Team Leader

Sovereign & Bale; Greater Lincolnshire; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Sovereign & Bale is seeking an experienced Team Leader to guide Mentors and Activity Co-ordinators supporting young people aged 18–24 into employment. You will drive day-to-day performance, ensure high-quality delivery, and manage risks while partnering with employers, Jobcentre Plus and local groups.

You will coach staff, oversee recruitment, and foster a results‑oriented, inclusive culture. The role involves overseeing engagement, action planning and progression to sustained work, with a focus

Qualifications

• Experience leading, supervising or coaching colleagues within employability or target-driven environments.
• Experience managing performance against targets and accountability.
• Understanding of caseload management, engagement, action planning, job outcomes and sustainable employment.
• Experience providing coaching, feedback, observations, one-to-ones or structured performance reviews.
• Ability to use management information and performance data to identify priorities and improve delivery.
• Strong relationship-building with employers, Jobcentre Plus, training providers and local stakeholders.
• Knowledge of local labour markets and youth employment challenges is advantageous.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage priorities.
• Good IT and administration skills including Microsoft Office, case management systems and digital tools.
• Genuine passion for helping young people move into sustainable employment.
• Positive, supportive and accountable approach to team leadership.
• Willingness to travel locally across sites.

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 and local stakeholders.
• 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, young people 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

Leadership

Performance Management

Stakeholder Engagement

Coaching & Feedback

Data Analytics

Relationship Building

Labour Market Knowledge

Communication Skills

Organisation Skills

IT & Admin Skills

Job description

Location: South Midlands (Covering Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, South Midlands, Leicester and Rutland)

Contract: Permanent

The Role

Are you an experienced team leader, supervisor or coach with a background in employability, young people 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 ages 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, young people 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, young people 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, young people 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.