Employability Manager

Home Based, ideally between North Midlands and Northern England

This role covers our school nationally - travel expected.

£50k + company car + excellent benefits

Pupils from Special Educational Needs (SEN) schools deserve the same opportunities as everyone else to dream big and get the job they want when they finish school. There is  little more empowering for young people than knowing that the world is their oyster and a clear understanding  into the world of work.

Thankfully, with an experienced Employability Manager, like you, working on their behalf to organise work placements, they can be matched with potential employers who will  be able to give them the opportunities they need to move forward towards success in life. Making your role at Witherslack Group as rewarding for you as it is for our young people.

The Role

You’ll engage with potential employers, large and small, across a number of regions and those that operate nationally, developing relationships and promoting the benefits of giving opportunities to young people from SEN backgrounds. Many of our young people  are already undertaking vocational courses, for example,      motor vehicle maintenance, construction and hair and beauty.  These qualifications are geared towards giving them the practical skills they need to jump right in – all they need now is the opportunity to put those skills to use in a real role and to prove themselves, additionally this will help to build their confidence and self-esteem. Other young people who have a purely academic course of study will require experiences which give them an insight into working in their areas of interest and ambition.

This brand-new role is an outstanding opportunity to formalise the work we’ve already done at a local level in young people’s careers education pathways.. Key to our ethos is instilling confidence in our capable young people that they deserve a thorough understanding of job opportunitiesthat are available to them  when they finish school, and work experience is that essential first step into the working world. 

The Person

Alongside your essential Certificate in Careers Leadership or equivalent, you’ll have a good understanding of apprenticeships and careers education with  a background in helping school age young people to find rewarding work experience. Not to mention a great network of industry contacts and the relationship building skills to get our pupils through the door. 

In addition, you’ll need experience and a robust  understanding of the SEN environment, particularly relating to ASD and SEMH , and the necessary safeguarding practised within it. So that, whenever you place a pupil, you do so in a way that takes care not just of their developing professional interests but also their general well-being.

The rewards

The benefit of doing a role like this is it feels good. Every day brings a sense of hard-won achievement and progress. There are also some outstanding rewards – in fact, our salary and benefits package is one of the best in the sector. It includes:

• A highly competitive salary 

• Company care – up to the value of £25,000

• Full school holidays

• Contributory pension scheme

• Life Insurance based on two times your annual base salary

• A comprehensive, market-leading induction and ongoing training 

• Extensive Group staff benefits, such as a Medicash Health Plan/Employee Assistance and Cycle to Work Scheme

• Free DBS Enhanced checks for all new employees

To find out more please contact Sara Roe, Regional Director on 07918 024269 

The Witherslack Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check. We are an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community.

For a full job description and person specification, please see the attached document.