Connect to Work Programme Manager

Tower Hamlets; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme

Hybrid working

Generous annual leave

Learning and development opportunities

Health and wellbeing initiatives

Job summary

Tower Hamlets Council is recruiting a Connect to Work Programme Manager to lead the Employment & Skills Service's inclusion initiatives in central London. You will drive delivery of a multi-million-pound externally funded programme, ensuring contractual outcomes, compliance and performance targets, while building strong partnerships with health services, employers and voluntary organisations.

The role demands strategic leadership, a capable multidisciplinary team, and hands-on engagement with

Qualifications

• Significant professional experience in employment, skills, economic development, public services, programme management or a related field.
• In-depth knowledge of Supported Employment models, work and health integration, and barriers to employment.
• Experience leading complex externally funded programmes, contracts or services with performance, finance, quality assurance and compliance.
• Proven ability to lead partnerships across local government, health services, employers and the voluntary sector.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills; able to influence senior stakeholders and work with diverse communities.
• Willingness to work in a highly collaborative role with regular on-site engagement (office three days/week).

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic and operational delivery of the Connect to Work programme within Tower Hamlets, ensuring contractual outcomes, compliance and performance targets.
• Manage and develop a multidisciplinary delivery team to achieve resident outcomes and continuous improvement.
• Oversee programme performance, finance, governance and reporting for a multi-million-pound externally funded programme.
• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with health services, employers, DWP, Central London Forward and other key stakeholders.

Skills

Programme management

Leadership

Communication skills

Collaboration

Education

Relevant qualification in employment/skills/public services

Job description

About The Role

Connect to Work Programme Manager

Employment & Skills Service

London Borough of Tower Hamlets

We are recruiting for a Connect to Work Programme Manager to join our Employment & Skills Service.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead one of the most significant employment inclusion programmes currently being delivered in London. Connect to Work is a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) funded programme delivered through Central London Forward, designed to support disabled people, people with health conditions and residents facing complex barriers to secure and sustain employment. The programme will run until March 2030 and support more than 17,000 residents across central London, including 1,700 in Tower Hamlets.

If you are passionate about reducing inequalities, improving access to good work, building effective partnerships and delivering high-quality employment support services, we would love to hear from you. In this role, you will:

• Lead the strategic and operational delivery of the Connect to Work programme within Tower Hamlets, ensuring successful delivery of contractual outcomes, compliance requirements and performance targets.
• Manage and develop a multidisciplinary delivery team, creating a high-performance culture focused on excellent resident outcomes, continuous improvement and inclusive practice.
• Oversee programme performance, finance, governance and reporting, ensuring effective management of a multi-million-pound externally funded programme.
• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with health services, employers, voluntary and community sector organisations, DWP, Central London Forward and other key stakeholders to maximise participant engagement and employment outcomes.

About You

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate:

• A suitable level of qualification and significant professional experience in employment, skills, economic development, public services, programme management or a related field.
• An in-depth knowledge and understanding of Supported Employment models, work and health integration, and the challenges faced by residents who experience complex barriers to employment.
• Demonstrable experience of successfully leading and managing complex externally funded programmes, contracts or services, including responsibility for performance, finance, quality assurance and compliance.
• Demonstrable experience of leading partnerships across local government, health services, employers and the voluntary sector, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive collaborative solutions.
• Strong communication and collaborative skills, with the ability to work effectively in a diverse community.
• This is a highly collaborative, front-facing role that offers the opportunity to work closely with employers, the ICB, Primary Care Networks, community partners, Central London Forward and a wide range of other stakeholders. As a visible leader, you will be expected to lead by example, fostering a strong team culture through regular in-person engagement with colleagues and partners. You will be expected to work from the office a minimum of three days per week.

Benefits

• Competitive salaryGrade M: Salary from £64,815 to £68,265
• Local Government Pension Scheme membership.
• Generous annual leave: 29 days, rising to 33 with 5+ years' service, plus bank holidays and 3 additional days at Christmas.
• Hybridworking to support work-life balance.
• Staff money-saving schemes, including season ticket and rental deposit loans.
• Learning and development opportunities through our Learning Academy, with clear career development and leadership pathways.
• Access to a wide range of health and wellbeing initiatives.
• The opportunity to lead a high-profile programme that will directly improve the lives of local residents and contribute to Tower Hamlets' ambitions for an inclusive economy.

Why Join Tower Hamlets?

Tower Hamlets is one of the UK's most dynamic local economies, home to significant business investment, regeneration and growth. We are committed to ensuring that local residents benefit from these opportunities and that nobody is left behind.

As Connect to Work Programme Manager, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of employment support in the borough, leading a programme that sits at the intersection of employment, health, inclusion and economic opportunity. This is a rare opportunity to deliver lasting change for residents while influencing how employment and health services work together across London.

About Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets is a truly unique borough at the heart of London – a place where history and innovation sit side by side. From the docks and markets that shaped the East End to the global business hub of Canary Wharf, we are proud to be one of the most dynamic, diverse, and ambitious communities in the UK. We are also one of the fastest growing and youngest boroughs in the country, offering unrivalled opportunities to make a real difference to people’s lives. Our residents are energetic, creative, and resilient, and our council is committed to delivering the best possible services and opportunities for them.

Our award-winning new Town Hall in Whitechapel provides a modern, flexible workplace for our staff, right at the heart of the borough and directly opposite Whitechapel Tube and Elizabeth line station. It is more than just a workplace – it’s a hub for collaboration, innovation and community, designed to bring out the best in our people.

As an employer, we put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of everything we do. Our active Employee Network Groups celebrate and champion our workforce, helping to ensure that everyone feels a sense of belonging. Guided by our TOWER values – Together, Open, Willing, Excellent and Respect – we are building a positive, inclusive culture where colleagues can thrive.

At Tower Hamlets Council, you’ll find exciting challenges, supportive colleagues, and the chance to shape one of London’s most important and vibrant places. If you’re looking for a role where you can see the impact of your work every day, then Tower Hamlets is the place for you.