Team Leader

Sovereign & Bale; Croydon; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Sovereign & Bale is seeking an experienced Team Leader to guide a team of Mentors and Activity Co-ordinators in delivering high-quality employability support for young people aged 18–24. You’ll drive performance, coach staff, and ensure strong outcomes while coordinating with Jobcentre Plus and local partners.

You’ll oversee a consistent participant journey from engagement to job start, monitor targets, manage risks, and foster a positive, accountable team culture focused on sustainable

Qualifications

• Experience leading teams in employability, youth employment or target-driven environments.
• Proven ability to manage performance against targets and drive outcomes.
• Knowledge of caseload management, engagement, and progress toward employment.

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and support Mentors and Activity Co-ordinators to deliver high-quality employment support.
• Monitor individual and team performance against contractual targets and ensure progress.
• Review caseloads to ensure effective movement toward employment and sustainment.
• Coach staff, conduct one-to-ones, and provide constructive feedback.
• Build relationships with Jobcentre Plus, employers and local partners.
• Ensure accurate case management, record keeping and compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Performance targets

Coaching

Stakeholder engagement

Caseload management

Employment support

Data analysis

Communication skills

Microsoft Office

Travel flexibility

Tools

Case management systems

Digital communication tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Team Leader
Location: South West London (Covering Croydon, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton, Wandsworth)
Salary: £42,000
Contract: Permanent

The Role

Are you an experienced team leader, supervisor or coach with a background in employability, youth employment, welfare-to-work, customer service or another performance-led environment?

We’re looking for a Team Leader to lead, motivate and support a team of Mentors and Activity Co-ordinators, helping young people aged 18–24 overcome barriers, move into employment and sustain their careers.

This is a hands-on leadership role where you’ll be responsible for day-to-day team performance, quality of delivery and participant progression, while working closely with employers, Jobcentre Plus, local partners and internal teams.

You’ll support and manage a team of Mentors and Activity Co-ordinators, ensuring they deliver a consistent, high-quality participant journey from engagement through to job start and sustained employment.

You’ll monitor performance, coach your team, identify risks and address underperformance, while creating a positive and accountable team culture focused on achieving excellent participant outcomes.

Key responsibilities

• Leading, motivating and supporting Mentors and Activity Co-ordinators to deliver high-quality employment support.
• Monitoring individual and team performance against contractual targets, including engagement, job outcomes and sustainment.
• Reviewing caseloads to ensure participants are progressing effectively towards employment.
• Ensuring Mentors deliver effective action planning, regular participant contact, barrier removal, employer engagement and in-work support.
• Using management information and performance data to identify risks, improve delivery and address underperformance.
• Conducting regular one-to-ones, staff reviews, observations and coaching sessions.
• Providing constructive feedback and supporting colleagues to improve performance and quality.
• Supporting the recruitment, onboarding and induction of new team members.
• Building effective relationships with Jobcentre Plus, employers, training providers, local stakeholders and support agencies.
• Supporting the development of referral routes and employment opportunities for young people.
• Ensuring accurate case management, record keeping and compliance with contractual and audit requirements.
• Maintaining knowledge of local labour markets, youth employment opportunities, benefits and wider support services.
• Promoting a positive, inclusive and performance-focused team culture.
• Ensuring delivery meets safeguarding, data protection, health and safety, equality, quality and compliance requirements.

Skills and Experience

• Experience leading, supervising or coaching colleagues within **employability, youth employment, welfare-to-work, customer service or another target-driven environment**.
• Experience managing performance against targets and holding colleagues accountable for results.
• An understanding of caseload management, participant engagement, action planning, job outcomes and sustainable employment.
• Experience providing coaching, feedback, observations, one-to-ones or structured performance reviews.
• The ability to use management information and performance data to identify priorities and improve delivery.
• Strong relationship-building skills, with the confidence to work with employers, Jobcentre Plus, training providers and local stakeholders.
• Knowledge of local labour markets, youth employment challenges, employment support and barriers faced by young people would be advantageous.
• Excellent communication, influencing and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Good IT and administration skills, including Microsoft Office, case management systems and digital communication tools.
• A genuine passion for helping young people move into sustainable employment.
• A positive, supportive and accountable approach to team leadership.
• Ability and willingness to work from an assigned office location, working flexibly across sites, with willingness to travel locally to support delivery, stakeholders, employers and team activity.