Job overview

Company Overview

You would be joining Palladium, a global impact organisation, with 3,000 employees in over 70 countries. We are a mission-driven business, for whom the impact of our work is as important as the commercial return; the common feature of all our work, regardless of contract size, is the requirement that it contributes to positive social and economic impact. We simply call this ‘Positive Impact’. For the past 50 years, we have been helping our clients to see the world as interconnected in over 90 countries- by formulating strategies, building partnerships, and implementing programs that deliver lasting positive impact. We are experienced in implementing large, complex programmes supporting skills and employment and are currently delivering 30 programmes for the UK Government.

Role

Programme Overview

Connect to Work is a UK government-funded initiative that forms part of the Get Britain Working Strategy. It is aimed at supporting individuals with disabilities, health conditions, or other complex challenges in finding and maintaining good, sustainable work. Programme delivery will include both IPS (Individual Placement Support) and SEQF (Supported Employment) approaches, tailoring the service to the individual. Local embedded community support will be key to engagement and delivery, and the contract will work alongside local partners, stakeholders and employers. Individuals can either self-refer or be referred by professionals. 

Palladium is responsible for the contract in Berkshire working alongside key partners.

Location and Salary

This is a hybrid role. It is expected that you will spend approximately three days per week in Berkshire working with the team, stakeholders, and partners. Therefore, proximity to Berkshire is essential.

Salary – £50-£53K depending on relevant experience

As Contract Manager, you will lead a team of approx. 35 at peak (inc. partners), in the successful delivery of the programme, ensuring that service users receive an excellent service which meets IPS and SEQF frameworks exceeding the quality outcomes of the contract. This is an opportunity to shape a value driven team from the onset, putting the structures in place to deliver really impactful outcomes for those that Connect to Work aims to reach. The Contract Manager will lead from the front in terms of the vision and behaviours expected.

Responsibilities

  • Build and lead the Stakeholder Engagement plan to ensure, through establishing community networks, and alongside our partners, we are meeting targets for engagement and that this mirrors expected borough targets and the priorities of the contract.
  • Accountability for the delivery of the co-produced Berkshire Employer Engagement plan, working in partnership with employers, ensuring they are working documents with clear lines of responsibility – bringing in partners as needed.

    • *Lead the team under your line management, providing coaching, consistent communication and performance management support to direct reports as well as partners.

  • Lead and be accountable for our partners’ performance, building strong and effective working relationships with partners and ensuring that the necessary operational processes are in place and working well.
  • Oversee quality monitoring of tasks and processes as well as governance related to delivery; for this contract this is ensuring that delivery is in line with IPS and SEQF frameworks from the onset, embedding this throughout delivery with a focus on continuous improvement.
  • Champion and maintain high standards of integrity and conduct on the programme, with a particular focus on embedding safeguarding best practice across the team.
  • Accurately forecast performance against targets monthly (for example programme starts and finances) and proactively ensure contract compliance by addressing any shortfalls in either performance, fidelity or capacity (staffing levels). This will also include tracking performance within each of the 6 Berkshire boroughs.
  • Oversee induction and training ensuring that the whole team (including partners) are equipped for their role with a focus on development and retention.
  • Hold the primary relationship with the Commissioner for operational matters, including producing performance reports as required.
  • Build relationships with wider stakeholder groups to ensure the effective delivery of the service. This includes supporting the processes for co-location of services where needed and ensuring the contract is meeting the expectations across the 6 Berkshire boroughs.

The person

Skills and experience:

Required

  • Experience building and leading stakeholder engagement plans to ensure targets are met and in line with contract and team values.
  • Experience in a responsible management position in a comparable sector in the UK, with remote or geographically dispersed teams
  • Experience in running a project to deliver stretching contractual performance targets or Service Level Agreements and the ability to analyse and use data to drive performance
  • Proven skills in delivering operational performance through a supply chain alongside an in-house team
  • Experience in launching new support programmes, including the early phases of system configuration, office set-up, recruitment, and supply chain mobilisation
  • Strong influencing and engagement skills, with experience of building lasting and effective working relationships with a wide variety of external stakeholders
  • A level of independence and professionalism to take the lead as needed

    • Desirable

  • Experience delivering SEQF and / or IPS contracts against fidelity standards and owning an action plan to drive continuous improvement
  • Leadership of a contract or programme in the field of employability, integration, community support, education or social care.
  • Exposure to the challenges experienced by residents that may be out of work due to health or disability and / or personal lived experience of these challenges

    • Key Competencies:

  • Taking responsibility, driving tasks through to completion and achieving results
  • Ability to motivate, challenge and inspire
  • Proactive and solution focused, bringing both creativity and practicality to bear
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Use of management information to inform and drive performance improvement
  • Excellent organisation and prioritisation skills
  • The determination and drive to make a positive difference.