West Sussex County Council
Operations Lead -Connect to work
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
An exciting opportunity for an inspiring leader to head up operational delivery for a new supported employment programme in West Sussex.
Are you brilliant at bringing people together, do you love a challenge and want to help change lives for the better? Are you someone who is focused on impact, number and outcomes and also on how people feel when they use our services. Do you have strong communication skills, able to foster partnership and build trust working across a complex network of stakeholders? Do you strongly believe in the potential of employment to positively influence residents' life opportunities and outcomes?
If the answer is yes, we want to hear from you!
We are looking for an Operations Lead to take on a vital leadership role in the impactful delivery of the Connect to Work programme in West Sussex. Connect to Work is a national, government-funded initiative, aimed at empowering individuals facing barriers to find employment.
You’ll be part of the programme’s management team, overseeing a large scale multi-site operational team which includes Supervisors and Employer Advisor.
You will be responsible for managing performance delivery within West Sussex, to ensure we meet contractual targets, whilst building a culture of high performance and results. This is an opportunity for someone to join us that has strong operational management skills, within a target driven environment, who is committed to playing a key role in the success of the programme.
If you are keen to discover more about the Connect to Work programme and see how it can create life-changing opportunities by unlocking the world of work for people across West Sussex and Brighton and Hove, visit our Connect to Work Careers Page.
Salary: £48,226 to £51,356 per annum
Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract until 31 March 2030. Final start and end dates will be agreed with the successful candidate.
Working Pattern: Full-time (37 hours per week)
Location: County Hall, West Street, Chichester PO19 1RQ with required countywide travel.
Interview Date: week commencing 20th July
This role requires the successful candidate to travel throughout West Sussex for visits, working flexibly to meet the needs of the programme. Regular (weekly) attendance at your base location will also be necessary, and there will be opportunities for remote work. Final arrangements will be confirmed with the successful candidate. You will need to be able to travel independently around the county, including to areas that may not be easily accessible by public transport. Pool cars and pool bikes are available.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Internal candidates wishing to apply for this role will be considered for a secondment position. Please can you therefore discuss and agree this with your manager before applying for this position.
About the Job
This is an outcome-focused, challenging and rewarding position, working to the Programme Manager who has responsibility for Connect to Work across West Sussex and Brighton & Hove.
You will manage service capacity across West Sussex, working with the delivery and management team to oversee practice and caseload reviews, and identify issues, including under-performance and overseeing performance management measures.
You will develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders and delivery teams, including contract management for commissioned organisations.
You will also manage the training needs of the West Sussex service teams, including designing, coordinating and chairing operational communities of practice.
We would love to hear from you if you have
- Strong stakeholder management and engagement skills at a wide range of level, including service providers and partners.
- Experience of managing and motivating a multi discipline team to meet contractual requirements.
- Experience of managing/leading staff, including coaching and facilitating others.
- Demonstrated, hands-on experience in budget management, including a track record in a similar role handling budgets exceeding £1m annually.
- Experience of contract management and working with delivery partners, suppliers or commissioned services.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to report on and explain complex information in an accessible way.
- Good knowledge and understanding of Employability contracts.
- Experience of working within and understanding of the IPS and SEQF supported employment models.
- A commitment to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusivity in all aspects of work and a strong belief in the potential of employment to transform the life chances of residents.
For more information on the Key Skills as well as the Qualifications and/or experience required, please refer to the Job Description attached.
Rewards and Benefits
We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance and are rewarded for the work they do.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
- A laptop and mobile will be supplied if applicable to your role. You will benefit from 30 days annual leave, plus the opportunity to buy additional leave and an excellent local government pension scheme.
- A range of discounts give our staff access to hundreds of offers; groceries, travel, cinema tickets, days out, leisure activities, high street retailers and the opportunity to save over £1,000 a year through our West Sussex Choices benefits platform.
For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit our Rewards and Benefits page.
Further Information
The reference number for this role is EIE01435.
For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact the hiring manager Connie Bielsa-Rossi at Connie.Bielsa-Rossi@westsussex.gov.uk
For an informal conversation regarding the application process, please contact Ryan Kappa (Recruitment Specialist) at Ryan.Kappa@westsussex.gov.uk
For issues or queries regarding your application please contact hrrecruitment@westsussex.gov.uk.
Does this sound like the opportunity for you? Click apply below, upload your CV and cover letter.
Your cover letter should:
- Outline your motivations for applying.
- Explain the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills in the attached job description).
Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to right to work within the UK, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, satisfactory references, and a health check.
Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.
We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills