Opportunity Sheffield is the employment and skills service within Sheffield City Council (SCC). We commission, deliver and oversee activities to support people into jobs, training and career development, and work to strengthen the local economy by helping employers attract, nurture and retain talent.

Our programmes are aimed at breaking down barriers to employment, particularly for those furthest from the labour market, while helping alleviate poverty and boost economic growth through skills enhancement.

Opportunity Sheffield’s employment support activity is delivered as part of regional programmes delivered in partnership with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA)

Sheffield City Council has been nominated by Government as a Delivery Area Member in South Yorkshire’s Connect to Work Programme, introduced in November 2024’s Get Britain Working white paper. The programme, set to run from 2025 to 2030, will be externally funded through Department for Work and Pensions funding designated to South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.

Connect to Work (CtW) will comprise two elements – Individual Placement and Support (IPS) and Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) employment support – which utilise the evidence-based ‘place, train, and maintain’ models, designed to support participants with higher-level needs.

We are looking to recruit a Strategic Support Coordinator to join the Opportunity Sheffield team and carry out duties of managing the team of 10 SEQF Job Coaches. The Team support Sheffield residents who are Autistic or have Learning Disabilities or Neurodiversity to enhance their strengths, improve their job skills and support them into work. This role is a temporary position and will end on the 31^st March 2028.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, flexible, and forward-thinking member of staff who can support and manage staff delivering the employment support project.

The individual will be expected to have knowledge and understanding of SEQF, externally funded programmes, the employment support sector and the Voluntary Community Sector. This will include:

Monthly staff 1-2-1s and annual PDRs
Monitoring SEQF activity and progress against set targets outputs and outcomes, and any key performance indicators.
Ensuring SCC contractual compliance is always maintained to the highest standard
Understand and maintain the 5 stage SEQF model
Understanding and implementing Fidelity principles which will contribute to annual audits
Building and maintaining positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders
Using Enspirio information systems effectively in accordance with the requirements of the CtW contract delivery, for which training will be provided
Assisting in the preparation and production of the management information and project returns
Carrying out other duties, to be agreed upon with line manager

The closing date for applications is 24^th April 2026 with interviews week commencing 11^th May an intended start date of June 2026

If you are interested in this exciting opportunity we encourage you to get in touch to discuss the role - Peter Slack (Development Manager) peter.slack@sheffield.gov.uk or 0114 2057441 (on annual leave until 13^th April)

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all individuals, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for everyone and where appropriate to the role the successful applicant will be required to undertake relevant safeguarding checks.

We are investing in our workforce and are promoting opportunities to our under-represented groups. We value equality, diversity and inclusion and are focused on increasing the diversity of our workforce, particularly the number of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, Disabled and LGBTQ+ people, so that our teams reflect the communities in the city we serve. We are also supporting staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly.

It is a great time to join us and we welcome your application.

Under the Guaranteed Interview scheme, applicants who are disabled, care leavers, or armed forces veterans will be guaranteed an interview if they meet the essential criteria and indicate their eligibility on the application form.

Full-time employees work 37 hours for 52 weeks of the year and we offer a generous holiday entitlement. We are open to discussions about a wide range of flexible working opportunities which benefit you and the Council, including reduced hour contracts, working part time or as a job share.

If you are appointed to this role, your starting salary will be at the bottom of the grade. If you provide payslip evidence that your basic pay is greater than the bottom of the grade, we will consider starting you at the point of minimum advantage within the grade.

Equality of pay is extremely important to us. All roles at Sheffield City Council are going through an evaluation process which may result in changes to some pay arrangements from 2026. Find out more on our Sheff news page.