Programme Lead - Employability & Partnerships

Manchester City Council; Manchester; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday allowance

Pension

Parental leave

Discounts

Learning opportunities

Employment charter

Volunteer leave

Job summary

Manchester City Council’s MAES seeks an experienced Programme Lead to support development, coordination and delivery of strategy and action plans. The role focuses on increasing participation in learning, improving access to employment and responding to employer demand across growth sectors.

The post holder will build long-term employer relationships, engage partners and shape provision to meet labour market needs, contributing to sustainable outcomes for Manchester residents and communities.

Qualifications

• Strong experience of partnership working, particularly with employers and stakeholders.
• Experience in employability, education or economic development programmes.
• Good understanding of Manchester’s communities, labour market and barriers to participation.
• Confidence in engaging with stakeholders at different levels and facilitating collaborative activity.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Experience using CRM systems or data tracking tools to support delivery and performance monitoring.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, coordination and implementation of strategic programmes to ensure wide and equitable participation across Manchester’s communities.
• Build and sustain strong, long‑term relationships with employers, training providers and community organisations.
• Identify, engage and grow lasting employer relationships across priority sectors.
• Act as a key point of contact for employer engagement, supporting recruitment activity and participation in programme delivery.
• Coordinate employer involvement in shaping provision to ensure it is responsive to labour market need.
• Work closely with delivery teams to match employer demand with learner opportunities.
• Share labour market intelligence and employer feedback to inform programme development and continuous improvement.
• Maintain accurate records using CRM systems and track activity against agreed outcomes.
• Contribute to monitoring, reporting and evaluation for internal and external stakeholders.
• Represent MAES at external events, promoting opportunities and strengthening partnerships.
• Broker relationships with organisations delivering support to residents and connect communities to local opportunities.
• Produce high‑quality communications, including reports, presentations and briefings.

Skills

Partnerships

Employer engagement

Community engagement

Stakeholder engagement

Organisational skills

CRM systems

Collaboration

Job description

Manchester City Council’s MAES seeks an experienced Programme Lead to support development, coordination and delivery of strategy and action plans. The role focuses on increasing participation in learning, improving access to employment and responding to employer demand across growth sectors.

The post holder will build long-term employer relationships, engage partners and shape provision to meet labour market needs, contributing to sustainable outcomes for Manchester residents and communities.