Careers

About Us

Our vision is for everyone to be empowered to shape their future and lead their communities. With a 40+ year heritage, the Leadership Skills Foundation exists to help young people build the confidence to believe, the qualities to lead and the skills to succeed.

Working with close to 100,000 young people every year across 2,500 delivery centres (schools, colleges and community organisations), our programmes deliver millions of hours of learning and peer-to-peer volunteering. We provide an empowering environment and learning frameworks where everyone is empowered to shape their futures and lead their communities.

As an awarding organisation, all our programmes are accredited in line with regulatory conditions, ensuring learners achieve meaningful and recognised qualifications and awards. Our programmes equip learners with employability skills for life (communication, problem solving, teamwork, self-belief, self-management) improving motivation, self-esteem and confidence.

We want young people to possess the skills, knowledge and resilience needed to face the world with confidence and optimism. By enabling organisations to deliver carefully considered leadership programmes, we help shape future generations.

About The Role

As part of our strategy, you will be responsible for leading the delivery, direction, and management of our ambitions to empower a more diverse range of young people with opportunities to develop essential leadership and life skills regardless of their background.

You will act as an influential member of the organisation’s Leadership Team to set, establish and deliver the Programmes and Projects Strategy aimed at supporting growth, reach, and impact of Leadership Skills Foundation programmes among underserved and/or under-represented communities and individuals.

In addition to establishing and managing relationships with external stakeholders at national, regional, and local levels, you will work as a pivotal member of the leadership team to embed this area of work across the organisation and benefit thousands of young people across the UK.

This role will require positive and proactive internal working relationships to be created with other teams and colleagues to support organisational objectives and goals.

Main duties and responsibilities

1.Responsible for leading and managing agreed and supported programmes, creating and supporting effective implementation and delivery systems.

2. Empower and equip programme team members, allocating resource to effectively deliver agreed and supported projects and their goals/KPIs.

3. Work collaboratively with partners and stakeholders to successfully influence and deliver agreed programme objectives and key results.

4. Manage agreed programme budgets and forecasting liaising with Leadership Skills Foundation colleagues and funders as appropriate.

5. Responsibility for implementing internal performance metrics to demonstrate effectiveness, influencing programme management, monitoring and evaluation.

6. Ensure all project milestones, contractual and reporting requirements are met to the agreed standard.

7. Develop and present clear insight and analysis to drive the improvement of strategic, business and operational planning and delivery.

8. Develop management practices that support consistent programme delivery and high-quality outcomes.

9. Ensure risk management and mitigation processes are in place across all programmes and communicated effectively.

10. Maintain a working knowledge and up to date awareness of the landscape and audiences the Leadership Skills Foundation works with and aspires to work with.

Head of Department Duties and Responsibilities

1. Implement the “one company” vision/culture and demonstrate its impact.

2. Carry out environmental scanning to recognise opportunities and challenge and formulate appropriate actions to position the Foundation in line with its agreed objectives.

3. Be accountable and responsible as required on projects to deliver the foundation’s vision.

4. Implement and develop appropriate business management capabilities and practice across the organisation.

5. Operationally implement the strategy and set work expectations as agreed by the board and SLT.

People Management Responsibilities

• Research Manager
• Local Delivery Lead
• Working with other Heads of Department whose direct reports will support the delivery of programme goals and activities

Key Relationships

Internal

• Director of Engagement (line manager)
• Direct reports: Local Delivery Lead and Research Manager
• Head of Departments: Innovation; Marketing & Communications; Business Development; Accreditation & Standards; Finance & Customer Support.
• Leadership Team including - Directors of: Innovation & Standards; Finance and Operations, and Chief Executive.
• Innovation Officers
• Finance Manager

External

• Strategic partners including organisations such as Sport England.
• National and regional network and delivery partners.
• Key local delivery centres

Skills, experience and knowledge

Essential

• A proven track record in managing, leading and exceeding purpose-driven complex programmes with challenging targets and timescales.
• Experience of overseeing a portfolio of delivery projects/programmes and supporting individuals/teams to deliver these within time, budget and scope.
• Significant experience of engaging and motivating internal stakeholders and teams and presenting information concisely.
• Confidence to act as the key contact point and ambassador for delivery programmes and Leadership Skills Foundation.
• Familiarity with setting and delivering operational workplans and working collaboratively with teams to achieve them
• Experience of senior decision making, leading a department or project team.
• Experience of proactively and effectively establishing and managing stakeholder and partner relations.
• Analytical thinking and evaluation skills
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the confidence and ability to adapt styles to manage up, down, and across peer groups.

Desirable

• An understanding of resource planning requirements
• Process improvement and change management experience.
• Experience of collecting, analysing, interpreting, and presenting data and insight.
• Experience of programme innovation, development, and design
• An understanding of the sport and physical activity landscape in the UK.
• Experience of informal education or skill development programmes
• Experience of risk oversight.

Personal qualities

• A confident, collaborative leader that wants to make a positive social difference.
• Pro-active with the ability to work on own initiative collaboratively and independently.
• Effective and confident communicator.
• Adaptable to operational requirements with an openness to give and receive constructive feedback as part of a growth mindset.
• A creative, problem solver with a focus on the individuals and groups benefitting from our programmes.

Full driving license and ability to drive is required.

Further Information

There are numerous benefits that are available to you as a member of Leadership Skills Foundation. In addition to working for an organisation that is forward thinking with a clear commitment to your wellbeing, we also offer an array of both contractual and non contractual benefits as outlined below.

Contractual benefits:

• Standard 36 hour working week.
• 25 days annual leave rising to 30 days per year after completion of five years’ service.
• Automatic enrolment into NEST Pension scheme after three months, with the option to join group personal pension plan with matched contributions up to five percent following successful completion of probationary period.
• Agile/flexible working.
• Home working.

Non-contractual benefits:

• Discretionary extended Christmas break.
• Vitality Health Care Plan following successful completion of probationary period – with the option to add family/significant others at reduced rate.
• Meaningful and regular one-to-one system as part of a structured personal development process.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Sight test and eyewear financial support.

Apply for role

Closing date: 25th October 2024