had an eye on the future, and is now firmly focused on regenerating and re-inventing itself to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. With major developments and new projects taking place right across the city, Coventry City Council is the place to be!

There's a huge buzz about the city – Coventry ranks as the 8th best city to live, work and do business in the UK, and it was the UK City of Culture 2021. We believe this will help put Coventry on the map for all the right reasons as you can feel the sense of local pride throughout the city. It also offers a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to those joining us to play their part in it.

We genuinely believe that Coventry City Council is a special place. You will be joining Coventry City Council during an exciting time to become part of a team that contribute to achieving our visions for the city. We have made our council a place where we look after our people, making sure you're happy in your work and given everything you need to succeed. We've created friendly, welcoming workplaces where everyone is working towards the same cause, providing the best possible services for the city of Coventry.

As a council with improvement at its heart, we’re committed to making life better for the people who live and work in Coventry. We’re equally concerned with the quality of life enjoyed by our people, so by joining us, you won’t just be helping the community, you’ll be helping yourself too.

Not only do you get to work alongside great people that are helping to improve services for our community we offer great benefits too! For your valued contribution we will provide a fantastic benefits package including;

• Flexible working arrangements
• Generous annual leave allowance starting at 27 days and rising to 32 days
• Opportunity for Salary Match and Pay progression through multiple increments
• Outstanding local government pension scheme
• Learning & Development with access to certified courses.
• Access to an award winning Occupational Health Team
• Vibrant employee networks 
• Lifestyle savings
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes; Car Scheme, Cycle to work and more
• Interest free travel loans
• Payroll giving scheme
• Workplace parking scheme
• Maternity, paternity and adoption Leave
• And much more