Head of Funding and Performance

The Role:
As a key member of the leadership team you will lead the Funding and Performance function, ensuring an effective performance function to enable informed strategic decision making and deliver on all financial and compliance targets on time and in full.

The role of the Head of Funding and Performance is essential to ensuring that the client maximises its public sector funding and is fully compliant with all regulatory and statutory requirements relating to its business. It is also a key role in relation to the development and utilisation of the digital performance tools necessary to enable outstanding operational performance. The post holder will provide business advice on future propositions, products and services in order to develop and pursue growth opportunities that benefit the Technical Training cluster and other City & Guilds businesses.

This post will lead the Cumbria Apprentice Training Agency (CATA).

Main Responsibilities:
* Lead and manage the client funding and performance team day to day – providing inspirational, values–based leadership to the team, enhancing employee engagement, encouraging and supporting employee development and maximising their potential and contribution
* Act as part of the client senior management team, developing and delivering the Technical Training strategy at the client
* Lead and develop the performance dashboard to inform strategic decision making and support quality improvement
* Lead the development of the MIS and One file functions to enhance performance management approaches and inform strategic decision making
* Develop new product offerings and grow the business, exploring new market opportunities as well as growing revenue from within the existing client base
* Proactively contribute to the commercial success of the business by delivering agreed performance objectives and producing business reports as required
* Maximise the optimisation of existing funding streams and identify sources of discretionary funding
* Lead contract management of key accounts, ensuring high levels of employee satisfaction
* Lead the Cumbria Apprentice Training Agency function (CATA)
* Ensure that the client is fully aware of and able to take advantage of changes in the sector related to funding, apprenticeship reforms, Ofsted and other relevant government initiatives
* Develop strong client relationships with customers where appropriate
* Develop and direct the implementation of policies and procedures relevant to the area of control in order to meet statutory regulations and applying best practice for the training and education sector
* Promote and direct the implementation of Equal Opportunities, Safeguarding and learner welfare policies in all aspects of the company's work
* Ad hoc duties as commensurate with the level of the post requested by the General Manager

The Company:
Our Client is a first rate educational body with an end goal of educating, developing and inspiring the next generation of workers to the highest standard in order for them to enter the local working market. Our client operates in over 7 locations within Cumbria and has contributed monumentally to the local supply chain with 97% of apprentices going directly in to full time employment.

Essential Skills / Qualifications:
* Extensive and demonstrable experience of managing within the Further Education, work–based learning or Adult Education sector
* Experience of leading teams, with an understanding of the motivational drivers involved
* A strong understanding of the requirements of ESFA and ESF funding and the associated regulatory requirements within the vocational training sector
* Extensive knowledge of the public funding mechanisms available within the vocational sector and experience of building business cases
* Extensive and demonstrable knowledge of Maytas and/or an equivalent MIS function within the education sector
* Extensive experience of the use of data to provide management information and inform quality improvement within the OFSTED Education Inspection Framework
* Experience of the apprenticeship levy
* Experience of contract management
* Strong influencing, negotiating and communication skills
* Informal but challenging leadership style, enabling empowerment and a culture of co

Desirable Skills / Qualifications:
* Experience in the technical training sector
* Experience in public sector contracts
* Working knowledge of Crown Contracting Service
* Understanding of Industrial Strategy and its impact on our business

About Fircroft:
Fircroft has been placing people in specialist technical industries for over 50 years, focusing on mid to senior level engineers for contract and permanent roles worldwide. By applying for this job you give consent for Fircroft to contact you, via email & telephone, to discuss your application along with future positions and Fircroft's services.

Fircroft is registered as a Data Controller with the Information Commissioner as required under the General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679. Fircroft will only process your personal data for the specific purposes of managing your application