Project Lead

Venn Group; England; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A recruitment consultancy is seeking an experienced Interim Project Lead to guide the South East Residential Care Academy Pilot. This role involves leading multi-agency projects, developing workforce strategies, and engaging with local authorities to improve the children's residential workforce. The position is hybrid, with a competitive rate of £550 per day over 3-6 months.

Benefits

Vouchers for recommendations

Qualifications

• Experience of leading large-scale, multi-agency projects in children’s social care.
• Strong understanding of recruitment and retention strategies.
• Knowledge of residential childcare practice.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and delivery of the Residential Care Academy Pilot.
• Produce resources for workforce development and recruitment.
• Build partnerships with local authorities and sector bodies.

Skills

Leadership of large-scale projects

Workforce development understanding

Stakeholder engagement skills

Programme leadership skills

Job description

Interim Project Lead – Based in South East Region, hybrid working

Length: 3-6 months

IR35 status: Outside

Rate: £550 per day

We are seeking an experienced Project Lead to provide strategic leadership and expertise for the South East Residential Care Academy Pilot. The Academy is being developed across multiple local authorities to improve the training, practice development, and recruitment of the children’s residential workforce.

Key Responsibilities of the Interim Project Lead

• Lead the design and delivery of the Residential Care Academy Pilot, developing a regional practice model based on social pedagogy
• Produce resources and frameworks to support workforce development, recruitment, and retention
• Build partnerships across local authorities, care-experienced young people, regulators, and sector bodies
• Establish a regional community of practice and promote residential care as a skilled career pathway
• Develop evaluation mechanisms to measure impact and drive improvements in care quality and outcomes

Skills, experience and knowledge required of the Interim Project Lead

Essential

• Experience of leading large-scale, multi-agency projects in children’s social care or related fields
• Strong understanding of workforce development, including recruitment and retention strategies
• Knowledge of residential childcare practice and social pedagogy
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and partnership-building skills
• Strong programme leadership and delivery skills

Desirable

• Experience of engaging care-experienced young people in service design and evaluation
• Knowledge of public funding streams, including apprenticeships and workforce development grants
• Established relationships with regulators, government departments, or sector bodies

To apply for this role or to find out about other jobs, please contact Kileigh Walsh on the London Local Government Recruitment team on 020 7557 7667 or send your CV to [e-mail]

Venn Group’s “Recommendation Scheme”: if you recommend a candidate who is subsequently placed by Venn Group (for a minimum of 2 weeks) you will be eligible for vouchers from a choice of high street organisations