Fixed Term Contract /Secondment

Fixed Term Until 30 June 2022, with potential for extension subject to performance and funding.

1 Lancaster Circus  Currently home working.

This post is part funded by European Social Fund and Youth Employment Initiative

Jobs and skills are vital to the economic recovery of Birmingham, and are central to the Council's Covid 19 Economic Recovery Plan. In the Employment and Skills section we work with some of the top civic bodies, and experts in young people, mental health, skills provision to deliver 'Youth Promise Plus' one of the biggest youth employment projects in the country.

Do you understand the importance of excellent Project Management? Do you have passion for delivering employment and skills and supporting young people? Have you an eye for detail and analysing data?

Would you like to put your passion for analysis and process management to work in an environment that promotes teamwork and continuous learning? If so this role maybe just the challenge you are looking for.

Birmingham City Council is seeking to appoint a Principal Employment Officer as part of its established Youth Promise Plus project.

This is an exciting opportunity for the right individual to drive forward compliance, performance and data quality across a £42M project that's at the heart of the city's delivery to support young unemployed residents.

With internal and external partnerships, and a strong compliance regime in place, the team deal with varied and fast paced challenges to ensure this fantastic project succeeds. Our work supports some of the most vulnerable young people in the city, and due to the impact of the pandemic, it's more dynamic than ever, with rapid developments and further project innovation underway. We have a bid submitted to extend the Youth Promise Plus project until 31 December 2023.

The project has a new delivery plan for 2021, and has submitted a bid for extension of funding for 2022 and 2023. You will support us to drive performance across internal and external partners and contractors, and ensure our delivery records that stand behind our performance are audit standard. You'll help us move to more evidence based practice, ensuring our support is targeted to those who need it most, and examine where our delivery is succeeding and where we need to improve to provide equitable services to our residents.

A central priority for this year for the post holder will be to continuously develop our strong compliance and performance management function, joining an experienced management team of 3 Principal Employment Officers and 1 Data Manager.

This post has is a broad job description including

-Account manage a wide range of employers, strategic partners, and internal and external stakeholders to capture jobs, design programmes and deliver commissioned activity to accelerate targeted individuals and groups into training, work experience and sustainable employment opportunities.

- Secure external funding and other resources to support implementation of local policies and strategies. Undertake activities to support effective performance management, research and evaluation to enable continuous service improvement and sharing of best practice.

- Secure external funding and other resources to support implementation of local policies and strategies. Undertake activities to support effective performance management, research and evaluation to enable continuous service improvement and sharing of best practice.

- Represent the council in partnerships, on external bodies, committees and meetings as required.

- Direct or convene project or initiative-based groups as required to agree and deliver appropriate actions

-Oversee financial and performance management of projects and contracts, identifying risks and remedial actions

-Ensure compliance of contracts, service level or partnership agreements. Maintain, produce and report management and impact information.

-Establish and maintain robust project management systems

-Undertake or commission evaluations

-Prepare reports, briefings, presentations and publicity material on all aspects of projects and work programmes as required.

-Produce reports and presentations as appropriate for internal and external committees, forums and partnerships

-Provide briefings / publicity material for a wide range of stakeholders, including senior officers and elected members

-Act as a point of contact for employers, service users and internal and external partners and stakeholders.

-Undertake staff and resource management responsibilities as required.

-Supervise, develop work programmes and direct the work of staff, students and work experience beneficiaries on an agreed basis.

-Identify suitable work activities and performance targets, in line with objectives of the team.

We are inviting applications from self-motivated, outcome driven individuals who can work with minimal supervision and manage a varied work load, with the experience to represent the Council in a responsible and professional way.

The role would be ideally suited to a candidate with a relevant background in employment and skills project management

Due to the focus on compliance and data management and analysis, attention to detail and accuracy will be essential requirements, with process mapping and management as desirable.

As this is a short term role initially, the post holder will need to have a strong understanding of performance management and compliance, preferably involving European funding or other stringent funding programmes.

Applicants should demonstrate successful negotiation experience and management of productive delivery partnerships with a variety of stakeholders.

The post holder will need to have good team working skills, being able to work collaboratively and autonomously to meet deadlines.

Requests for flexible working / compressed hours will be considered where business needs can be met.

Project funded. Fixed term to 31 December 2021, Full time (36.5 hrs per week), Flexible hours, Agile working, currently working from home (this will be reviewed periodically and working from offices part time will be the normal situation)

Interviews for this post will take place virtually via video conferencing. Shortlisted candidates will be provided with further information.

For any informal enquires please contact Tara Verrell, YEI Project Manager on 07703 373 418 or email at tara.verrell@birmingham.gov.uk

Ref : BCC001991

Right to work in the UK documentation will be fully checked for all applicants.  All non-UK applicants (excluding Ireland) may require a Certificate of Sponsorship from Birmingham City Council and must have an approved visa from the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) before any employment offer can be confirmed. Unless they are an EEA or Swiss citizen or their family members, already living in the UK by 31 December 2020, then they will need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) instead.

Supporting documents
Job description and Person specification