Employability Manager

Job Role: Employability Business Manager

Experience, qualification, and soft skills, have you got everything required to succeed in this opportunity Find out below.
Location: Ashford / Canterbury
Salary: £35,000
Contract: Permanent

Role Overview
We are recruiting a driven and people‑focused Business Manager to lead a high‑performing team delivering the Restart employability programme. You will manage Employment Advisors, Employment Skills Trainers, and Local Recruitment Consultants, ensuring exceptional service delivery that supports jobseekers into sustainable employment.
You will drive performance, motivate and develop colleagues, ensure quality standards are met, and act as the central point of coordination across the contract. This role is ideal for an experienced people manager who thrives in a target‑driven environment and is passionate about supporting individuals with barriers back into work.

Key Responsibilities
People Leadership & Team Development
Lead, motivate, coach, and develop a multi‑disciplinary team.
Conduct regular performance reviews, observations, and 1:1s.
Identify skills gaps and coordinate training and development.
Support new staff through induction and probation, ensuring early performance success.
Manage absence, attendance, return‑to‑work interviews, and all people‑related administration.
Foster a positive, high‑performance culture aligned with "Customer First" values.
Recognise and address underperformance promptly, celebrating positive results.
Ensure all colleagues understand performance and contractual targets.
Performance Management & Delivery
Monitor KPIs, MI reports, and delivery targets daily, weekly, and monthly.
Oversee caseload flow, ensuring effective referrals and customer progression.
Review vacancy pipelines and ensure job opportunities meet local demand.
Work closely with teams to identify barriers, improve processes, and remove inefficiencies.
Lead team meetings, caseload reviews, and performance conferences.
Provide accurate forecasting, cost control, and Profit & Loss oversight.
Ensure timely sustainment planning and in‑work support for participants.
Stakeholder & Employer Engagement
Maintain strong relationships with funders, referral partners, and local stakeholders.
Attend meetings, events, and employer visits to represent the business.
Support Recruitment Managers with employer engagement and partnership growth.
Contribute to strategic partnership development and new business opportunities.
Prepare and deliver presentations for internal and external audiences.
Finance, Facilities & Compliance
Manage budgets, expenditure, forecasting, and financial processes.
Ensure sites operate safely through risk assessments and facility oversight.
Submit accurate KPI forecasts and financial reports.
Ensure compliance with quality, safeguarding, data protection, health & safety, and internal policies.
Quality & Continuous Improvement
Monitor quality of service delivery and resolve escalated complaints.
Complete pre‑validation checks to ensure documentation and action plans meet standards.
Liaise with internal teams to resolve service issues beyond team remit.
Drive continuous improvement activities aligned with contractual and regulatory requirements.
Contribute to customer feedback processes, service reviews, and improvement plans.
Essential Criteria
Strong people management experience, including coaching, mentoring, and performance management.
Proven experience achieving targets and driving team performance.
Excellent communication, leadership, and problem‑solving skills.
Ability to analyse performance data and implement effective improvement actions.
Understanding of barriers to employment and the support required to help individuals progress.
Ability to work in a fast‑paced, target‑driven environment.
Commitment to quality, continuous improvement, and customer‑focused delivery.

Desirable Criteria
Experience in employability, welfare‑to‑work, recruitment, training, or similar sectors.
IAG qualification.
Experience supporting customers with diverse personal, social, or health‑related barriers. xwzovoh
Experience of business‑to‑business sales activity.

How to Apply
For more information or to apply, please contact: Robert Rowe -