Music Service Manager

London Borough of Hillingdon; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible Working Hours

36 Hour Week

Generous Holiday Entitlement

Local Government Pension Scheme

Perkbox Benefits

Mental Health Support

Job summary

London Borough of Hillingdon is seeking a Music Service Manager to lead the Hillingdon Music Service, shaping strategy and delivery for high-quality, inclusive music education across the borough.

You will lead a central team and tutors, act as the service’s public face with schools and partners, and drive growth in engagement and income while upholding safeguarding standards.

Qualifications

• Formal qualification in Music and/or Education at degree level or above.
• Significant experience of strategic and operational leadership in education, cultural, public sector or charitable environments.
• Experience of managing public and/or charitable funding and delivering against financial and performance targets.
• Proven people management skills, with the ability to motivate teams and address underperformance.
• Experience of building and developing teams and leading through change.
• Strong financial management skills with responsibility for large budgets and traded income.
• Strong understanding of the English education system and the role of music education within it.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with schools, partners and senior leaders.
• Commitment to inclusion, safeguarding and delivering outstanding services for children and young people.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Hillingdon Music Service, ensuring excellent outcomes for children and young people.
• Develop and communicate a clear vision for music education, fostering a positive and productive team culture.
• Strengthen relationships with schools, educational leaders, families and community partners to increase engagement and participation in music learning.
• Ensure the service grows its reach and traded income while maintaining delivery standards.
• Represent Hillingdon Music Service within the London West Music Hub and contribute to regional developments.
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement through partnerships and funding opportunities.
• Ensure safeguarding, inclusion and equality underpin all service provision.

Skills

Strategic leadership

People management

Communication skills

Financial management

Education system knowledge

Inclusion & safeguarding

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Music and/or Education degree

Job description

About the role

Are you a passionate leader with a commitment to transforming young people's lives through music? Hillingdon Council is seeking an exceptional Music Service Manager to lead and develop the highly regarded Hillingdon Music Service (HMS), ensuring that children and young people across the borough have access to high-quality, inclusive and inspiring music education opportunities.

This is a unique opportunity to shape the strategic direction of the service at an exciting time for music education nationally and locally. You will lead the operational and strategic delivery of the Music Service, managing a dedicated central team and a wider workforce of specialist music tutors. You will also act as the public face of the service, championing music education with schools, families, partners and stakeholders across Hillingdon and beyond.

As Music Service Manager, you will:

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Hillingdon Music Service, ensuring excellent outcomes for children and young people.


• Develop and communicate a clear vision for music education, fostering a positive and productive team culture.


• Strengthen relationships with schools, educational leaders, families and community partners to increase engagement and participation in music learning.


• Ensure the service continues to grow its reach and reputation, increasing participation and traded income while maintaining excellent standards of delivery.


• Represent Hillingdon Music Service within the London West Music Hub (LWMH), contributing to regional and national music education developments.


• Drive innovation and continuous improvement by exploring new partnerships, funding opportunities and emerging best practice across the music education sector.


• Ensure safeguarding, inclusion and equality remain at the heart of all service provision.

About You

We are looking for an experienced and forward-thinking leader who is passionate about music education and understands its power to enrich lives and improve outcomes for young people.

To be successful in this role, you should have:

• A formal qualification in Music and/or Education at degree level or above.


• Significant experience of strategic and operational leadership, ideally within an education, cultural, public sector or charitable environment.


• Experience of managing public and/or charitable funding and delivering against financial and performance targets.


• Proven people management skills, with the ability to motivate teams, set clear expectations and address underperformance where necessary.


• Experience of building and developing teams, creating positive cultures and leading through change.


• Strong financial management skills, including responsibility for large budgets and traded income.


• A strong understanding of the education system in England and the role of music education within it.


• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage effectively with schools, partners, families, elected members and senior leaders.


• A commitment to inclusion, safeguarding and delivering outstanding services for children and young people.

Here’s a comprehensive overview of the fantastic benefits we provide:

• Flexible Working Hours – We recognise the importance of flexibility in managing your work and personal life.


• 36 Hour Week – Enjoy a standard 36-hour workweek for all full time staff.


• Generous Holiday Entitlement – increasing with length of service (for non-casual roles).


• Hillingdon Sports & Leisure – Stay active and healthy with discounts at council owned leisure centres and swimming pools across the borough.


• Salary Sacrifice Schemes – option to join schemes for cycle purchase, electric vehicle leasing and additional voluntary pension contributions (subject to scheme rules).


• Cycle to Work – Eco-friendly commuting with our cycle purchase scheme. We also provide bicycle parking, lockers, and showers at the Civic Centre.


• Local Government Pension Scheme – access to Local Government Pension Scheme and membership to the Credit Union.


• Perkbox Benefits – Access a variety of offers and discounts through our Perkbox Benefits.


• Mental Health Support and Counselling Services – Our mental health first aiders are trained to identify, understand, and help employees experiencing mental health issues. Access free 24-hour confidential advice and counselling as well as a legal advice service for you and your immediate family.


• Travel Support – Make your daily commute easier with our season ticket loans and free car parking.


• Trade Union Membership – The Council recognises UNISON, Unite, AEP and GMB and supports employees’ freedom of choice in relation to trade union membership.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At the London Borough of Hillingdon, we are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. This commitment means that all employees, job applicants and others who work for us will be treated fairly.

The aim is for our workforce to be representative of all sections of society and Hillingdon residents so we welcome applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds. We strive to ensure that our recruitment process is free from discrimination and bias, and we are dedicated to providing reasonable adjustments to applicants with disabilities.

Join us in building a workplace where everyone feels respected, able to give their best and be themselves at work, whilst contributing meaningfully to our organisation's success.

Recruitment Information

Hillingdon Council operates a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities that meet the essential criteria for the role and wish to be considered under this scheme. We believe in the option to choose, so candidates declaring a disability have the choice to opt in for consideration under this scheme, on a ‘per application’ basis.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable groups and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Some posts are subject to The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2019 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

In addition to verifying Right to Work in the UK and a new starter health questionnaire, the post is subject to the following pre‑employment screening:

• Enhanced DBS Check


• 5 years of Referencing

Please note:

• Priority will be given to those at risk of redundancy within Hillingdon Council. Current employees who are part of the redeployment pool must meet the essential criteria for shortlisting to be prioritised.


• It may be necessary due to a high volume of applications to close this role early. We therefore recommend you apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.