Travel Support Team Manager

We Manage Jobs(WMJobs); Brierley Hill; On-site; GBP 51,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in Brierley Hill is seeking an experienced Travel Support Team Manager to oversee the Education Travel Support Team. This leadership role ensures over 900 children travel safely to school. Responsibilities include managing a team, overseeing contract compliance, and driving service improvements. Ideal candidates will have significant experience in operational management, strong contract management skills, and the ability to lead effectively. A full driving license is required. This role offers a competitive salary and is full-time based.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in managing operational services, ideally in a transport or education setting.
• Ability to lead teams effectively and develop a high performance culture.
• Strong experience in contract management and procurement.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team to deliver a safe, efficient travel support service.
• Oversee assessment of transport applications and manage contracts.
• Drive service improvements while ensuring compliance and safety.

Skills

Contract management

Team leadership

Safeguarding management

Organizational skills

Relationship building

Job description

Salary: £51,356 – £54,495
Grade: 12
Directorate: Children’s Services
Section: Education TravelSupport Team (ETST)
Location: Dudley
Contract: Full Time

We are looking for an experienced, motivated and forward-thinking Travel Support Team Manager to lead our Education Travel Support Team (ETST). This is a key leadership role within Children’s Services, ensuring that over 900 children and young people can travel safely and reliably to school or educational provision every day.

The service supports a diverse range of children and young people aged 4–25, including those with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), those in care, and those accessing respite or short‑break services. You will be at the heart of a service that directly improves children’s daily lives and their access to education.

In this high‑impact role, you will:

• Lead and manage a team of eight staff to deliver a safe, efficient and high‑quality travel support service.
• Oversee the assessment of applications, commissioning of transport, contract management, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement activity.
• Manage approximately £10m of procured travel support services and ensure robust contract compliance, including audits, investigations and contractor performance action.
• Lead on safeguarding across all commissioned travel services including managing allegations, liaising with the LADO, carrying out formal interviews and, where necessary, making referrals to the DBS.
• Build strong working relationships with schools, transport providers, social care and education teams.
• Drive innovation and improvements, analysing performance and financial data to identify opportunities for efficiencies without compromising safety or quality.
• Prepare reports, briefings and correspondence and work with Legal and Procurement to shape future commissioning activity.

This is a complex, varied and rewarding role requiring professional confidence, strong judgement and the ability to work under pressure especially during peak operational periods.

About you

We are looking for someone who:

• Has significant experience in managing operational services, ideally in a transport, education or local authority setting.
• Can lead teams effectively, motivating staff and developing a culture of high performance.
• Has strong contract management, commissioning or procurement experience.
• Understands safeguarding responsibilities and can manage sensitive, high‑risk decision‑making.
• Is highly organised and able to work at pace, managing competing priorities.
• Is confident in handling complex issues, complaints and investigations.
• Builds positive, productive relationships with internal and external partners.

You will also need a full driving licence and business insurance. This role is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

Workplace Attendance: Working in the office 3+ days a week (pro-rata) or Onsite full time

So that we can demonstrate Dudley’s commitment to diversity and inclusion and to improve bias in the recruitment process that could create barriers for candidates. Your personal data will be anonymised when you apply, to ensure that you comply with our anonymisation process, please ensure you have removed your name and date of birth from any attachments prior to uploading them to your application.

Online application forms will only be accepted for this vacancy, online facilities for jobs are available at public libraries within the Dudley Borough.

All applicants must be able to provide documentation to prove their right to work in the UK.

Please note: Dudley MBC does not currently offer sponsorship for candidates without the Right to Work in the UK.

If you requiresupportcompleting an online or paper application form and or interview techniques, please contact Dudley Adult and Community Learning on 01384 818 143 or [e-mail] who cansupportwith Digital Skills and Job Applications.

If you have a disability and require assistance in making an application please contact the HR Resourcing Team via [e-mail]

If you are experiencing a problem whilst applying for a position, please follow the link below to the WM Jobs Help Page in the first instance https://help.wmjobs.co.uk/

If the WM Jobs Help Page does not resolve your issue then please contact the HR Resourcing Team via [e-mail]

Dudley Council will check the information that you have provided against any details already held for accuracy and completeness. The Council will check, share and cross match your information both internally within the council and with external organisations to protect public funds and prevent or detect crime, only where the law allows us to do so.

The Council’s full Privacy and Disclaimer Statement can be accessed on the website at https://www.dudley.gov.uk/privacy-disclaimer-statement/

N.B. We reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the advertised date should we receive a large number of applications

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Attached documents

• Travel Support Team Manager PS.docx
• Travel Suppport Team Manager JD.docx
• Employee Benefits List.pdf