BRCD Programme Manager Employability and Skills

Summary of responsibilities and personal duties

Leadership and Management

• To provide ongoing management support and oversight of a range of programmes and projects as they relate to employability and skills aspects of the BRCD.
• To lead on the preparation of the employability and skills programme business case in co-ordination with key stakeholders and funding bodies to ensure that the skills pipeline is aligned to the capital investment programme.
• To provide the BRCD Programme Director and other appropriate Senior management members, working groups or external bodies with a level of assurance that propriety and regularity are being applied to all funding.
• To support council departments and Colleges in the identification and delivery of   relevant regional skills and employment priorities using collaborative approaches and funding sources.
• To support the planning, co-ordination and reporting activities required across College teams to ensure that City Deal priorities are clearly aligned with College Development Plans.
• To lead on private sector engagement to stimulate demand for career-based training and to enhance skills forecasting across the City Deal region.

Project Management and Performance

• To formulate, organise and maintain effective programme and project management arrangements to secure the effective delivery of allocated strategic programmes of work as agreed by Councils, Colleges and Programme Board as they relate to the Employability and Skills Proposition.
• To agree appropriate performance indicators and monitor progress towards targets.
• To produce timely committee, briefings, performance management and financial reports and papers and to attend committees, corporate management teams, project boards etc. as and when required.
• To develop, manage, monitor and review appropriate programmes and project performance management frameworks and risk registers, allowing key stakeholders to be kept informed of progress against targets.
• To be responsible for the effective management of all appropriate programme and project governance arrangements including all relevant systems and processes.
• To ensure all financial, legal, procurement, design and other technical inputs for each programme are fit for purpose and in line with appropriate regulations, Council and College policies and standing orders.
• To oversee internal delivery or external procurement of economic appraisals in support of business cases to deliver relevant elements of the corporate strategic programme as required.
• To review and quality assure programme and project risk management arrangements, building capacity needed to maximise delivery.

Engagement and Communications

• To ensure there is comprehensive and pro-active partner and stakeholder engagement across partner agencies, local councils, business, and other sectors.
• To provide regular updates to the Principals Group of the FE sector ensuring close co-ordination with curriculum, business and finance teams in collaborating Colleges
• To develop and deliver an effective communications strategy so that key partners and other stakeholders understand the City Deal employability and skills priorities and the reasons for them.
• To represent the City Deal at appropriate groups, meetings and events.
• To provide a point of contact for those external bodies seeking to engage with the BRCD City Deal Employability and Skills priorities.
• To develop and maintain effective working relationships and partnerships between and with council departments, college sector working groups, member/officer groups and committees, government departments and statutory bodies on matters affecting programme and project delivery.
• To undertake the duties in such a way as to enhance and protect the reputation and public profile of the BRCD Employability and Skills Programme.
• To develop an engagement strategy to co-ordinate with other training providers including community based training provision to develop a skills pipeline, linking into the community planning agenda as needed.

Budgets and Financial Management

• • To lead on the business planning and budgeting processes connected to the Employability and Skills programme working with Councils, Colleges, other stakeholders and accountable Departments.
  • To ensure the proper and effective planning and oversight of all E&S resources financial planning and other management controls whilst ensuring efficient utilisation of physical and financial resources that safeguards public funds within area of responsibility.
  • To manage and ensure financial accountability for agreed annual operating budget for area of responsibility ensuring budget holders spend the budgets allocated to them in line with appropriate financial management and control guidelines.
  • To monitor and review budgets and spend profiles against targets and take prompt corrective action to address any areas of overspend.
  • To contribute to the planning and development of appropriate internal and external service level agreements including scope of services, delivery timescales, performance targets, reporting and governance arrangements.
  • To take the lead on preparation of business cases and procurement documents to secure additional capital equipment and investment in line with agreed curriculum needs.
  • To ensure the effective management of risks through the implementation and monitoring of related policies and procedures.
• • To take remedial action in a timely manner with relevant partners and City Deal programme managers and College counterparts where budgets are not being correctly managed.

This job description has been written at a time of significant organisational change and it will be subject to review and amendment, as the demands of the role and the organisation evolve.  Therefore, the post-holder will be required to be flexible, adaptable and aware that s/he may be asked to perform tasks, duties and responsibilities which are not specifically detailed in the job description but which are commensurate with the role.