Project Support Officers (Adult Skill Programme)

Join our new organisation as a Project Support Officer (Adult Skills Programme) to help deliver a new programme of skills training and development that will transform a whole region.

Welcome to EMCCA

EMCCA is the UK’s first mayor-led combined county authority. The East Midlands is a great region. But it deserves to be better. Better connected, better funded and better prepared for a future of opportunity, growth, and hope. EMCAA will oversee devolved powers around transport, housing, skills and adult education, economic development, and net zero. We will conceive the strategies and create the connections that will empower local partners, people and businesses – maximising the impact of billions of pounds of funding. Together, our new EMCCA team can put the East Midlands on the map as a place to live, work and study.

Your role in elevating the East Midlands

As Project Support Officer you’ll provide support to the Contracting and Claims Manager in the development and delivery of the Adult Skills Programme for the East Midlands. This role includes managing partner learning organisations’ contracts – monitoring their implementation and performance to ensure project expenditures comply with the Department for Education’s funding rules and maximise outcomes. The Adult Skills Programme has a funding value of £60 million.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and maintaining contract management and CRM tools to oversee finance, performance, subcontractors, partner delivery including programme progress, and risks of high-value contracts.
• Supporting the management of multiple complex adult skills contracts ensuring they are monitored efficiently and consistently, targets are met, risks identified and mitigated, and finance reports compiled.
• Participating in contract reviews and addressing underperformance or non-compliance.
• Handling enquiries from Training Providers and employers on funding rules, policy changes, and performance.
• Maintaining an auditable evidence trail to ensure contract claims are accurate, and compliant with funding rules, before approving payments, providing feedback as needed.
• Producing and distributing project documentation such as risk logs, action lists, project plans, and application forms.
• Fostering continuous improvement and quality assurance with stakeholders, establishing best practices.
• Conducting research and analysis to support team activities and develop performance indicators and management information systems.
• Working closely with the wider EMCCA team to maintain effective relationships with the Adult Skills Fund, marketing, and business teams.

Your profile:

• Educated to Level 3 or above, you’ll be able to demonstrate good knowledge of administration and governance procedures and systems including understanding of the Freedom of Information Act and GDPR.
• Proven record in providing successful coordination support to projects, preferably those supported with public funding.
• Experience of monitoring financial and commercial contracts, problem-solving and implementing process improvements in a project environment.
• Demonstrates an understanding of local skills and economic priorities.
• Confident in working with strict funding rules and regulations to ensure project compliance.
• Ability to manage change effectively within a political and sensitive environment.
• Highly organised, well developed time management skills with effective priority setting, you’ll be able to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines.
• Excellent communication, networking and relationship skills, able to engage with a range of partners and stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience of handling relationships at all levels across a complicated private and public sector landscape.
• Computer Literate particularly in the use of Excel.

To apply:

For more details on EMCCA, our rewards and benefits, and to apply, please visit: https://eastmidscareers.co.uk

Closing date: 20^th January.