Customer & Learner Experience Manager

Permanent, Full Time

£54,758 to £64,421 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Closing Date: 27th April 2026

*Please note this is a fixed-base role. Whilst contractually based in Chelmsford, the role allows for some home-working and a requirement to attend ACL sites 2-3 days per week, in line with business need.

Adult Community Learning (ACL) Essex is Essex County Council’s provider of lifelong learning experiences for Essex residents. ACL Essex offers qualifications to help people move nearer to, enter or progress within the workplace or gain skills to enhance life chances. The service focuses many of its programmes and activities on the hardest to reach communities within Essex. ACL Essex learners have access to a diverse range of accredited and non-accredited courses which encourage creativity, healthy lifestyles, social inclusion and engagement. 

The Customer and Learner Experience Manager oversees the end-to-end learner journey across Adult Community Learning (ACL) Essex, ensuring a consistently excellent, inclusive and accessible experience from enquiry to progression. The role leads learner admissions, enrolment, advice and guidance, learning locations and support services that maximise success and satisfaction while meeting statutory and funding requirements. The postholder manages the learner voice strategy, feedback mechanisms and customer relationship management (CRM) systems so that insights drive continuous improvement, accessibility and quality across the service in line with council priorities and ACL Essex standards.

The post holder will demonstrate strong leadership, customer service expertise, and the ability to manage complex processes and systems. They will need excellent organisational, communication, and problem-solving skills, with a focus on delivering high-quality, learner-centred services. Operating in a dynamic environment, the role requires adaptability, attention to detail, and the ability to balance compliance with innovation.

Role responsibilities

Lead the design and delivery of the customer and learner service strategy so that experiences are seamless and inclusive from enquiry, during enrolment through to progression and destination reporting.
Oversee enrolment, initial funding eligibility checks and customer care processes in line with guidance from the including guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) and Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) and Education Inspection Framework (EIF) and other relevant national or regional requirements.
Lead learner support services including information, advice and guidance, wellbeing, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support, digital inclusion and learning resources, ensuring that barriers to participation are reduced.
Lead a team to ensure effective and efficient utilisation of resources and facilities to maximise commercial opportunity and effective delivery at all centres and outreach across the County.
Oversee the operational delivery of the service including facilities and catering, accountable for all aspects of health and safety and safeguarding requirements at delivery locations, sharing knowledge, expertise and good practice to ensure legal and audit/monitoring requirements are met.
Manage learner voice activities and feedback loops so that insight informs service design, accessibility and improvement; publish and act on themes arising from complaints, compliments and surveys.
Develop and monitor measures for satisfaction, use Management Information Systems (MIS) and dashboards to identify risk and drive improvement to support retention, achievement and progression.
Ensure effective management of front-line staff, systems and customer relationship management (CRM) platforms so that communications are accurate, timely and compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Collaborate with curriculum, quality, safeguarding and data leads to ensure compliance with the Education Inspection Framework (EIF), Martyn's Law, audit requirements and continuous service improvement.
Contribute to service planning, risk management and value-for-money decisions, aligning customer and learner services to broader council outcomes for inclusion, health and wellbeing.
Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Educated to RQF Level 5 or above (or equivalent by experience) in education management, customer service or a related field, with evidence of continuing professional development.
Strong understanding of learner journey management, customer experience design and compliance requirements including guidance from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).
Proven experience managing learner admissions, guidance or support services in Further Education (FE) or adult learning contexts, delivering measurable improvements in satisfaction and outcomes.
Significant experience using digital performance tracking and reporting systems, including management information systems (MIS), to analyse performance and address risks for learners and staff.
Excellent leadership, communication and digital systems management skills, with the credibility to influence stakeholders and collaborate across functions.
Commitment to inclusion, safeguarding and continuous improvement, with the ability to interpret data to drive learner experience enhancements.

To read more about us please visit: Policy, Economy, Investment and Property - Working for Essex

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

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