Education & Employability Manager in Luton

JOB DESCRIPTION

• Oversee planning, delivery and evaluation of Education & Employability programmes, including Premier League Primary Stars, Premier League Inspires, Building Futures, school partnership provision, and other funded initiatives.

• Line Manage, support and develop departmental employees and sessional staff through regular supervision, performance reviews, observations, training and clear allocation of responsibilities.

• Ensure delivery meets agreed standards, contractual obligations, safeguarding requirements, funder outcomes and organisational KPIs.

• Oversee school service-level agreements and funded contracts, including delivery schedules, staffing, reporting and quality assurance.

• Develop accessible, inclusive learning and employability pathways that reflect participants’ needs, voice and aspirations.

• Support progression into education, qualifications, training, volunteering, work experience and employment, with appropriate follow-up and evidence of outcomes.

• Contribute to departmental planning, service improvement, funding applications and new partnership opportunities.

• Drive growth and development of portfolio of Education, Employability and Learning programmes, identifying new areas of work and funding streams.

Other responsibilities

• Manage delegated programme budgets, monitor expenditure and support accurate financial forecasting and value for money.

• Maintain accurate and timely records of attendance, engagement, participant outcomes and progression using approved Trust systems, including Salesforce, Abler and relevant programme platforms.

• Produce high-quality monitoring returns, funder reports, management updates, case studies and impact evidence to agreed deadlines.

• Review programme performance regularly, identify delivery risks or underperformance and implement timely improvements.

• Ensure programme risk assessments, venue arrangements, consent and other operational procedures are completed and reviewed.

• Apply the Trust’s safeguarding, health and safety, data protection, equality, diversity and inclusion policies, escalating concerns promptly through agreed procedures.

• Work with colleagues to communicate programme opportunities, celebrate achievements and refer participants to other appropriate Trust or partner services.

• Contribute to staff recruitment, Induction, professional development and effective deployment of resources.

• Undertake occasional direct delivery, site visits and evening or weekend work where operationally required.

• Carry out other reasonable duties consistent with the level and purpose of the role.

Skills, Experience, and Qualities

Essential:

• Experience managing education, youth development, employability or related community programmes, including planning, delivery and evaluation.

• Experience supervising or line managing staff and maintaining delivery standards.

• Ability to manage budgets, competing priorities, deadlines and contractual requirements.

• Experience collecting, analysing and reporting programme data, outputs and participant outcomes accurately.

• Experience of successful funding bids and programme development.

  Understanding of barriers to education, training and employment faced by young people and adults.

• Ability to build productive relationships with schools, employers, funders and community partners.

• Excellent written and verbal communication, including clear reports and professional stakeholder engagement.

• Understanding of safeguarding responsibilities and commitment to inclusive, safe practice.

• Confident use of digital systems and spreadsheets for planning, recording and reporting.

• Relevant qualification or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.

• Willingness to work flexibly, including occasional evening and weekends.

Desirable:

• Experience of Premier League Foundation or other football club charity programmes.

• Experience managing service level agreements or education partnerships.

• Knowledge of employability pathways, vocational qualifications, employer engagement and sustained employment outcomes.

• Experience with Salesforce or equivalent CRM and monitoring systems.

• Mentoring, teaching, youth work, careers guidance or coaching qualification.

• Current first aid and safeguarding training, or willingness to complete required training promptly.

• Experience of using Salesforce to monitor and report on participation and impact (D)

Additional Information

• Applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK