Project Leader

Derby City Council; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 27,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS Pension Scheme

Team Derby Rewards

Tusker Car Benefit Scheme

Generous annual leave

Hybrid working

Learning and development

Employee wellbeing

Volunteering leave

Job summary

Derby City Council seeks an experienced leader for its Virtual School team to improve educational outcomes for children with a social worker or in kinship care. You will work across education settings and social care to provide guidance, support, and accountability, shaping practice and policy.

The role requires senior leadership and safeguarding experience, with a focus on trauma-informed approaches and data-driven improvements, while collaborating with partners to raise achievement and

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in education.
• Experience with 0-18 education settings; safeguarding knowledge.
• Understanding trauma and relational approaches to learning.
• Ability to analyse data to influence practice.
• Strong communication and collaborative skills.
• Flexible, proactive, and able to have courageous conversations.

Responsibilities

• Lead as part of the Virtual School team to fulfil statutory duties and improve outcomes for children with a social worker or in kinship care.
• Provide advice, support and challenge across education settings and social care to improve attendance and attainment.

Skills

Senior leadership experience

Trauma-informed learning

Data analysis

Collaboration

Problem solving

People skills

Self-motivated

Education

Experience with 0-18 education settings

Job description

Job description

Salary: Soulbury points 6 – 9 £25,847 - £27,416 a year actual salary (£51,694 - £56,357 a year full time equivalent) plus 3 SPA points
Location: Council House
Hours: hours a week
Working hours: Part time
Closing Date: 26 October 2026
DBS Requirement: Enhanced
Contract Type: Temporary until 31 July 2028

The Opportunity

Would you enjoy working strategically to ensure children with a social worker and in kinship care make good progress and are supported to attend an educational setting? Would you enjoy working in Derby with education settings and social care to produce a framework to improve outcomes for children? Have you got a track record of leading others, working innovatively and collaboratively to bring about change?

What you’ll be doing

• You will be working as part of the Virtual School team looking to fulfil its statutory duties to improve the educational outcomes for children with a social worker and those in kinship care. You will work across both educational settings and social care to provide advice, support and challenge.
• You will be responsible for raising the awareness and visibility of the needs of these children; enhancing partnerships; looking to improve attendance and achievement; as well as ensuring that any training, information, advice and guidance is given to all stakeholders.

About you

• Have senior leadership experience in education and have been a designated safeguarding lead
• Be a professional with a proven track record working with a range of education settings 0-18, with knowledge of what makes an impact on progress and attainment.
• Understand how trauma impacts on learning and how a relational approach aids recovery
• Have an understanding of why attendance at an educational setting is important to children with a social worker and in kinship care
• Enjoy problem solving and developing practice and protocols
• Be someone with great people skills, flexibility, and a can-do attitude
• A person who can bring support and challenge to senior leaders in education
• Be able to analyse data and use it to make an impact on practice
• Be a team player who understands how to work collaboratively to get the best outcomes; as well as being self-motivated, creative and able to have courageous conversations

Who We Are

At Derby City Council, we're proud to deliver over 250 essential services that support our residents, communities and businesses. Guided by our vision to create an Inclusive, Green, Growing and Vibrant City, we put people at the heart of everything we do.

Our values shape how we work every day. We believe in Great People, One Team, we're Bold in embracing change, Strong in delivering for our communities, and We Care about making a positive difference.

Join us and you'll be part of an ambitious, collaborative organisation where you can develop your career while helping to shape Derby's future.

Why join Derby City Council?

At Derby City Council, you'll have the opportunity to make a real difference while building a rewarding career in an organisation that values, supports and invests in its people.

Alongside the opportunity to help shape the future of Derby, you'll benefit from a comprehensive range of employee benefits, including:

Financial Benefits

• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) – a secure, defined benefit pension with life cover
• Team Derby Rewards – discounts across a wide range of retail, leisure and lifestyle brands
• Tusker Car Benefit Scheme – a salary sacrifice scheme for leasing a brand-new, fully maintained and insured vehicle

Work-Life Balance

• Generous annual leave, starting at 27 days and rising to 32 days after five years' service (plus bank holidays, depending on your contract)
• The option to purchase additional annual leave
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements for many roles
• Flexible retirement options, where eligible
• Support for colleagues with caring responsibilities

Learning and Development

• Learning and development opportunities, with regular career conversations to support your growth
• Leadership and management development programmes, mentoring and professional qualifications
• Modern workspaces designed to support collaboration, productivity and wellbeing

Health and Wellbeing

• Employee Assistance Programme, wellbeing support and a year-round wellbeing calendar
• Free annual flu vaccinations
• Cycle2Work Scheme and free cycle training

Community and Inclusion

• Up to 15 hours of volunteering leave each year
• Recognition through initiatives including the Here for Derby Awards and Long Service Awards
• The opportunity to join one of our Employee Networks, including LGBTQ+, Disabled Employees and Carers, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Employees, and Neurodiversity

At Derby City Council, we believe our people are our greatest strength. Whatever stage you're at in your career, you'll be joining an inclusive organisation where you'll be supported to develop, feel valued and make a meaningful difference to the communities we serve.

Some benefits are dependent on your role, contract or length of service.