[ref. d37231304] Project Officer - Children's Improvement Partnerships Service

Project Officer - Children's Improvement Partnerships Service

Fixed Term, Full Time

£26,100 to £30,706 per annum

Closing Date: Monday 7th October 2024 at 11.59pm

Please note that this is a fixed term contract / secondment opportunity for a period of 10 months.

Here in Essex, we continue to raise the bar about practice and our investment in our workforce is second to none. It's an exciting time to join us. Not only have we been named Outstanding by Ofsted, we are delighted and at the same time humbled to have been crowned Social Work Employer of the Year for the second time in the last three years!

The Opportunity

Working together with partners delivering a range of early help, family support and effective social work interventions which build resilience, remove barriers, and enable children and young people to look forward to a brighter future.

The Project Officer is part of the Children's Improvement Partnerships Service. This role has dual responsibilities supporting the work of the Children's Improvement Partnership Team and that of the Lead for Policy, Business Planning and Commercial as well as leading on the Children & Families' Policy and Procedure site.

In addition to these primary functions, this role will either lead or support other activities either short term, for example supporting during Ofsted inspections, or longer term, for example, bespoke pieces of work following successful bids for external funding.

• Providing proactive, efficient, and effective administrative project support to the Children's Improvement Partnerships Service supporting the Lead of Children's Improvement Partnerships team and the Lead for Policy, Business Planning and Commercial where required.
• Organise and facilitate meetings and events including the preparation and circulation of papers, ensuring that all relevant parties are kept informed.
• Demonstrate effective communication and engagement with all internal & external customers as well as other key stakeholders.
• Summarise and collate information as agreed with managers/practitioners, including compilation of effectively presented reports and government grant returns ensuring compliance with timescales and other requirements in grant agreements. Depending on the nature of the grant the role may also be responsible for supporting implementation and delivery.
• Manage and maintain the Children & Families' Policy and Procedure site, organising, supporting, and recording meetings, ensuring records are accurate, up to date and maintained to a high standard. This role will also be responsible for liaising with service leads to ensure the updating of policy and procedures is undertaken and developing an effective archiving process so historical documents can be easily accessed.
• Planning and arranging improvement activity, including liaising with other Local Authorities and international representatives to book accommodation/ travel arrangements as well as providing the relevant documentation to the necessary stakeholders.
• Support the Lead for Policy, Business Planning and Commercial to collate and monitor responses to Freedom of Information Requests made to C&F, developing, and maintaining a suitable system for capturing responses for future reference. As well as collating responses to Government consultations, tracking of national policy output and coordinating meetings necessary to progress this and related activity.
• Support with bespoke pieces of work, which include hosting high-profile visitors to Essex Children & Families g., arranging timetables/agendas and co-ordinating the input of relevant staff.

The Experience You Will Bring

Essential:

• Educated to RQF level 6 (degree level) or equivalent by experience with evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area.
• Significant experience at managing complex and multiple strands of work to a high level of competence and quality.
• Experience of working in a political environment with skills in understanding and responding to different and/or cross organisational perspectives.
• Strong data management and analysis skills.

Desirable:

• Advanced theoretical and working knowledge of IT programmes (including Excel and Visio).
• Proven experience of survey design and analysis with knowledge and understanding of the design and use of digital platforms.
• Previous professional experience in the Social Care sector.

Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.