Workforce Development Officer - ESCA Fixed Term, Full Time £25,388 - £29,869 per annum Location: Chelmsford Working Style: Fixed-base worker Please note this is a fixed term contract / secondment opportunity for a period of 24 months. The position sits within the Early Professional Development Team in ESCA and will be responsible for managing the Step Up to Social Work Programme administration as well as supporting the ASYE programme across both functions. Successful candidates must be able to attend the office in Chelmsford, or any other office or other venue as required, 3 days per week, with the remainder of your time being remote/home based if desired. This role will also require significant travel across the Eastern region to Cambridge in particular. Here in Essex, we continue to raise the bar about practice and our investment in our workforce is second to none. It's an exciting time to join us. Not only have we been named Outstanding by Ofsted, we are delighted and at the same time humbled to have been crowned Social Work Employer of the Year for the second time in the last three years Essex County Council (ECC) is achieving transformational change across Adult Social Care and Children and Families Services, underpinned by delivery of high-quality practice and a culture of collaboration, integrity and compassion. Development of a professional, knowledgeable, and skilled workforce is central to achieving practice improvement and driving change; delivered by a joint Essex Social Care Academy (ESCA) service which meets the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) needs of both professional areas. The ESCA Workforce Development Officer covers a diverse range of activities to support the delivery of a project or programme's objectives. The role is key to the effective and efficient operation of all projects/ programmes, supporting the Team Manager or Workforce Development Lead with day-to-day project management and/or commissioning of a high quality CPD offer to both workforces. The ESCA Workforce Development Officer will be able to engage with, negotiate and influence a diverse group of individuals at all levels. This role will offer development, by building knowledge of the project management function and evidencing an innovative approach. The role requires developing creative solutions to dilemmas while maintain strong professional relationships with key partners across the region. Attention to detail and confidence in managing budgets are finance are also essential. Accountabilities: Support the development and commission a range of blended learning and training opportunities, tailored to the individual needs of staff groups in line with Continuing Professional Development programmes. Implement processes to ensure the commissioning of training providers support excellence in practice, represent value for money, work to agreed standards and include safeguarding practices. Work collaboratively with external operational partner/stakeholders to deliver projects/programmes. Contribute to and measure the impact of training and training transfer, on improving outcomes and developments in practice across social care; regularly monitoring, reflecting and reviewing to ensure continued progress. Produce project/programme reports to update on progress. Undertake financial monitoring and budgetary review of programmes/projects of work on behalf of the ESCA Development Manager. Responsible for monitoring project spend and contributing to the compilation of budget updates. Responsible for providing all project management support including file management, organising boards and meetings, responses to external requests for information and engaging with both internal and external stakeholders. Responsible for managing the projects' risk and issue logs, helping to identify on-going risks/issues, escalating and tracking progress to ensure resolution. Contribute to the further development of the Social Care Academy to support the improvement of performance and service delivery, promoting best practice. Support the ESCA Management/ ESCA Workforce Development Leads by developing and maintaining appropriate systems to ensure effective planning and scheduling of projects. Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework. The Experience You Will Bring Essential: Educated to RQF Level 3 (A Level) or equivalent by experience. Evidence of continuing professional development and knowledge in relevant professional area. Experience and evidence of working in a project/programme coordination role in a large, complex organisation. Curious and inspired to work in an agile environment where you can learn and develop. Desirable: Experience of engaging with others to build good working relationships and communicating effectively in order to achieve the right outcomes/progress for the project(s) and/ or programmes. Experience of working with a broad range of individuals at different levels within an organisation, with strong team working skills and ability to engage/persuade to maintain project/programmes progress. Experience of working within a large, complex political environment with knowledge of a public sector setting. Evidence of adopting a structured and planned approach. The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wider operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, transporting service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency. Driving licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential. To read more about us please visit: Adult Social Care or Children & Families Please take a look at our 'No Magic' Children & Families video Why Essex? Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England's oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest - Basildon and Harlow - are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career. Read more about us. Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We're also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying. As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community. If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email ami.foskeressex.gov.uk Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Further details can be found on our careers page. Downloads Pay and Reward | Our Ways of Working | About Us | Organisation Behaviours