Senior Contracts and Performance Officer

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority; Sheffield; Hybrid; GBP 41,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional skills authority in Sheffield is seeking a Senior Contracts and Performance Officer to manage programme delivery and ensure compliance with funding standards. The ideal candidate will have experience in skills or employment support programmes and a strong background in public sector contracting. This role offers competitive compensation and benefits including hybrid working options.

Benefits

Local Government Pension Scheme

Enhanced Holiday Entitlement

Flexible Hours Scheme

Professional Membership Fees reimbursement

On-the-job training

Qualifications

• Proven track record of managing delivery of skills or employment support programmes.
• Strong understanding of public sector contracting.
• Ability to drive performance and impact in programme delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead on delivery of all contract and performance management for key programmes.
• Maintain relationships with funding bodies.
• Manage financial claims and performance monitoring.

Skills

Experience in managing delivery of skills or employment support programmes

Familiarity with public sector contracting

Passion to drive impact and performance

Job description

Senior Contracts and Performance Officer

Application Deadline: 12 October 2025

Department: Skills and Employment

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Sheffield Head Office

Reporting To: Contracts and Performance Manager

Compensation: £41,511 - £44,711 / year

Hours: 37 hours

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £41,511 - £44,711

Location: Sheffield (This is a hybrid role with a minimum of 3 days per week in the office)

Description

At South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), we are committed to delivering inclusive economic growth, improving skills, and supporting businesses across the region. The Education, Skills and Employability Team are seeking a Senior Contracts and Performance Officer to drive performance and impact through the management of delivery of programmes, and an associated portfolio of grants and contracts across skills and employment programmes. This role is central to ensuring that our programmes are delivered effectively, meet compliance standards (through close working with our Quality and Compliance Team), and support the delivery of our strategic objectives by evidencing impact.

Applications must be accompanied by a cover letter to detail how you meet the essential criteria for the role (please see role profile attached). Please note, all applications should be made directly via our careers portal.

Please note South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority does not hold a sponsorship licence and cannot provide Skilled Worker sponsorship for any roles advertised.

About the role

You will lead on delivery of all contract and performance management for key programmes, including our Careers Hub and a new Employer Support Service. This will include maintaining a relationship with funding bodies with responsibility for financial claims and performance monitoring; and the management of grants with local authority partners and contracts with providers. This includes working closely with internal teams and external delivery partners to ensure effective delivery.

It is an exciting time to join the team as we work to deliver system change across work and health through our employer, careers and employment support programmes under the banner of Pathways to Work; and implement our South Yorkshire Skills Strategy across our growing devolved Adult Skills functions.

About you

You will bring experience of managing delivery of skills or employment support programmes, familiarity with public sector contracting and delivery, and a passion to drive impact and performance.

Please see the criteria within the role profile for a more comprehensive list of requirements for the role.

Benefits

All colleagues have access to a Local Government Pension Scheme and the chance to be part of an organisation where you can really make a difference. Located in Sheffield City Centre, we are well-placed for transport links and encourage employees to take advantage of the active travel facilities. Work/life balance is extremely important to us here at SYMCA with our recognised family/friendly policies, genuine work flexibility, recognition, and shared success.

In addition to the above, some of benefits include -

Local Government Pension Scheme – A comprehensive and attractive pension scheme with the ability to be flexible in the number of contributions you pay in along with peace of mind from immediate life cover and terminal illness cover after 2 years.

Continuous Employment – If you are currently employed by a Local Government employer, or any other employer under the Redundancy Modification Scheme, and do not have a break in service, your length of service can be transferred upon starting. This will apply to entitlement calculations including annual leave, maternity leave and enhanced sick pay.

Enhanced Holiday Entitlement – From 28 to 36 days annual leave entitlement (depending on length of service) plus bank holidays. Pro-rata for part time colleagues.

Annual Leave Purchase Scheme – The ability to purchase up to a further 15 days per year in addition to your normal annual leave.

Hybrid working – Our offices are a space where we come together and collaborate. Most of our roles are offered on a hybrid basis with the exception of some support roles being onsite full time. Please note, unless specified within the job advert, we cannot accommodate remote working contracts.

Flexible Hours Scheme – Most roles within SYMCA work under the Flexi-Scheme which allows office-based employees’ flexibility and discretion over their working hours. Under the scheme employees can accrue a defined amount of credit or debit of working hours, and to take time-off in the form of Flexi-Leave or banked Annual Leave.

Rewarding You - Reducing everyday expenses through discounts, benefits, financial advice, wellbeing solutions and more with Reward Gateway and Cycle-to-Work schemes.

Training on the job - Support with upskilling skills through on-the-job training and qualifications

Professional Membership Fees – Where membership to Professional bodies is applicable to your role, SYMCA will reimburse your membership fees where applicable and following approval by Line Management.

Diversity at South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority

Our workforce is a diverse community, where we all belong and feel part of something bigger. We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. All employees are eligible to request Flexible Working arrangements from day one of employment as such all requests will be considered subject to operation requirements. If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the process, please contact [e-mail] or include within your application form detailing the adjustment and how it will assist in managing any barriers.

Where candidates share disabilities within the application process, if they demonstrate that they meet all essential criteria from the Role Profile within their application, they will automatically be invited to interview.