Location
London

Hours
Full Time

Salary
£59,574 per annum

About the Role
Hackney Borough Council is seeking a purpose-driven and strategic leader to join us as a Supported Employment Operations Manager on a 5-year fixed term contract or secondment opportunity. Hackney is a dynamic and progressive borough in the heart of London, known for its resilience, diversity, and commitment to equity and inclusion. As the Supported Employment Operations Manager, you will lead the Connect to Work Team, providing operational leadership and day-to-day management of front-line employment specialists.

You will develop and deliver employment support strategies aligned with organisational priorities, forge influential partnerships with training providers, employers, and multi-agency stakeholders, and oversee the development of tailored training programmes addressing labour market gaps. Acting as a subject expert, you will provide strategic briefings to senior leadership and deputise for the Head of Employment Pathways.

Your role will include directing the implementation of Supported Employment and Individual Placement and Support (IPS) models, ensuring fidelity to evidence-based practice. You will drive a performance-led culture, collaborating with the Commissioning and Performance Team for robust monitoring and impact measurement. You will cultivate high-level stakeholder relationships across sectors including NHS, employers, and DWP, and work closely with communications teams to develop engagement campaigns and promotional materials.

You will represent the programme at borough-wide events, ensuring alignment with corporate strategy and influencing policy. Providing strategic oversight, you will lead team meetings to align with political, commissioning, and labour market priorities, fostering agility and innovation. You will manage and mentor Employment Advisors, embedding a high-performance, customer-focused culture, and ensure effective caseload management through data analysis and performance monitoring.

Additionally, you will oversee supervision of co-located staff, ensuring integration across multidisciplinary teams, and champion cross-departmental collaboration within ESAL services. This is an impactful leadership role for someone committed to empowering individuals through employment and driving operational excellence and strategic development within a vibrant local authority.

Experience
Proven leadership experience in supported employment or related fields, with a strong track record of managing teams and delivering employment support strategies. Experience working with multi-agency stakeholders and developing partnerships with employers and training providers is essential. Demonstrated ability to implement evidence-based Supported Employment and IPS models and to drive performance-led cultures through data analysis and impact measurement.

About you
You are a strategic and purpose-driven leader passionate about empowering individuals through employment. You possess excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence at senior levels and represent programmes effectively. You are agile, innovative, and able to foster a high-performance, customer-focused culture within your team. You value diversity, inclusion, and equity, and are committed to working collaboratively across departments and sectors.

Qualifications
Relevant qualifications in employment support, social care, public service management, or related disciplines are desirable but not mandatory. A commitment to continuous professional development and evidence-based practice is essential.