Productivity & Skills, the employment, education and skills arm of the West Midlands Combined Authority is committed to ensuring that every resident has the opportunity to reach their potential and that business growth is accelerated through access to a skilled workforce. We focus on improving skill levels, tackling poor connectivity and increasing employment opportunities. We help more people access high quality training and employment opportunities, increase skills levels in priority growth sectors and create a responsive regional skills system that provides people with the skills to sustain good jobs and careers.

As Head of Skills Insight you will support the Director of Productivity and Skills by providing leading edge thought leadership and innovative approaches and plans which will ultimately get more people into jobs and provide better training that meets the needs of employers. Using your technical knowledge, analytical mindset and understanding of the UK skills system, you will provide high quality market insight and data analysis to support stakeholders and policy development and solution design to the current and future labour and skills agenda.  

Acting as a representative of WMCA to a range of external stakeholders, including government, academics, think tanks, charities and professional bodies, you will lead consultations with internal and external stakeholders, including colleagues, partners, or members of the public, and, with senior officials in DfE and DWP, inform national policies that impact in regions, and lead on proposals to government to inform change. 

About you

Already a seasoned professional in the skills sector, you’ll bring a breadth of experience across education, employment and skills, and ability to identify options and solutions. We’re looking for someone who can demonstrate a combination of strategic thinking together with operational knowledge and expertise applied in a skills and education sector. Knowledge of the employment support landscape and benefits policies and regimes is required.

You will have good analytical skills, with the ability to review information and determine the best approach and excellent interpersonal skills to confidently persuade and inform key senior stakeholders. Strong influencing capability and a track record of working in matrix teams internally and externally to the organisation, is important.

Who we are

The West Midlands has been one of the most promising regions in England with the fastest growing economy outside London; it has been seen as one of the best places to invest; with improved living standards, regional infrastructure was benefiting from huge investment; a rapid expansion in house building; increasing numbers of apprenticeship starts; construction on HS2; and the Battery Industrialisation Centre launched in Coventry.

The West Midlands has one of the greatest potentials to grow in 2021 and we are seeking investment in new markets, upskilling our workforce, protecting our environment, strengthening our communities and repositioning the region as a leader in the national economy.

Now more than ever, we need to be innovative and we don’t just return to the old ways of working and living. We already have many of the building blocks in place – we are resetting our thinking, rebuilding our region and reinventing our image as a national leader. In order to do that, we will listen to our communities and deliver change for the better as a result of what we’ve experienced. There is a lot to look forward to – next year the region will host the City of Culture in Coventry; and following that it will be the site of the Commonwealth Games. These are opportunities to showcase our region to the world.

The West Midlands is a region which is resilient and innovative, and WMCA is building the future, with a shared vision of a healthier, happier, better connected and more prosperous West Midlands - a fast-growing global force with huge potential and ambition. Everyone who works here plays their part in this success story and we’re all determined to use our unique role to deliver lasting change across our region.

Come and join the West Midlands Combined Authority; be part of Building the Future.

How to apply

Please provide detailed information in your application outlining your suitability for the post and ensure it is submitted ahead of the closing date.

Please note that West Midlands Combined Authority reserves the right to bring forward the closing date of any of its job vacancies if we receive a suitable number of quality applications from which to make a shortlist. Therefore, we recommend that you apply as soon as possible rather than wait until the published closing date.

Additional information

Our priority is to keep all our employees safe and well during this time. We will be working remotely for the foreseeable future, and we are doing everything we can to ensure all our employees can enjoy a comfortable remote working space.

We are committed to developing an organisation that is representative of the diverse communities that we serve and welcome applications from all sections of the community. The following groups are currently underrepresented: young people, Black, Asian and ethnic minority groups and women at senior levels.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and offer a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants who meet the essential job role criteria. We will make reasonable adjustments, in line with the Equality Act, for disabled applicants if these are needed.

Wherever possible we will offer flexible working options which assist work-life balance and support service delivery for the customer.

Supporting documents
Head of Skills Insight - Role Profile.pdf
WMCA's Benefits Calculator.pdf