Early Careers Manager

Mears; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in housing solutions is seeking an Early Careers Manager to shape their group-wide early talent strategy. This key role involves overseeing impactful programmes that attract and retain future talent, ensuring high standards and meaningful outcomes across various early careers initiatives.

Benefits

Company pension

Life insurance

Share scheme

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Annual Mears Fun Day

Volunteering Leave

Excellent training and development opportunities

Mears Rewards discounts

Qualifications

• Experience managing large-scale apprenticeship and early careers programmes.
• Proven track record of designing, implementing, and evaluating talent pipelines.
• Strong project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the effective delivery of Early Careers programmes.
• Monitor compliance and satisfaction in programmes.
• Lead development of early careers initiatives.

Skills

Project Management

Stakeholder Management

Mentoring

Communication

Problem Solving

Job description

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Remote – With regular travel to branches across the UK!

Full Time – Permanent role

Paying a salary of £42,000, plus £4,500 car allowance

Are you an experienced Early Careers professional passionate about developing future talent and leading impactful, high-volume programmes? We are looking for a forward-thinking Early Careers Manager to shape and deliver our Group-wide early talent strategy—aligning workforce needs with high-quality, innovative career pathways.

This is an exciting time, with this BRAND-NEW role and the opportunity to make a positive impact from day on!

Mears Group is one of the UK’s largest providers of housing solutions for both public and private sectors, delivering services across repairs, maintenance, regeneration, building with care, planned works, and facilities management. With over 5,400 employees, Mears maintains more than 700,000 homes nationwide and is the leading partner in social housing upkeep, supporting councils, housing associations, and government bodies

About the role:

Working with key internal and external stakeholders to oversee the effective delivery of Early Careers programmes across the Mears Group, including work experience, employability schemes, apprenticeships and Graduate Management programmes.

You will join a purpose-driven organisation at a pivotal time of growth. You will be instrumental in developing and managing early careers initiatives that attract, engage, and retain the next generation of skilled professionals across our business.

Key Responsibilities:

Workforce Planning:
Partner with senior leaders across the Group to identify shortfalls within the skills pipeline. Evaluate the effectiveness of in-house schemes and develop resourcing plans to meet workforce demands.

Talent Attraction & Programme Oversight:
Lead the development, and oversight of early careers programmes including apprenticeships, T Level, work experience and graduate programmes to meet both contractual and operational needs. Ensuring a positive experience that reflects our organisational values liaising with internal and external stakeholders to ensure high standards and meaningful outcomes.

Quality Assurance & Compliance:
Monitor learner and branch satisfaction, programme compliance, and progression outcomes. Use insights to shape policies, procedures, and documentation that uphold internal quality assurance standards.

Insight & Reporting:
Provide regular, data-driven reports to stakeholders on performance, impact, risks, and opportunities. Contribute to strategic planning and support Group-wide initiatives and projects.

Sector Research & Innovation:
Stay abreast of industry trends and best practice. Translate findings into creative, value-adding initiatives tailored to business needs.

Funding Strategy & Partnership Management:
Identify training gaps and work with internal experts regarding maximising government funded schemes and supply chain partners to secure funding and deliver effective, scalable solutions.

Work Experience & Inclusion Programmes:
Oversee the coordination of early engagement opportunities; including work experience, T Levels, internships, and employability schemes, ensuring accessibility for all, particularly under-represented groups.

Key Criteria:

Experience managing large-scale apprenticeship and early careers programmes

Proven track record of designing, implementing, and evaluating talent pipelines

Skilled in mentoring and supporting early talent

Strong project management skills; being able to balance multiple workstreams and deadlines

Familiarity with H&S, GDPR, and safeguarding requirements

Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills

Flexibility with work schedule and overnight stays

You will thrive in this role if you are:

A confident stakeholder manager, comfortable influencing at all levels

Highly resilient, proactive, and self-motivated

Naturally inquisitive, creative, and solutions-oriented

Diplomatic, approachable, and organised

Trusted to deliver with integrity and accountability

Staff perks with Mears Rewards - discounts of up to 10% on coffee, weekly groceries holidays, the list is endless

Excellent training and development opportunities

25 days holiday entitlement along with bank holidays.

Access to employee support and wellbeing services

Mears offer a company pension, life insurance and share scheme

Annual Mears Fun Day - Our annual Fun Day is organised as a massive thank you from the Executive team for all the hard work!

Volunteering Leave - Mears supports employees to undertake volunteering in the community, in support of our social value commitment

Family friendly policies

You will play a key role in shaping the future of our workforce while driving inclusion, innovation, and excellence in early talent development. If you’re ready to lead programmes that make a real impact, click on the link below to apply now.