This position is no longer open for applications

Here at West Sussex County Council (WSCC) we have an opportunity for a Business Development Partnership Manager. Our Children, Young People and Learning Department is committed to meeting the needs of all our children and young people with a particular focus upon our most vulnerable and disadvantaged to ensure that they fulfil their potential.

The Education & Skills Directorate sits within the broader Department of Children, Young People and Learning, and plays a crucial part in delivering the West Sussex Plan to provide our children, young people and adults with the best education and start in life. Key outcomes for us as a County are that all children are ready for school, young people are ready for work or further education, and that all adults have access to high quality education and training. Working together we will do everything we can to make that happen.

For more information, please visit our Education, Children and Families page on our WSCC website.

Salary: £56,938 to £60,258 per annum
Working Pattern: Full-time
Contract Length: Permanent
Location: Chichester

In this role you will provide professional leadership as the principal manager of a service area comprising a number of small teams with related activities and similar purposes which require integration & co-ordination. This includes being responsible for successfully meeting defined functional objectives and providing efficient customer focused services, including realising service improvements now and in the future through resource planning, creative problem solving and managing projects and strategies.

Drawing on system leadership skills, you will work with a range of partners both from the statutory, voluntary and community sector, to develop a joined-up approach to future funding and sustainability, driving enterprise opportunity and partnership working

Leading a team, you will ensure our education and skills funded activity, contractual relationships and process are well managed. You will work with key stakeholders across the Council to streamline our governance for procurement, legal and associated activity leading to successful bids, contracts and commercial activity. Accounts vary in size and complexity depending on the services being offered and the outcomes required.

Experience and Skills

You should also be able to demonstrate the following:

Key Skills:

• The ability to tackle difficult problems of a technical, professional, resource or people related nature using existing policies, procedures and knowledge to devise approaches. Ability to challenge existing practices, processes and activities and identify and deliver innovative solutions and alternative courses of action.
• Ability to give detailed expert, technical and management advice and use considerable judgement to define and resolve problems and identify solutions without clear guidance.
• Effective research and planning skills to construct creative solutions to ensure the successful delivery of service provision working on a time horizon of a number of years. Ability to set & monitor objectives/timescales and meet planned activities, projects and reviews.
• Highly developed communication skills in order to persuade, negotiate or influence within or outside the organisation to achieve challenging/sensitive objectives and ensure implementation of solutions.
• Sound partnership working skills with the ability to develop and manage effective links and relationships across and outside of the organisation and co-ordinate a range of partners to successfully deliver objectives.
• Effective people management and performance management skills with the ability to lead and inspire, providing direction and support to individuals and teams.

Qualifications and/or experience:

• Post graduate professional qualification relevant either to management or to the professional service specialism (Commissioning, professional learning and development, business change and/ or development), or equivalent level of significant experience demonstrating comprehensive application of the above levels of knowledge in a relevant or public service environment.
• Broad operational work experience applied in a variety of settings appropriate to the business.
• Significant post qualification experience in dealing with significant and complex issues.
• Evidence of managing teams or a corporate-focused specialist service to deliver an outstanding service to others.
• Considerable experience of managing and leading business activities with conflicting requirements.
• Experience of managing a budget and contributing to decision making on high level spending.
• Exposure to shaping and supporting initiatives in a political environment.

Rewards and Benefits

As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. 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.

In addition to working within a great team and a competitive salary you will have access to 29 days annual leave + bank holidays, flexible working and a generous pension scheme.

For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee you can find them on our Rewards and Benefits page.

The reference number for this role is CAFHE04028.