Project Development Lead in Wales

We’re looking for a Project Development Lead to join our Day Opportunities team in Flintshire and play a key role in transforming what day opportunities can look like for the people we support. This role is available on a 9 month fixed term contract. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is passionate about employment, independence, inclusion and creating real opportunities for people to achieve their ambitions.

About the role

As Project Development Lead, you’ll be a catalyst for change. Working alongside people we support, colleagues across Hft, commissioners, education providers, employers and community organisations, you’ll help us reimagine and develop day opportunities across Flintshire and North Wales. A key focus of the role will be supporting the development of a new autism service and creating a programme that enables people to build skills, confidence and experience based around their individual interests, strengths and aspirations. This isn't simply about getting people into jobs. It’s about helping people discover what they want to achieve, developing the skills and confidence to get there, gaining meaningful experience and creating sustainable pathways into employment, volunteering, education and other opportunities within their communities. You’ll have the opportunity to challenge traditional approaches, identify new possibilities and develop projects that help people live gloriously ordinary lives – with greater choice, independence and connection to their communities.

What you'll be doing:

• Design and deliver training and development programmes that help people build the skills and confidence they need for employment and greater independence.
• Review existing day opportunity provision across Flintshire and identify opportunities to develop and improve our offer.
• Develop project plans, implementation plans and risk assessments to turn ideas into successful projects.
• Work closely with people we support to understand their interests, strengths, career goals and aspirations.
• Develop personalised pathways towards employment, education, volunteering and other meaningful opportunities.
• Work alongside Hft’s Supported Employment team to help people progress towards meaningful, paid employment where this is their goal.
• Build strong partnerships with education providers, employers, commissioners, local authorities and third-sector organisations.
• Challenge low expectations and advocate for reasonable adjustments, inclusion and equality of opportunity.
• Ensure projects are delivered safely, respectfully and in a genuinely person-centred way.
• Support colleagues to develop the skills and knowledge needed to deliver new approaches.
• Develop tools to measure the impact of the programme, including personal outcomes, skills development, qualifications, vocational achievements and employment or move-on opportunities.
• Maintain accurate records and ensure projects meet Hft and commissioning requirements.

About you

We’re looking for someone who is ambitious, creative and passionate about what people can achieve when they are given the right opportunities and support. You’ll bring experience of successfully delivering projects and be confident managing multiple priorities, developing partnerships and turning ideas into action. You'll ideally have experience working with learning disabled and/or autistic adults, particularly within education, supported employment, employability, health or social care.

You’ll also have:

• A project management qualification and demonstrable experience of successfully delivering projects.
• A strong understanding of person-centred and strength-based approaches.
• A genuine belief in every person's right to work, develop skills and build a career if that is what they want.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Experience working collaboratively with employers, education providers, community organisations or other external partners.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage your own workload and priorities.
• A solution-focused and collaborative approach, with the confidence to challenge existing thinking and explore new possibilities.
• Good IT skills, including the ability to maintain accurate records and produce reports.
• A full UK driving licence, access to a vehicle and willingness to use your own vehicle for work purposes. Mileage will be paid.
• Welsh language skills would be desirable.

Why join us?

This is a chance to take on a role where your work can have a genuine and lasting impact. You’ll be joining a team that wants to do things differently – moving beyond traditional models of day opportunities and creating more opportunities for people to develop skills, build confidence, connect with their communities and pursue the future they want. At Hft, our values guide everything we do:

• Diverse – We appreciate that everyone is unique and champion equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Kind – Our compassion shines through everything we do.
• Positive – We focus on finding solutions, partnering for progress and getting others involved.
• Visionary – We are proud to paint a picture of what the best life possible could look like.

If you’re passionate about creating opportunities, challenging expectations and helping people turn their aspirations into reality, we’d love to hear from you.