Business Manager (Peterborough) in England

Are you a strategic leader with a passion for driving performance and making a difference in people’s lives? If so, come and join us, as we’re recruiting for a Business Manager leading our Connect to Work programme. As our Business Manager, you’ll lead the delivery of our contract, inspiring and motivating a high‑performing team to achieve exceptional results. You’ll ensure quality, compliance, and budget control while identifying opportunities for collaboration and innovation across contracts. You’ll also play a pivotal role in shaping the future of employment services across the Company.

Our ideal candidate will have proven experience in contract management and team leadership. A strong understanding of compliance, quality assurance, and budgetary control. Have the ability to drive performance improvement and foster collaboration. Is a strategic thinker with a hands‑on approach to operational delivery and have excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

In return for your dedication, knowledge, and commitment, we’re offering a competitive salary range £36,000 to £42,000 per annum (dependent on experience) with these great benefits:

• 25 days annual leave + Bank Holidays + Birthday Day off (with the opportunity to buy additional days)
• Pension - 5% Employee 5% Employer
• Healthcare Cash Plan, incl. 3 x salary life assurance
• Annual Salary Increase in line with national average
• Refer a Friend Scheme
• Free access to BenefitHub – an online portal with access to a wide range of retail discounts, cycle to work scheme and additional voluntary benefits

Location: Peterborough

Hours: 37 hours a week. Monday to Thursday 8.30 am to 5pm, Friday 8.30 am to 4.30pm

Key Responsibilities:

• Be the lead contact for the Connect to work service and be responsible for submission of reports, addressing any queries, and providing all required information.
• Work with the Operations Manager to develop a strategy and be accountable for the delivery of the strategy.
• Responsibility to deliver all contractually set KPI’s across a range of metrics eg. customer services standards, performance, financial, compliance and quality.
• Lead, inspire, motivate, coach and supervise teams to deliver team and individual targets.
• Effectively manage a high-quality service that adheres to the principles of Connect to work best practice.
• Drive and monitor stakeholder engagement to ensure development of a robust referral pipeline.
• Attend multidisciplinary team meetings, delivering presentations as needed to promote provision.
• Monitor and manage performance of the Employment Specialists – guide them individually on best practice and achieving individual and team job outcome targets.
• Create a culture of continuous improvement.
• Identify training needs of staff and arrange appropriate training to support with continuous professional development.
• Coordinate the work of Employment Specialists in a region in relation to building relationships with employers to effectively access the hidden labour market, external agencies and delivery of job seeking groups.
• Being responsible for the production of quantitative and qualitative reports on the designated services.
• Manage all contracts within a pre‑determined financial budget. Managing Profit and Loss and monthly financial forecasting.
• Regularly review management information to identify emerging trends to proactively address potential risk areas across contracts (performance, compliance, quality and staffing resources).
• Implement Performance Management metrics, identifying skills gaps, mentoring and coaching staff.
• Drive a high-performance culture in line with Seetec Pluss’ vision and values.
• Working with Quality and Compliance teams, ensure checks and controls are in place, which are regularly reviewed and are adhered to.
• Develop and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, including central government agencies, local authorities and other key customers, to enhance Seetec Pluss’ influence in the market.
• Own and share local Jobcentre Plus (JCP) relationships to ensure appropriate referrals to your contracts.
• Develop relationships with other third parties for signposting referrals, where relevant.
• Deliver a positive experience to all customers, ensuring they positively engage with the service and identify opportunities to enhance the service further.
• Develop an understanding of specialist signposting services in the local area/region, building knowledge in areas such as specific disabilities, housing, benefits etc. Knowledge to be applied where appropriate during caseload management.

Skills and Experience:

• Extensive leadership and management experience.
• A detailed working knowledge of the local labour market in the advertised geographical locations.
• GCSE or equivalent in English and Maths at Grade C/4 or above.
• Fully IT literate in using a range of Microsoft Office programmes to include 365 products and modern digital technologies, i.e. Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business.
• Experience of partnership management.
• Experience of working in a target driven environment.
• Experience of delivering services to meet contractual and quality standards.
• Knowledge of the employability industry and/or Knowledge of the recruitment industry.
• Understanding of Supported employment Opportunities and associated frameworks (IPS/SEQF).
• Experience of working with people in ‘advice & guidance’ environments.
• Full driving license to enable deployment across a specified geographical area (region), when required.

Seetec is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share and uphold this commitment in conjunction with the requirements of the Prevent Duty and the positive promotion of modern British values.

Seetec is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.