Team Manager - Commissioning and Employer Engagement Programmes

Posting date:	10 April 2026
Salary:	£48,226 to £51,356 per year
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	24 April 2026
Location:	Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1RQ
Company:	West Sussex County Council
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:	CPP01319_1775805929

Summary

Do you have extensive experience of strategic leadership in developing and commissioning adult learning and skills programmes, particularly in response to employer and business needs?

Do you have experience of delivering substantial projects?

Are you an experienced manager, passionate about leading a team and driving quality performance?

If you do, we want to hear from you!

You will need a solutions-focused mindset, strong initiative, and the ability to inspire and motivate others. The ability to work effectively under pressure, multi-task and prioritise your work and that of your team is essential.

We are seeking a dedicated Team Manager to oversee and manage the delivery of learning and skills programmes, (such as Skills Bootcamps), working in collaboration with local employers, training providers, delivery partners, and wider stakeholders.

Your passion and drive will be essential in fostering continuous improvement across every aspect of commissioning, contract management, employer and stakeholder relationships, and ensuring that provision effectively meets the needs of our residents and employers.

Salary: £48,226 to £51,356 per annum

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: Full-time (37 hours per week)

Location: County Hall, West Street, Chichester, PO19 1RQ

Interview Date: Thursday 14 May 2026

Regular attendance at your base location will also be necessary. There will be opportunities for remote work, with final arrangements to 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 available.

We do reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We encourage you to submit your application at your earliest convenience.

About the Job

The Adult Learning Service provides learning opportunities to help our residents build the skills, knowledge, behaviours and confidence that shapes their future success. We do this through a 'mixed economy' delivery model, taking responsibility for the development and direct delivery of a range of key curriculum areas where beneficial to do so, whilst commissioning external partners with the specialist knowledge and expertise to deliver other programmes on our behalf.

In this role you will oversee the commissioning, compliance, and quality assurance of Government funded programmes, ensuring they meet the needs of local residents and employers while adhering to national funding rules.

You will manage engagement, quality assurance, monitoring, and development activity with our delivery partners, developing highly effective relationships and partnerships with them. You will work closely with a range of other council teams and services, such as the Economic Growth Team who provide business liaison, and a breadth of external stakeholders to help ensure the programme is meeting the needs of local employers, and those who live and work in West Sussex.

By drawing on professional knowledge, commissioning experience and keeping up to date with developments and best practice in the field, you will apply this knowledge to a range of long and short-term opportunities and challenges across a range of Adult Learning and Skills related issues.

You will line manage officers and staff who are responsible for the management and oversight of commissioned delivery partners, quality assurance and a number of essential service functions, such as data and management information reporting / compliance and effective programme administration.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Degree-level qualification or equivalent in education, skills, public service management / administration or a related discipline
• Project or programme management qualification (e.g., PRINCE2, APM)
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and influencing skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Excellent IT / digital skills, including the ability to use Microsoft Office, SharePoint and, with training, the service's Management Information System.
• Strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to support staff development through coaching, mentoring, peer support and structured training.
• Ability to critically evaluate internal and external provision and use data and evidence driven insights to inform commissioning decisions and monitor provider performance.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver results under pressure.

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.

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 CPP01319.

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, Basic 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.

RSi