At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead workforce development in Children's Social Care and drive transformational change.
- Company: Join Essex County Council, a dynamic local authority committed to innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, flexible working, and support for career development.
- Other info: Be part of a supportive team with excellent growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on children's services and shape the future of social care.
- Qualifications: Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in workforce development.
The predicted salary is between 44747 - 44747 £ per year.
Fixed Term, Full Time £38,035.00 to £44,747 Per Annum
Location: Chelmsford
Working Style: Fixed-base worker
Closing Date: 27th July 2026
Please note this vacancy is available as a fixed term contract or secondment opportunity for up to 12 months.
The Role
Workforce development is an essential part of maintaining our outstanding OFSTED rating in Children’s Social Care. It is a critical time in the service with more change than we have seen in a generation. This role provides the opportunity to contribute to that change journey ensuring our staff are prepared for the future.
The Opportunity
Essex County Council (ECC) is achieving transformational change across Adult Social Care and Children and Families Services, underpinned by delivery of high quality practice and a culture of collaboration, integrity and compassion. The development of a professional, knowledgeable and skilled workforce is central to achieving practice improvement and driving change; delivered by a joint Essex Social Care Academy (ESCA) service which meets the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) needs of both professional areas.
The ESCA Workforce Development Lead will oversee key areas of strategic and practice importance, to enable ESCA to deliver against its vision. Supporting the development of a cohesive service across social care, responsible for providing, developing and commissioning a high quality training offer across complex and specialist programmes. The role requires a thorough and in-depth understanding of adult learning theories and evidence of successful delivery and development of workforce projects and initiatives, that support workforce strategies. Excellent communication skills, with strong negotiation and influencing abilities will be key to success.
Accountabilities
- Responsible for developing a Workforce Development strategy, related to specific areas of Social Care Practice, equipped to deliver consistently high quality, customer focussed services.
- Identify opportunities for development of the Social Care Academy to improve performance and promote best practice.
- Lead on and manage the delivery of initiatives, ensuring that internal Continuing Professional Development programmes (either function specific or broader) and development planning, commissioning and delivery processes are integrated, to reflect commissioned outcomes and align with Partner programmes.
- Develop and commission a range of blended learning and training opportunities, tailored to the individual needs of staff groups.
- Implement processes to ensure the commissioning of training providers support excellence in practice, represent value for money, work to agreed standards and include safeguarding practices.
- Work collaboratively with external operational partners/stakeholders to ensure potential opportunities are maximised, through development of innovative approaches to implement an agreed and consistent framework of impact measures.
- Responsible for ensuring compliance with National Minimum standards, regulations and statutory guidance, maintaining effective links with regulatory bodies to achieve requisite standards.
- Raise and address any issues in a timely and effective manner.
- Measure and evaluate the impact of training and training transfer, on improving outcomes and developments in practice across social care.
- Deliver regular monitoring, reflection and review to ensure continued progress.
- Use accurate data and evidence to set and monitor priorities, which inform strategic planning of training and development initiatives.
- Undertake financial monitoring and budgetary review of programmes of work undertaken.
- Contribute to building capacity for workforce planning, to ensure effective developmental support is available through the creation of a range of initiatives including training opportunities, career development and flexible career pathways.
- Review, analyse and evaluate workforce intelligence, establish robust processes for the sharing of data analysis and recommendations.
- Working closely with operational partners to support effective evidence based workforce planning.
- Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.
The Experience You Will Bring
- Educated to RQF level 6 (bachelor’s degree) or equivalent by experience.
- Evidence of continuing professional development and knowledge, aligned to any relevant Professional Competency/Capability frameworks or Knowledge and Skills Statements where required.
- Evidence of successful delivery and development of workforce projects and initiatives that support the workforce strategy and capacity to work autonomously to achieve outcomes.
- Experience of leading the development of strong relationships which are collaborative in nature, with partners, other agencies and the local community to achieve joint objectives.
- Good leadership and behavioural skills with the ability to focus on results, supporting a highly performing and motivated team from diverse backgrounds to achieve strategic objectives.
- An in-depth understanding of adult learning theories and how to apply them in practice to support the workforce to deliver more effective outcomes.
- Excellent communication skills, with strong negotiation, influencing and problem solving ability.
- Ability to analyse, understand and present complex information effectively.
Why Essex?
As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.
In March 2026, the Government announced that councils in Greater Essex will be reorganised into five new unitary authorities from April 2028. In addition to this, Greater Essex has been accepted onto the devolution priority programme, where we will work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority.
Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.
Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs. At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.
Licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential. Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.
As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained.
Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community. If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land ESCA Workforce Development Lead – Childrens in Chelmsford
✨Get Involved Locally
Dive into local volunteer opportunities or social initiatives. This not only beefs up your CV but also connects you with like-minded folks in nonprofits. Plus, it shows your passion for social impact, which is key for getting noticed by Essex County Counci.
✨Tap into Professional Networks
Join networks like the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) or local charities to meet professionals in the sector. Attend events and workshops to build relationships and learn about potential openings at organisations like Essex County Counci.
✨Showcase Your Commitment
When prepping for interviews, be ready to speak about your personal connection to social issues. Dive into specific examples of how you’ve contributed to community projects – this will resonate with the mission-driven vibe at Essex County Counci.
✨Utilise Online Platforms
We’re all about making connections, so use platforms like Idealist and CharityJob to hunt for full-time roles. And of course, you should keep an eye on our website for exciting opportunities at Essex County Counci. Apply directly through us to stand out!
We think you need these skills to ace ESCA Workforce Development Lead – Childrens in Chelmsford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for the Cause:In the nonprofit sector, it's super important to demonstrate genuine passion for the mission of Essex County Counci. Use your cover letter to showcase any personal experiences or volunteer work that connects you to their social impact initiatives. This emotional connection can really help your application stand out.
Highlight Relevant Experience:When crafting your CV, be sure to include any relevant projects or roles that showcase your skills in social impact. Whether it's community organising, fundraising, or advocacy, highlight what you've done and the difference it's made. Don’t just list tasks; quantify your achievements and the outcomes of your efforts.
Tailor Your Documents to the Role:For a full-time role like ESCA Workforce Development Lead – Childrens, ensure your CV and cover letter specifically address the responsibilities outlined in the job description. Use their language to describe your skills and experience, making it easy for the hiring team to see how you fit into their vision.
Emphasise Teamwork and Collaboration:Nonprofits thrive on teamwork, so make sure to emphasise your collaborative experiences. Whether you've worked in a team setting, partnered with community organisations, or facilitated group projects, highlight these experiences in your application. Show them you understand the importance of working alongside diverse individuals to achieve shared goals.
How to prepare for a job interview at Essex County Counci
✨Show Your Passion for Social Change
When we’re prepping for interviews in the nonprofit space, it's vital to demonstrate our genuine passion for social impact. Be ready to discuss not just your skills and experiences but also why you care about the mission of Essex County Counci. Sharing personal stories or insights can really make us stand out.
✨Highlight Project Experience
We should focus on specific projects we've worked on that align with the goals of social impact. Whether that’s a community initiative, volunteering, or a class project, having solid examples that showcase our role and the outcomes will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Familiarity with Relevant Tools and Practices
Let’s brush up on tools and methodologies commonly used in the nonprofit sector, like project management software or outcome measurement frameworks. Being able to speak fluently about these will show that we’re not just passionate but also knowledgeable and ready to hit the ground running.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that evaluate our problem-solving skills in real-world social issues. Think about how we’d handle challenges in the nonprofit environment and prepare stories that demonstrate our critical thinking and adaptability. Role-playing with a friend could help us feel more confident!
