The starting salary for this position is £41,127 per annum based on a 36-hour working week. The role is offered as a 24-month fixed-term contract or secondment opportunity with the potential to extend.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated and highly organised Project Manager to join a dynamic commissioning team and support the delivery of Surrey’s Multiply programme for adult numeracy.

Do you want to make a difference to helping adults improve their numeracy skills?

Have you got expertise in Project Management that you could use to benefit: parents who want to support children with their homework, over-50s seeking to change occupation, adults who are struggling to find or progress at work because they don’t have the right skills, and people with specific and/or additional needs (including those for whom English isn’t their first language)?

Would you like to join a dynamic and exciting team of commissioners to support innovative and positive changes to adult numeracy provision in Surrey?

What is Multiply?

Surrey County Council, supported by our partners, has applied to be part of the Department for Education's (DfE) large-scale, 3-year adult numeracy programme, called ‘Multiply’. This supports our overarching strategic ambition that ‘No one is left behind’, by aiming to ensure that adults with low levels of numeracy skills, who would benefit from targeted support, can be engaged and supported in inventive new ways. The investment plan for Year One includes interventions that can be delivered within a relatively short timescale, as well as further research and engagement work to shape a more tailored and innovative approach for Years Two and Three. The plan also builds in flexibility to work with the voluntary, community and faith sectors to meet the needs that they identify in their direct work with residents.

This is an exciting opportunity to bring together education, commissioning, and economy and growth, working with residents, businesses / employers, established education providers, the voluntary and community sector, Local Enterprise Partnerships and more, to develop a programme that will create meaningful change in the lives of people in Surrey while ensuring our local economy has the skills it needs to grow.

The Role

In the position of Multiply Project Manager you will work with the Commissioning Lead to:

• Establish, maintain and develop systems and processes to maximise Multiply delivery
• Plan workloads and secure resources to enable effective delivery and assessment of provision
• Track and report on the delivery of the plan, identifying potential areas for improvement and development

The position is fixed term for 24 months, with the potential to be extended until the end of the Multiply Programme (2025), depending on the terms of the DfE’s funding arrangements after Year One. This is a great opportunity to work on a high profile DfE-sponsored scheme, working with a range of stakeholders and communities to improve numeracy skills, increase life opportunities and tackle inequality through innovative commissioning.

The role is based with our other education commissioning roles in the Children’s Commissioning service, with close alignment to Education leadership and to the Economy and Growth directorate due to the cross-cutting nature of the programme.

About You

We are looking for a highly organised self-starter with experience and proven success in supporting a Project Team to coordinate, monitor, report on and engage with a variety of stakeholders to ensure smooth running of a number of complex projects across a delivery programme.

It is essential you are able to demonstrate the below. Please use these criteria in completing your application:

• Thorough understanding of basic project and programme management methodology and associated critical activities and tasks
• Successfully co-ordinating, tracking, reporting on and supporting a programme of complex and diverse projects in a demanding environment
• Developing robust long-term relationships with a range of professionals and stakeholders
• Anticipating the agendas and responses of stakeholders with many different standpoints, handling complex relational situations with sensitivity, and challenging and holding to account those in more senior roles
• Managing ongoing pressures coming from different directions whilst demonstrating an ability to search for alternatives and make adjustments when plans are challenged
• Working effectively under a high level of interest and scrutiny, acting as a programme ambassador with stakeholders
• A genuine interest in making a difference and delivering change for and with residents

At Surrey, our values and behaviours are just as important as our skills and abilities. They shape who we are as an organisation. Find out more about the values we follow.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 22nd January 2023.

This is a 24-month secondment / fixed term contract opportunity.

A Basic DBS ‘Disclosure and Barring Service’ check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) will be required for this role.

Contact Details

For an informal discussion please contact Julie Barker at Julie.barker@surreycc.gov.uk.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

Benefits

From flexible working to job sharing (where possible) we are committed to providing a healthy work life balance. A laptop and mobile will be supplied if applicable to your role. You will benefit from 26 days annual leave, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service, a generous local government salary related pension, as well as the option to join our car lease scheme. For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit MyBenefits for Surrey County Council staff.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer of first choice reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all under represented groups.