ICS Apprenticeship Hub Project Manager

Job responsibilities

Key Relationships:

ICS Apprenticeship Hub Task Group Members: linked Apprenticeship leads across Herefordshire & Worcestershire health & care organisations, ICS Academy Education Faculties, Midlands & East Health Education England Apprenticeship and Workforce Transformation Leads

1.Job Purpose

Along with the ICS Apprenticeship Hub Task Group membership and ICS Academy Director, the post holder will lead the ongoing project management and development and delivery of the ICSs Apprenticeship Strategy and operational plan which forms part of the ICS Academy and ICS People Boards Workforce Strategy and key pillars.

To manage and develop strong stakeholder relationships with those listed above, (and where appropriate develop new relationships) enthusiastically promote and generate support and delivery of the ICS Apprenticeship Strategy and operational plan.

To actively lead on the development and promotion of existing and future apprenticeship plans through use of innovative and engaging advertising campaigns, apprenticeship recruitment events, stakeholder engagement and generating interest from across our ICS region for new apprenticeship opportunities.

To dedicate focussed time to support identified and agreed health and care organisations and sector, e.g. care homes in increased knowledge, access, opportunities and recruitment of apprenticeships

To support the creation of apprenticeship career frameworks aligned to health and care professional roles, enabling apprentices and widening participation to progress in a range of career pathways

Develop and maintain strong relationships with the apprenticeship funding regulator Education and Skills Agency (ESFA) and apprenticeship providers.

2.Key Responsibilities

2.1Promotion, Communication and Recruitment

To lead on the active promotion of the ICS apprenticeship programmes through effective external engagement with the local communities and health and care organisations, through a range of social media and poster campaigns, face-to-face presentations at local colleges, schools, community sites and meetings.

Manage and develop the content and materials on the ICS Apprenticeship Hub webpages as part of the ICS Academy Exchange

To lead on the active promotion of apprenticeship roles through use of an innovative and engaging advertising/marketing campaigns, coordinating interest from ICS organisations and their leads and supporting them in identifying suitable vacancies as potential apprenticeship opportunities.

To develop a set of materials and guidance that aids ICS organisations and managers to understand how to maximise the Apprenticeship Levy, other UK Government apprenticeship incentives and the investment in apprenticeships as part of their workforce planning re: supply, upskilling existing staff, new roles, new ways of working & leadership

To coordinate on the development of compelling businesses cases for the expansion of apprenticeship ventures in conjunction with service leads.

2.2Policy Development

To continuously develop Apprenticeship policies which set out the processes required for the whole ICS system and linked organisation engagement: with the apprenticeship programme for both internal and external apprentices.

To coordinate information that shows interdependencies with changes in other People Plan, Workforce, Education & Widening Participation policies that support the implementation of the agreed apprenticeship strategy.

To create in collaboration with other colleagues Apprenticeship Progression Pathways (APP), which identifies key steps to support on-going growth and development within the health and care organisations and the ICS and meets the Health Education England (HEE) and ICS strategic themes of participation and progression.

Taking a project manager role within the wider ICS People Board & ICS Academy infrastructure: to work across and with health and care organisations, ICS, Primary care, local authority, education providers and learning & skills enterprises.

2.3Governance, Monitoring and Reporting

Develop and deliver mechanisms for ensuring appropriate governance around the delivery of ICS wide apprenticeship mapping. This will include processes for professional leads to follow for the creation of apprentice programmes to ensure consistent of approach and practice.

Lead the project management of the ICS wide Apprenticeship Hub Task Group at which all those involved in the delivery of the apprenticeships share practice and activity, and ensure that all apprenticeship delivery plans are delivered in line with the ICS Apprenticeship approach

To take responsibility for preparing high quality data on all collated Apprentices reporting and their progress, and demonstrate key analytical judgement skills when communicating and presenting information relating to Apprenticeships to the Apprenticeship Hub Task Group and other associated People Board Committees

To compile and evaluate in a timely way, statistical data on apprentice performance; producing overall timely success and recommendations, and taking action as necessary to achieve agreed objectives.

To participate in regular meetings to ensure progress consistency, quality and support is maintained.

To assist the ICS system and individual health and care organisations to maximise on the apprenticeship levy provided to them and to meet their targets of apprenticeship starts.

Produce reports for the Apprenticeship Hub Task Group and other external bodies as and when required, including for HEE.

To identify and engage suitable levy transfer opportunities within the boundaries of the levy and ESFA guidance.

2.4Personal and Professional Development

To undertake training and up-skilling to ensure full effectiveness in the role.

To develop and maintain a strong understanding of the local and national apprenticeship agendas, cascading this knowledge throughout the ICS Academy Education Faculties and wider into the ICS system as appropriate.

2.5Team Management & Professional Development

Participate in team, professional and personal development activities and promote a commitment to continuous development and improvement.

3.General

As a project manager of the ICS Academy Team, the post holder will have full autonomy and the freedom to act within the responsibility and accountability required within the role

As a key member and project manager of the ICS Academy Team, there are considerable demands within the role in relation to unpredictable work patterns, conflicting demands and expectations and high levels of mental effort and concentration required.

To manage and set budgets under the post holders own responsibility, ensuring effective and value for money expenditure within financial controls and limits.

Knowledge/Skills

Essential

• Legislative rules and processes around the management and implementation of apprenticeships, including funding processes and governance.
• Understanding of Apprentice Levy.
• Full range of operational skills at a project manager level
• Intermediate level in Excel, Word and PowerPoint and other Project Management software solutions
• Ability to lead in an environment of constant change.
• Ability to analyse and interpret complex data
• Successfully influences a broad spectrum of people, highlighting benefits, finding alternatives and gaining commitments
• Builds productive working relationships and strategic partnerships with a range of stakeholders, demonstrating self-awareness, perception and a collaborative approach
• Embraces accountability, demonstrates on going resilience and the highest levels of integrity and professionalism
• Establishes a culture of continuous improvement, initiating ideas, responding to change opportunities
• Delegates clearly and monitors progress regularly and giving timely support where necessary
• Demonstrate a strong and practical commitment to equal opportunities, equal access and cultural sensitivity
• Strong effective communicator in writing, business presentations and in interpersonal communication.
• Highly developed, demonstrated teamwork skills.
• Able to direct the efforts of a team of diverse education and development professionals

Desirable

• Knowledge of compliance and regulatory frameworks

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree Level Education or equivalent experience.
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development.
• Project Management qualification.

Desirable

• Completion of accredited leadership development/change management and learning methodologies.
• Post graduate studies in Human Resources Management.

Experience

Essential

• An in-depth understanding of health care provision and awareness of current NHS policies and priorities.
• Experience of leading and building capability in learning and development.
• Experience of developing education, training or workforce strategies aligned to Apprenticeships and Widening Participation business goals.
• Experience in Organisational Development or Learning and Education to include leading and developing teams of staff.
• Experience in delivering cultural change.
• Understanding of the key education and training issues affecting staff groups across the ICS.
• Experience in coordinating training needs and delivering large-scale learning solutions.
• Extensive experience in developing and delivering management development programmes, tools and techniques on an organisational-wide basis, including stakeholder engagement.
• Able to negotiate with and influence service managers and professional education and training leads in relation to the learning and development agenda and on wider workforce development issues.
• Self-driven and extremely customer and results focussed.
• Excellent organisational, prioritisation, analytical and planning skills with a high attention to detail and process.

Desirable

• Experience of formalised workforce planning approaches.
• Coaching qualification and/or experience Operation HR experience within Learning & Development.

Other Job Requirements

Essential

• Willing to travel to other locations within the Herefordshire & Worcestershire ICS region. Due to this, it is preferred that the postholder holds a current clean driving licence and access to their own vehicle
• Willing to work outside of normal hours as necessary.
• Flexibility in home remote working