Opportunity Sheffield Strategic Support Coordinator (Maternity Cover)

This post is maternity cover and will be offered on a fixed-term basis until the substantive postholder returns (expected end date 28^th May 2027).

Sheffield City Council SCC has been successful in securing funding to deliver employment support projects, part funded by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Department of Work and Pensions (SYMCA and DWP). These employment support projects will include contracts to support targeted groups, individuals with specialist health requirements and economically inactive/socially excluded individuals.

We are looking to recruit a Strategic Support Coordinator to join the Opportunity Sheffield team (SCC’s Employment and Skills service) and carry out a strategic support function for the service. This role will report directly to the Partnerships Manager and will involve line management of the Contract Management team and Youth Hubs project teams.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, flexible, innovative, and forward-thinking member of staff who can support and manage the delivery of a part UKSPF-funded programme of employment, economic inclusion, and skills.

The individual will be expected to have knowledge and understanding of externally funded programmes, business relationship management and the Voluntary Community Sector. The role will include:

Day-to-day line management of Contract Management and Youth Hubs project teams.
Have a solid understanding of the programmes under your line management and to be able to effectively support staff delivering them.
Supporting the continuous improvement of employment projects, providing oversights to senior colleagues.
Leading on areas of development for other staff.
Working collaboratively with internal and external partners to build relationships.
Effectively & efficiently planning and organising own and teams’ workload.
Monitoring service delivery, ensuring resources are used to maximum efficiency.
Seeking innovative ways to build capacity of providers in the Voluntary Community Sector.
Identifying and highlighting potential risks and opportunities to the relevant senior managers within the Opportunity Sheffield service, initiating solutions and providing advice and support.
Budget and finance monitoring and quality assurance support across the programmes.
Taking responsibility for the development of systems and processes across the Employment Programmes under your line management, and keeping the Employment and Skills service informed of progress through reports and presentations.

If you have any questions, please contact John Powell (Partnership Manager) on john.powell@sheffield.gov.uk or 0114 2296168

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. Sometimes, if lots of people apply, we might not be able to interview everyone who qualifies for the Guarantee. In these cases, we’ll interview the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job.

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.

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.