Job Description

Job title:Head of Engagement - Wales 

Location:Based remotely in South Wales (Cardiff, Swansea or Newport) 

Responsible to:National Engagement Director

Salary:£35,000 – £45,000 per annum FTE 

Please note, if you do not provide a covering letter your application will not be considered. 

Why us?  

Speakers for Schools are a dynamic, swift-moving and fast-growing charity. We are on a mission to support a million young people across the UK annually by 2023. Having taken the first steps on the road to achieving this, our team has doubled in size in the past year. This has supported 278% growth in our Experience programme and 10% growth in our Inspiration programme during the past 12 months.

We want to level the playing field, making sure that all young people can access inspirational opportunities and experiences to fuel their ambition.

We are united and unique in our mission to transform lives through raising aspirations of millions of young people every year. Each year, 1,500 senior leaders, celebrities and industry experts deliver a difference to by sharing their story with students in schools and colleges in every corner of the UK. We connect employers such as Disney, The Bank of England, Spotify PwC and almost two hundred others to communities to provide access to the top opportunities for all across the UK. With us, you will be part of inspiring a generation to reach higher, broaden horizons and get equal access to the top.

To keep growing our charity and our impact, we need top talent and we are committed to treasuring, developing and supporting them to thrive within their roles. 

Role Summary 

This role is intended to lead a team in a dedicated region to deliver our customer experience across our portfolio of programmes.

You will manage direct reports to support schools, employers and stakeholders across the region. Coaching outstanding performance, measuring and raising standards through KPI management and ensuring the team remains engaged and motivated to perform. 

Key Duties / Responsibilities 

The role will be responsible for: 

• Growing and leading the region to deliver significant national growth in Experience and Youth Card Programmes. 

• Working with regional stakeholders (Local Government, EBPs, Employer Groups, Large and Medium sized employers and others) to deliver partnership opportunities resulting in Experience and Progression opportunities as well as discounts and other opportunities for young people. 

• Leading your team engagement with employers, and education and training providers to embed the progression programme as and when this is launched, which will contribute to your team income. 

• Managing senior-level relationships across organisations and institutions based in your region. 

• Leading the delivery of commercial and philanthropic income to meet organisational income targets in your region. 

• Responsible for delivery and completion of own operational and administrative activity 

• Ensuring employer and placement targets are met in your area and delivered in line with organisational targets. 

• Ensuring that discount and opportunity targets are met in accordance with organisational targets. 

• Leading on the delivery of regional School, College and Young person programme enrolment targets for Experience, Progression and Youth Card.

• Leading on the promotion of Inspiration opportunities to schools, colleges and young people in your region to increase engagement. 

• Delivering the regional engagement stakeholder strategy as defined by the National Engagement Director. 

Key skills and experience:  

Essential: -  

• Professional experience with a proven track record of effective Programme delivery in a relatable area. 

• Must be resident in your own region 

• Demonstrable experience working with corporate or high-profile stakeholders on youth engagement programmes (ideally related to work experience, future talent or corporate social responsibility/citizenship in some way). 

• Confident, highly professional communicator and able to create written briefs, documents and presentations to a high standard. 

• Experience of managing a team. 

• Sociable and confident and happy building and maintaining relationships with multiple stakeholders 

• Excel at organising their workload and enjoy driving work forward independently 

• Think strategically and can change tactics while still meeting larger objectives.

Desirable: - 

• Experience of leadership in a scaling organisation. 

• Experience of implementing business opportunities and new ideas to generate growth. 

• Experience implementing monitoring and impact processes. 

• Working knowledge of the UK state education sector, including career related opportunities and funding opportunities. 

• Advanced level of IT competency, ideally with experience of Salesforce, sophisticated e-management software and comfortable with bespoke online portal. 

We are looking forward to holding video interviews through June 2021 and appointing our Head of Engagement Wales swiftly so we can start delivering a difference in July and beyond. You must have the right to work in the UK without visa restriction to be considered. 

Benefits offered at Speakers for Schools: 

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays 

• Morning of your birthday off

• Pension scheme

• CharlieHR perks

• Perkbox

• £500 a year training allowance

Diversity at our core  

At Speakers for Schools, we are committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce, and eliminating discrimination. Our aim is for our workforce to be truly representative of all sections of society and our customers, and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best.

We welcome applications from all, including those where employment has been affected by Covid19 and those seeking to change careers. Diversity if at our core, join us. 

How to apply:   

Please apply as soon as possible submitting your CV and a one page covering letter which outlines your specific interest and ability to successfully fill this role, as well as your salary expectations and current notice period.

Appointees are subject to a successful DBS check, as contact with young people is likely.

Please note, if you do not provide a covering letter your application will not be considered.  

The Journey to joining Speakers for Schools: 

Interviews will be scheduled as applications are received, before the closing date, and will take place over Microsoft Teams. We may appoint before this date depending on applications. 

The closing date for this role is Friday 25th June 2021.

Our new team member will start ASAP.