At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategic initiatives to enhance careers services and reduce NEET levels for young people.
- Company: Dynamic local authority focused on impactful community services.
- Benefits: Competitive daily rate, hybrid working, and the chance to drive meaningful change.
- Other info: Opportunity for significant career growth and collaboration with diverse teams.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in young people's lives across Birmingham.
- Qualifications: Experience in senior leadership within public sector and strong stakeholder management skills.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 65000 £ per year.
Interim Careers Service Lead Birmingham (Hybrid Working) £500-£600 per day 3-6 month contract
The Opportunity
My client is seeking an experienced Interim Careers Participation Service Lead to provide strategic leadership across its post-16, careers, and participation services within Children and Families. This is a high-impact role responsible for ensuring the Council meets its statutory duties, improves outcomes for young people, and drives forward service transformation, particularly in reducing NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) levels and enhancing participation across the city.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic oversight of Careers Participation services, ensuring delivery of statutory responsibilities and alignment with council priorities.
- Lead the development and implementation of a Post-16 Strategy, maximising participation and improving outcomes for young people.
- Drive service redesign, transformation, and continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to improve delivery, efficiency, and impact.
- Lead initiatives to reduce NEET levels, ensuring effective tracking, targeted interventions, and strong partnership working.
- Build and maintain effective partnerships with schools, colleges, training providers, and community organisations to support participation and progression.
- Provide leadership to multidisciplinary teams, fostering a high-performance and continuous improvement culture.
- Oversee performance management, business planning, and governance, ensuring clear outcomes and measurable impact.
- Manage budgets and resources effectively, ensuring compliance with financial regulations and delivering value for money.
- Act as a senior leader across Children and Families and wider directorates, supporting corporate priorities and cross-service collaboration.
About You
We are looking for a dynamic and experienced leader with:
- Significant experience in a senior leadership role within a local authority or public sector setting.
- Proven track record of delivering service redesign, transformation, and improvement programmes.
- Strong understanding of the careers, participation, and NEET agenda, including statutory responsibilities.
- Demonstrable success in reducing NEET and improving post-16 participation outcomes.
- Experience leading multidisciplinary teams, embedding a culture of continuous improvement and managing performance effectively.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders and partners across education, skills, and employability sectors.
- Experience in budget management, governance, and strategic planning, with a focus on delivering measurable outcomes.
Why Join?
- Opportunity to lead a high-profile service with city-wide impact
- Drive meaningful change for young people across Birmingham
- Competitive daily rate and flexible working arrangements
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.
Interim Service Lead - Careers employer: Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited
Join a forward-thinking organisation that prioritises the development and well-being of young people in Birmingham. As an Interim Service Lead, you will have the unique opportunity to drive impactful change within a supportive and collaborative work culture, while enjoying competitive pay and flexible hybrid working arrangements. With a strong focus on employee growth and continuous improvement, this role offers a chance to make a significant difference in the community and enhance your leadership skills in a dynamic environment.
Contact Details:
Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Interim Service Lead - Careers
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the education and public sector. Attend local events or webinars where you can meet people who might know about opportunities or can refer you directly.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the council's current initiatives and challenges. Show them you’re not just a fit for the role, but that you understand their mission and how you can contribute to reducing NEET levels.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t underestimate the power of follow-ups! After an interview, drop a quick thank-you email to express your appreciation and reiterate your enthusiasm for the role. It keeps you on their radar!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We’ve got loads of resources to help you ace your job search. Plus, applying directly can sometimes give you an edge over other candidates.
We think you need these skills to ace Interim Service Lead - Careers
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the role of Interim Careers Service Lead. Highlight your experience in service redesign and transformation, as well as any specific achievements in reducing NEET levels. We want to see how your background aligns with the key responsibilities outlined in the job description.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share your passion for improving outcomes for young people and how your leadership style can drive service transformation. Remember, we love a good story!
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:In your application, be sure to highlight your experience leading multidisciplinary teams. We’re looking for someone who can foster a high-performance culture, so share examples of how you've motivated teams and driven continuous improvement in previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It’s quick and easy, and ensures your application gets to us directly. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need about the role and our company there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you’re well-versed in the key responsibilities of the role. Brush up on your knowledge about careers participation services, NEET reduction strategies, and how they align with council priorities. This will show that you’re not just interested but also informed.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples from your past experiences where you successfully led multidisciplinary teams or drove service transformation. Highlight specific outcomes you achieved, as this will demonstrate your capability to lead effectively in a high-impact role.
✨Build Connections
Think about how you can build partnerships with schools, colleges, and community organisations. Be ready to discuss your approach to stakeholder management and how you’ve influenced senior leaders in previous roles. This is crucial for the position!
✨Be Budget Savvy
Since budget management is part of the role, come prepared to discuss your experience with financial planning and resource allocation. Share examples of how you ensured compliance and delivered value for money in your previous positions.
