ThinkForward Employment & Education Co-ordinator

Overview of role:

The ThinkForward Employment & Education Co-ordinator will coordinate the activities that ensure young people transition smoothly through education and into sustained employment.

Responsible for identifying, developing and maintaining strong external Education and Employment partnerships to deliver these activities. 
To be the “expert” on the local educational and employment landscape to inform ThinkForward’s CEIAG.
To have an excellent understanding of and confidence using data to plan, analyse and evaluate activities.

Key responsibilities:
Coordination of activities - to ensure young people on the programme gain the knowledge, skills, qualifications and experience needed to become “Ready for Work”

To source and coordinate a termly/annual programme of Educational and Ready for Work activities based on the needs of ThinkForward young people.
To prepare businesses and their employees for engaging with vulnerable young people, training supervisors and mentors, advising on agendas and carrying out risk assessments as required; obtaining feedback from participants and volunteers after activities to assess the impact and any improvements or follow up activities required. 
Management of the Ambassador and Alumni programme, including designing and delivering the monthly meetings and training Ambassadors to work at company events.



Partnerships management - to ensure ThinkForward remains a collaborative and non-duplicative organisation.

To identify, build and maintain strong partnerships with businesses, job brokers, and with training providers and educational institutions who can provide activities, support and employment opportunities for young people and to work with them to realise those opportunities; To manage the directory of all these partnerships and to communicate the opportunities to the wider delivery team and their cohorts. Such as organising networking events, sending e-bulletins, inviting partners into team meetings, facilitating group work in schools To collect feedback and data from partners on young people’s engagement and attendance and through quality assurance to take steps to broker supportive meetings between Coaches and the partner, and review or terminate a partnership where necessary. To liaise to the fundraising team on any fundraising opportunities including corporate partnerships, volunteer/individual giving, national partnerships and delivery contracts.
Job brokerage and IAG   - to understand the local educational and employment landscape to ensure ThinkForward provides informed and relevant guidance and opportunities to its participants.

Via training opportunities, bulletins and databases ensure Coaches have live local information on jobs and courses so they can deliver quality IAG in coaching/group sessions. To meet 1:1 with young people to prepare them for specific applications/interviews. To provide in-work/education support for young people to maximise the chances of the transition being sustained up to and beyond 6 months. To communicate regularly with the central team and other local coordinators to share best practice, sector knowledge and any potential national partnerships.  


Impact and Data
To use data on young people’s career goals, predicted destination, and the R4W Passport to assist the SDM with planning activities. To meet any reporting and paperwork requirements for contracts/donor agreements associated with these activities. To use data such as behaviour, attendance, attainment and the R4W Coach judgments to assess the impact of activities. 
Management of Apprentice/Intern/Work Experience

When required to manage and support an apprentice to co-ordinate and deliver the above activities including the coordination and running of the ambassador programme. To supervise any office based interns or work experience as required.
Person Specification

ThinkForward operates a staff competency framework to inform our recruitment and performance management of staff. The following behaviours define the expectations for this position.

Professional expertise

Experience of working with and empathy for vulnerable young people including excellent grasp of safeguarding procedures.
Experience of developing networks and managing mulitple stakeholders
Experience in engaging with or selling to corporate partners and businesses
An existing network of organisations offering a wide range of support and guidance for 13 - 19 year olds
CEIAG qualified (desirable)
Demonstrates good understanding of the local and national labour market
Demonstrates good understanding of educational pathways in the UK.
Project management experience
Confident with spreadsheets and databases.
Demonstrate a commitment to equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice
Communication

Is approachable and adaptable; able to communicate professionally with stakeholders and audiences of all levels including young people. 
Excellent written and presentation skills
Takes active steps to communicate new developments in a timely manner.
Makes use of the strengths of different channels/methods of communication to publicise and communicate activities and opportunities to wider team.
Is, open and transparent with colleagues and line manager
Is assertive and persuasive when required.
Constructively manages barriers to effective communication
Communicates relevant and appropriate information about young people with partners
Ensures that communications within ThinkForward reflect our brand, values and business objectives
Planning and Organising

Exceptionally well organised, methodical and able to deliver to deadlines
Has a flexible but determined approach, puts measures in place to ensure reliability of volunteers and young people does not damage the experience of participants or reputation of the organisation
Has strong attention to detail, with systems and processes in place to maintain high standards of delivery.
Prioritises own workload in accordance with higher level goals and objectives
Meets deadlines and advises others promptly of likely delays against plans
Teamwork

Continually engages in joint activities and shared information/ideas with colleagues to achieve mutual objectives
Seeks out the best opportunities to collaborate with external partners to the benefit of ThinkForward young people
Gains the cooperation and buy-in of team members to challenging tasks
Helps colleagues to enhance personal skills/knowledge
Accepts decisions that are made for the good of the team after consultation and communication.
Impact and quality focused

Actively monitors changes or developments in outcomes and quality, and continuously seeks to improve them including improvements to systems and resources
Ensures that relevant data is input and produces accurate management information
Continually identifies and communicates likelihood or otherwise of meeting targets
Adapts to varying work situations and is flexible in their approach to resolving challenges.


Closing date for applications: 2nd July, 2017

First round interviews to be held during week commencing 17th July, 2017