Job info	Job info details
Job title	Connect to Work Programme Manager
Strategic team/Directorate	Place
Service	Economy
Business unit	Economy Team
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Economic Development Manager
Accountable to (line manager)	Economic Development Manager
Salary grade	I
JE ref	PLA043

1. Key purpose of job

• To manage and monitor delivery of Torbay’s Connect to Work Programme.
• To lead the commissioning of the programme, managing contracts with external suppliers who are delivering works, goods and services.
• Through delivery of the programme this will support the delivery of Torbay’s Economic Growth Strategy.
• To manage and lead on the collection, collation and reporting of contractual information, data, spend, performance, social value data from external suppliers and lead on the contract modification process for contracts.
• Responsible for ensuring suppliers comply with their contractual obligations including suppliers financial standing, policies insurances, modern slavery statements and any other necessary documents.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• The outputs and outcomes of the Connect to Work programme are delivered to time and budget and are aligned to the Economic Growth Strategy.
• A proactive, effective, and compliant approach to the management of Connect to Work, underpinned by a robust framework for addressing risk, identifying, and celebrating success and managing poor performance.
• Positive relationships with suppliers are in place which support effective contract and supply chain management, innovation, and improvements in delivery.
• Best value and budget maximisation are delivered through the provision of effective and consistent advice and support.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
• Responsible for managing delivery of the Connect to Work programme including managing contracts with external suppliers, ensuring effective management of conflicting priorities and changing circumstances, whilst ensuring contractual obligations and deadlines are met.
• Responsible for understanding and managing internal customers and supplier expectations to ensure effective delivery of contracts.
• Developing strong partnerships with internal customers and external suppliers, providing advice and support on issues relevant to contracts.
• Responsible for ensuring Torbay Council acts in accordance with its contractual obligations and suppliers are delivering goods, services and works in line with agreed contract terms and conditions.
• To lead on operational meetings with suppliers, celebrating success, dealing with complaints, poor performance and default notices; and where required develop improvement action plans jointly with the supplier and monitor implementation progress against such plans.
• To be a first point of contract for suppliers and sub-contractors, making decisions to manage contentious and complex situations which may impact contractually or financially on either Torbay Council or the Supplier. Handling matters with tact and diplomacy to prevent significant and detrimental impact on delivery or causing reputational damage.
• Responsible for identifying and implementing mutually acceptable solutions to resolve problems as promptly as possible.
• Using creativity and innovation to develop and implement systems and processes which drive continuous improvement of performance, service quality and customer satisfaction and meeting need for each individual contract.
• Responsible for the effective management and monitoring of identified budgets in compliance with financial regulations.
• To manage and lead on the development of accurate and timely reports and updates on contract performance and issues. These will be reported to Connect to Work programme board, Connect to Work lead accountable body, stakeholders, management, and senior management. To ensure reporting and provision of information is provided with due consideration of the commercially sensitive nature and potential political impact of the information being provided.
• To manage the collation, analysis, and quality assurance of data to inform continued development of services.
• Responsible for identifying learning from existing contracts and suppliers and using that knowledge to influence the early development of services specifications and sourcing plans.
• Support the Economic Development Manager and wider Economy Team in embedding the Connect to Work programme into the wider Economic Growth Strategy.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• No direct budgetary responsibility but a role in ensuring the Connect to Work programme contracts by Torbay Council meet UK Public Contracts Regulations and that the appropriate financial due diligence checks have been undertaken.
• To manage and monitor a diverse portfolio of high value and complex externally commissioned contracts on behalf of Torbay Council within the agreed policy and processes for each organisation. This included budgetary monitoring to ensure spend is on tract and appropriate action is taken to address any pressures.
• Key supplier/contract management responsibility for a diverse portfolio of corporate contracts.
• No direct budgetary responsibility but a role in ensuring the Connect to Work programme is managed effectively and budget requirements for the contract are adhered too.

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Normal working conditions. 

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical demands. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• Normal resources. 

9. Key contacts and relationships

External

• Government departments, Devon County Council, Devon and Torbay Combined Authority, Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise partners, businesses, business and community groups, NHS Trusts, education establishments, service providers, consultants, funders and other local authorities. 

Internal

• Economy Team and wider Torbay Council departments.
• Torbay Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Directors, Divisional Directors, Heads of Service.
• Council Leader, Cabinet and other Torbay Council Members.
• Torbay Council Commercial Services.

10. Other duties

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.

Other Information

• All staff must commit to the Workplace Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Policy.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Children’s Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council.
• This post is office based at 3rd Floor, Tor Hill House but the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
• The post is eligible for hybrid working.
• As this post meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check (Disclosure) from the Disclosure & Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of ALL cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions, whether “spent” or “unspent”. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy, and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
• If this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Connect to Work Programme Manager
Strategic team/Directorate	Place
Service	Economy
Business unit	Economy Team

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• The ability to manage multiple and complex contracts, taking full accountability for all aspects of delivery, and ensuring that all stakeholders are fully engaged.
• Ability to develop sound interpersonal relationships, with excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to work to challenging deadlines and work with competing demands.
• The ability to prioritise workloads within timescales and meet deadlines – to operate effectively across complex work cultures and environments. Ability to use resources effectively and efficiently.
• Numerate with analytical skills to evaluate data (particularly financial information).
• Ability to use standard MS Office applications and a willingness to acquire new ICT skills.
• The ability to make decisions and recommendations, sometimes at short notice and take responsibility for them.
• Ability to work subject to deadlines involving changing problems, circumstances, and conflicting priorities.
• Ability to assimilate, understand, analyse interpret and communicate complex information and data to inform decision making.
• Ability to make decisions that may have significant implications for others and confidently provide rationale.
• Confident and competent when under external and internal scrutiny.
• Proven problem solving skills and the ability to identify causes and determine a range of informed and imaginative, innovative solutions without reference to others.
• Tact, consideration, and diplomacy skills are required by the post holder e.g., in order to manage the expectations of customers.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

• Experienced with MS Office packages.
• Ability to work to Torbay Council’s core values.
• Project management skills.

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• In depth knowledge and understanding of the principles of supplier relationship management and contract management, including the commercial cycle, cost and efficiency savings, budget, and performance management.
• Understanding of contract, delivery, and management.
• An awareness of current political and economic issues facing Torbay and how these relate to the Connect to Work Programme.
• Up to date knowledge of Microsoft Office 365, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Project, Outlook, and Access.

Desirable knowledge

• Knowledge of economic strategy and policy development and delivery.
• A good understanding of economic development issues and an up-to-date understanding of the policy context.
• Understanding of public sector governance processes to ensure that deadlines are met for effective decision-making timelines.
• A sound understanding of local authority financial regulations and contract procedures.

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Experience of service provision to an appropriate standard to maintain a quality of service that effectively meets customer and organisational expectations.
• Experience across goods, services and works contracts.
• Experience of monitoring and managing contract and supplier performance.
• Experience of working proactively within a procurement /contract management environment.
• Experience in risk assessment and risk management strategies.
• Experience in problem solving and involving and influencing operational professionals to improve service delivery.
• Track record of delivering against targets. 
• Experience of working with suppliers and partners strategically to improve products, services or works- delivery, whilst delivering best value, quality, innovation, and Social Value.
• Ability to be flexible and identify new ways of working to ensure effective delivery of services and to improve systems and processes across Torbay Council.

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience of performance management techniques to drive service improvement.
• Experience with an economic development environment.

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Degree level qualification, or equivalent, or demonstratable experience.
• Evidence of continuing professional and personal development.

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• PRINCE2 Foundation or equivalent. 

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
• Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West/UK in order to carry out duties.
• Ability to accommodate unsociable hours.
• Ability to accommodate occasional/permanent home-working.