Area Manager - London

Our client is looking for an Area Manager to join their team in London, particularly covering the boroughs of Lambeth, Wandsworth, Sutton, Merton, Croydon and Kingston Upon Thames.

It is essential that you have knowledge and experience of Work Based Learning in a Managerial role.

You will be managing a team of Assessors and strong management and leadership style and experience is essential.

Ideally Hospitality should be one of the sectors that the you are familiar with but it is not essential as strong management experience working for a Training Provider or College would be ideal.

Marketing experience is a must as well as experience of hitting / excelling targets, budgets and profiling that replicates your areas historic performance but satisfies growth plans and SFA contracts.

You must have an ambitious outlook and have the desire to succeed as you will be working in one the busiest regions for the company.

Overview of role:

Accountable for maximising the performance of a designated area within the UK, ensuring all agreed company targets are achieved through effective leadership of the team and by building an environment in which the company can develop and prosper.

Purpose of Role:

 To support the business growth activity within a specific area, in order to meet agreed targets and budget contributions.
 To engage with all relevant stakeholders’ and to effectively manage and deploy team members to meet financial, administrative and quality targets and objectives

Over-arching KPIs:
1. Area Team MLP compliance
2. Office grading and team WRAG rating
3. Financial contribution
4. plus 2 area KPIs as agreed with your line manager

The key General/Financial based responsibilities for an Area Manager are:

- Ensure that all sign-up and completion targets for all contract areas are met. Liaise closely with Regional Managers to ensure targets and numbers for Contracts are maintained.
- Full responsibility for Profit & Loss Management of Area.
- Responsible for preparing accurate forecasts and producing reports on performance. Ensure all company required reporting is completed.
- Work closely with the Regional Manager and Operations and Finance Director to compile budgets and set targets.
- Make effective use of the Performance Management process to ensure company KPIs are met.
- Maintain control of costs to ensure profitability levels are maintained within budget.
- Maintain detailed knowledge of the company’s products/ services and government funding guidance and audit requirements
- Ensure the team is operating within the expected contractual requirements and Companies guidelines
- Oversee effective employer engagement activities within area of responsibility, to support employer sites retention and to develop new business
- Take on projects to work with any other SFA/ESF/DWP vocational training projects that may include pre-employment training and the design and delivery of short courses that utilise National or Local community funding, either as a single contractor or as a sub-contractor and to manage to agreed profiles and financial targets as requested by the Regional Manager and Senior Management to support business needs

The key people based responsibilities for an Area Manager are:

- Leading, motivating and co-ordinating the work of a team of Area Trainers/Assessor
- Coaching and training Trainers/Assessors in order they can perform their job role (and Team leaders if and where appropriate).
- Communicating relevant business information to the team on a regular basis, using a range of media to maintain the team’s currency of knowledge
- Undertaking performance management processes including, probationary reviews; 1:1s and disciplinary and grievance reviews where required in line with company expectations and stated standards of all staff within the Area.
- Recruitment and induction of Trainers/Assessors in line with business needs, involving Support staff as required.
- Responsible for agreeing and allocating employer sites, learners’ and specified training activities to individual Trainer/Assessors, ensuring the activities are in line with company delivery protocols and that the Trainer/Assessor complies with QA criteria
- Supporting new staff complete their inductions, (with the assistance of the RIV/LIV) confirming within a successful probation review that the new staff member understands their job role and responsibilities within their probationary period.
- Identifying the on-going training and development requirements of the team and individuals within the team, in conjunction with the RIV/LIV, utilising the assessor evaluations.
- Liaison and communication with company colleagues to provide necessary updates and information in respect of area performance and area requirements
- Comply with the IfL code of conduct and monitor the teams practices to ensure the professional code is maintained

The Stakeholders’ / Quality based responsibilities for an Area Manager are:

- Ensure the area team delivers an exemplary level of customer service to all company clients.
- Review local market information and market the company effectively, working with any national campaign as directed by senior management as well as co-ordinating local initiatives
- Ensure the delivery of training is in line with each client’s needs and internal company objectives.
- Engage with clients/employers on a regular basis, to facilitate new and repeat business.
- Review and adhere to the delivery requirements of any national contract
- Maintain Maytas data accurately, making sure learner and employer data is processed accurately and efficiently and in line with organisational and audit requirements
- Monitor the team to ensure any sales leads generated are followed up within required timescales, as requested by senior management, sales agents ensuring this meets with prospective clients expectations and needs
- Undertake a review of the area business as part of the performance management process and work with the Regional Manager and Development team to undertake any necessary improvements
- Review and monitor the learners distance travelled whilst on programme with the use of formal review
- Review learners progression, attainment and learning experience throughout programme
- Work in line with Company and external agencies such as OFSTEDs performance criteria, work with SFA guidelines and participate in internal/external compliance as required. Advise your direct reports of such requirements and outcomes
- Embed, develop and support the SAR and quality improvement plan as directed by the Regional Manager to meet with Company and OFSTED requirements

- Work with the Development team to progress individuals and the area through the WRAG ratings and to maintain MLP in terms of learner completions
- Work with the team, RIV and LIV to ensure that Awarding Organisation quality requirements are maintained at all time
- Ensure all Health and Safety management and Equality and Diversity data is up to date and records are maintained and accessible.
- Ensure full compliance by the area team of the company’s safeguarding and Equality and Diversity policies and procedures
- Identify and undertake and record appropriate CPD activities, in respect of own and team development
- Undertake any other reasonable requests made by the Regional Manager, NVQ Performance Manager or Directors.

Authority Level:

- Sign off and authorise holiday ensuring adequate cover on the contract at all times.
- Agree and sign off any sickness within the team and to notify head office formally of any absence of the team.
- Assist and decide on the recruitment of staff in line with budget requirements and authorisation from Regional Manager.
- Carry out / instigate the company formal disciplinary procedure as required within team with the support of the Regional Manager.
- Full control over the diary for every Trainer/Assessor within area to move operations in line with business demand when needed.
- Enact and monitor the work of all direct line reports in line with Company policies and procedures.
- Following all company policies, responding to and acting within the policy guidelines and procedures as stated in the most current policy.

Occupational Experience
Essential
1. Track record of achieving challenging targets with teams.
2. Evidence of compiling and working with operational budgets
3. Worked in a people-focused environment

Desirable
1. Understanding of the work based learning service sector / educational sector.
2. Management experience within a commercially run educational environment.
3. Teaching/Training or assessing qualifications / experience.
4. Management qualifications at levels 4 or above and evidence of regular CPD
5. Experience of working in a sales environment
6. Evidence of working with Management information systems or CRM systems
7. Experience of staff/HR performance management of people and teams

Personal Qualities
1. Organised
2. Can do attitude
3. Problem solver
4. Target driven
5. Ability to maintain a focus on delivery expectations
6. Ability to empathise and work with learners/employers and colleagues
7. Ability to empathise and work with a range of external stakeholders
8. Ability to communicate effectively with managers at a senior level.
9. Team Player
10. Ability to work autonomously
11. Good verbal/written skills/presentational skills