Information pack for the role of

Director of EducationFind a Future

January 2016

Find a Future

Context

Find a Future is an organisation that brings together WorldSkills UK skills competitions, The Skills Show and The Skills Show Experience, providing every young person with the chance to unlock their potential and get excited about the world of work. Through hands-on experiential activities and skills competitions we help shape their futures and transform their lives.

Building on the success of our three products, our mission is to build a reputation for outstanding experiential careers events and skills competitions that are proven to inspire, educate and influence. We want more young people to know what they are great at and the opportunities available to them, so the UK remains a leader in skills. This will give employers direct access to the diversity of talent they need, to enable their businesses to flourish and our nation to prosper.

Find a Future includes:

- WorldSkills UK skills competitions champion and drive excellence in industry and education. This is achieved by encouraging local and regional competition activities and hosting the flagship national finals at The Skills Show, in pursuit of preparing outstanding competitors for international skills competitions.

- The Skills Show is the nation’s largest skills and careers event and helps to shape the future of a new generation. Attracting over 75,000 visitors annually, the show provides hands-on experiences that inspire young people to explore careers and motivates them to find out more about the world of work.

- The Skills Show Experience is a nationwide programme of over 220 skills and careers events delivered through collaborative partnerships reaching over 200,000 young people across the nation designed to respond to the local labour market needs.

Find a Future

Our Purpose

Find a Future provides hands on experiences to inspire young people and help shape their futures.

Our Ambition

- For Find a Future to build a reputation for outstanding experiential careers events and skills competitions that are proven to inspire, educate and influence.

- For more young people to know what they are great at and the opportunities available to them, so the UK remains a leader in skills.

- For employers to have direct access to the diversity of talent they need, to enable their businesses to flourish and our nation to prosper.

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Find a Future

Organisational structure

Find a Future has a staff team of around 40 and is structured into four directorates and two units, each directorate is led by a Director and each unit is led by a Head who as individuals form the Senior Leadership Team which is led by the Chief Executive.

- Operations

Responsible for the planning and delivery of the infrastructure for Find a Future’s core products (The Skills Show, The Skills Show Experience and WorldSkills UK Skills Competitions) which includes the design and build of built environments, management of all venues, the provisioning of security services, design and deployment of information technology needs, delivery of audio visual requirements, Health and Safety planning and compliance, logistics management, the management of all logistical delegate requirements (specifically registration, accreditation, customer services, transportation, catering and accommodation).

- Finance and Corporate Services

Responsible for all financial and administrative elements of Find a Future’s operation. This includes finance, human resources, insurance, legal services, office services and procurement and contracting. The Finance team provide a range of support functions which enable the operation to deliver its objectives ensuring a good balance between enablement and control.

Marketing and Business Development

Responsible for two inter-related areas of Find a Future’s operation:

- Business Development

Responsible for commercial activities which include cash and value-in-kind sponsorship. Find a Future needs just over £5m annually in sponsorship revenue to enable the delivery of its activities. A significant proportion of this sponsorship is generated from industry where value-in-kind is offered to support the delivery of the finals of the WorldSkills UK skills competitions. Major cash sponsors are also sought to provide sponsorship income to the show.

- Marketing and Communications

Responsible for all marketing and communications activity across Find a Future’s operation. The range of activities in this team includes: PR (proactive/reactive PR, establishing a press office function, filming and photography, social media, media partnerships, media centres), visitor marketing and recruitment, branding and collateral, communications support for sponsors partners/stakeholders (inbound/outbound, plus commitments as per commercial/partnership agreements).

- Education and Development

Responsible for two inter-related areas of Find a Future’s operation:

- WorldSkills UK Skills Competitions

This extends to stimulating the growth and embedding of skills competitions in mainstream education and training and widening the base of competition entrants making them accessible to a diverse range of people. The national competitions are delivered in partnership with a number of Competition Organising Partners, with the quality assurance and application of appropriate industry standards being key activities of the team. In addition to the national skills competitions, the team manage the development of a squad and then team of young people who compete internationally to be the very best in the world at their chosen skill and represent their country in doing so. This requires the support of a dedicated network of training managers who work with competitors to ensure their skill level is developed to meet the demanding requirements of international skills competitions.

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Find a Future

- Content and Experience

Responsible for three distinct strands of Find a Future’s work: the content of the national show and audience experience as a result of the national show; volunteer and employability; and local programmes (delivered through The Skills Show Experience). The content delivered at the national show (such as Have a Go, Showcase, Spotlight, careers advice, ceremonies, conferences, etc.) is key to achieving the overall objectives of the national show and need to be designed so as to provide visiting audiences with a meaningful and fulfilling experience. In addition, ensuring that volunteers engaged to deliver the national show are trained, supported and have a positive experience is critical. The co-ordination and management of the content of local programmes is key to ensuring that the reach of Find a Future is greater than what is delivered through the skills competitions and the national show.

The Education and Development directorate also has responsibility for the development of strategic educational partnerships and relationships to grow and develop Find a Future’s products and activities.

In addition to the four directorates, there are two units (which sit within the Executive directorate):

- a centralised Planning and Funding unit which has responsibility for: the management, monitoring and evaluation activities for external funding agreements; co-ordination of delivery activities in line with external funding agreements; support for the overall programme and project management across the organisation; and support for the process of planning and evaluating the organisation’s activities in line with the agreed strategic vision and annual business plan.

- a centralised Public Affairs unit which has responsibility for: the development, implementation and management of Find a Future’s public affairs strategy across the UK Parliament and Devolved Administrations in order to influence government policy in the areas of vocational education and careers education; the planning and development of a national campaigning strategy on key policy areas; meeting with parliamentarians to influence them to act in the interests of activities; and leading on Find a Future’s stakeholder and partnership strategies and activities.

Governance

Find a Future is a registered charity with a Board of Trustees strategically overseeing its effective operation in conjunction with the Chief Executive so as to ensure it meets its charitable objectives. The Board is made up of representatives of further education, skills and industry ensuring that the organisation’s activities are firmly representative of the audiences and target groups it serves in its work.

The Board meets at least four times per year depending on the business it needs to consider. The Chief Executive and the Directors of Find a Future attend the Board.

The Board has two sub-Committees: Audit Committee which deals with the scrutiny of the organisation’s activities especially in relation to finance and ensuring that the organisation’s approach to risk management is robust (usually meets four times per year ahead of the Board); and the Remuneration Committee which deals with the pay and conditions of organisation’s staff (usually meets once a year).

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Find a Future

Role Description

Role: Director of Education

Manager: Chief Executive

Directorate/Unit: Education and Development

Reports: Head of Education and Development [3 roles]

Role Purpose

The purpose of this role is to help increase the profile and credibility of the organisation as a driver of higher skills standards to boost UK competitiveness. The role holder will take the strategic lead on the development and mainstreaming of education content and standards through competitions and skills shows across the UK and internationally.

Key Responsibilities

1. Contribute to successful delivery of Find a Future’s strategic priorities and annual business objectives.

2. In partnership with the Board, the Chief Executive and the Leadership and Strategy Group, develop and maintain stakeholder relationships at a senior level with a wide range of organisations across government, public agencies, employers and the education sector (in particular with the further education sector and schools), ensuring direct engagement with the organisation and its products.

3. Develop and implement long-term strategy to establish skills competitions as the gold standard for vocational education and training, recognised by providers, practitioners, employers, regulators/funders and the public at large.

4. Ensure strategic oversight of Find a Future’s role as UK member of World Skills International

5. Progressively align national competition standards with WorldSkills International standards through systematic benchmarking and, in conjunction with the Education and Training Foundation, international peer exchange and continuing professional development programmes.

6. Embed and mainstream skills competitions at the core of strategies for raising standards of teaching and learning and, in partnership with the Education and Training Foundation, as a key vehicle for practitioner development across the vocational education and training sector and the workplace.

7. Develop and establish the experiential careers education model of The Skills Show as a mainstream approach to careers education adopted by policy makers, funders, key stakeholder bodies (for example Local Enterprise Partnerships, employer organisations, etc.) and training providers.

8. Develop long-term partnerships with Local Enterprise Partnerships and the Devolved Administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to develop commitment to support/fund the delivery of regionally based Skills Shows and expansion of The Skills Show Experience local programme.

9. Establish and maintain support for key stakeholder forums that contribute to organisation and its activities (for example Association of Colleges WorldSkills Portfolio Group).

10. Identify, secure and maintain partnerships with key delivery organisations in the careers education, advice and support landscape for young people and adults.

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Find a Future

11. Take the lead on reviewing and developing the educational content of The Skills Show and The Skills Show Experience.

12. Develop and implement, in partnership with sector partners (such as the Education and Training Foundation and the UK Commission for Employment and Skills), conference programmes and practitioner continuing professional development programmes.

13. Lead on establishing The Skills Show as the showcase for UK vocational education and training and a key vehicle for international marketing of the UK’s vocational education and training system, working with partners (such as the British Council, Association of Colleges, the Education and Training Foundation, Devolved Administrations, WorldSkills Europe and WorldSkills International).

14. In partnership with the Director of Marketing and Business Development, explore and secure potential commercialisation opportunities from the national competitions and the shows.

15. In partnership with the Head of Planning and Funding, develop viable funding models and proposals to meet the needs of Find a Future (relating to skills competitions and the experiential careers education model).

16. Take ownership of projects within the Education and Development team ensuring all deviations from targets (time, money, people, etc.) are identified and addressed at the earliest possible stage.

17. Produce requirement specifications in line with Find a Future’s procurement strategies for all outsourced activity.

18. Maintain Find a Future’s established management policies for dealing with risks and issues for the Education and Development team and the wider organisation.

19. Effectively co-ordinate resources (including agencies, suppliers, contractors) so that all project elements are delivered to acceptable standards on time, to budget and meet the required specification(s)/objective(s).

20. Manage activities/tasks in accordance with the agreed project plan to ensure delivery on time and to budget.

21. Recruit, manage, support and motivate allocated staff to successfully deliver activities/tasks.

22. Other duties and/or projects as may reasonably be requested by the Chief Executive acknowledging experience, education and ability.

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Find a Future

Person Specification

Key: [E] Essential / [D] Desirable

Qualifications and experience

− Qualified to degree level (or equivalent). [E]

− Formal teaching/training qualification. [D]

− Experience of strategic leadership in an education or skills environment. [E]

− Experience of operating at a senior management level (or equivalent) and contributing to the work of a Senior Management Team. [E]

− Experience of developing and maintaining strategic partnerships with a range of stakeholders nationally and locally. [E]

− Experience of commercial nous in helping secure new revenue streams

− Experience of designing and implementing strategic and operational plans linked to organisational outcomes and key performance indicators. [E]

− Experience of engaging employers and education to deliver objectives in relation to the development of individuals. [E]

− Experience of budgeting and budget management. [E]

− Experience of the further education and skills sector. [E]

Knowledge and skills

− Understanding of the design, implementation and evaluation of educational activities in formal and non-formal environments that contribute to the development of individuals. [E]

− Knowledge of the models of delivery and funding for careers education activities. [E]

− Broad high-level knowledge of the various vocational educational and training systems in place across the UK. [E]

− Knowledge and understanding of UK-wide context and impact on skills agenda of existing devolved administrations in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland, as well as emerging devolution across England.

− Knowledge and understanding of current policy on careers education, further education, apprenticeships and skills. [E]

− Ability to strategically develop partnerships to fund and deliver Find a Future’s activities (for example The Skills Show Experience and the experiential careers education model). [E]

− Ability to operate with an organisation-wide remit and to develop effective working relationships internally. [E]

− Knowledge of vocational skills competitions. [D]

− Ability to manage a complex and diverse workload, prioritise and meet deadlines. [E]

− Excellent verbal and written communication skills. [E]

− Ability to direct, manage and motivate a team. [E]

− Ability to delegate and empower staff while retaining control and overall accountability. [E]

- Ability to manage expenditure within agreed budgets. [E]

Personal qualities

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Find a Future

- Very reliable and with a high level of probity. [E]

- High level of personal drive and determination. [E]

- Able to work to own initiative with broad direction. [E]

- Able to think creatively and solve problems. [E]

- Flexible in working methods and ideas. [E]

- Excellent team player and collaborative approach to work. [E]

- Enthusiastic and able to motivate others. [E]

- Able to understand the needs of and motivate young people as an important target audience. [E]

Special circumstances

- Prepared to occasionally work outside of normal hours. [E]

- Prepared to travel within the United Kingdom and occasionally internationally. [E]

- Able to spend an occasional night away from home. [E]

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Find a Future

Summary of Terms and Conditions

- The salary for this role is £75,000 (Grade S)

- Normal place of work is Floor Four, 157-197 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SP.

- Minimum of 35 hours per week, normal working hours are 09:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday. Occasional weekend work may be required by mutual agreement for which reasonable time off in lieu will be given.

- 25 days annual leave plus public and bank holidays, increasing entitlement based on length of service.

- The post is subject to six months probationary period with one months’ notice.

- The offer of appointment will be subject to satisfactory references.

- Salaries are paid monthly by direct transfer on or about 21st of the month.

How to apply

All applications should be submitted via the GatenbySanderson website: www.gatenbysanderson.com/job/GSe24669

Applications should include:

- a curriculum vitae detailing your full career history; and

- a supporting statement with evidence of your suitability for the role, taking into account the points listed in the role description and person specification (throughout the recruitment process we will be looking for examples and evidence of your experience, knowledge and skills).

For a confidential discussion regarding this appointment, please contact our advising consultants at GatenbySanderson;

Paul Aristides on 020 7426 3987; paul.aristides@gatenbysanderson.com Manjit Mundair-Lalli on 07807 624 332; manjit.lalli@gatenbysanderson.com

The closing date is 25 January 2016

A selection of candidates will be invited for preliminary interview with our advising consultants at GatenbySanderson.

Final interviews tbc

Find a Future is committed to making appointments on merit by fair and open processes, taking account of equality and diversity.

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