THE ROLE OF THE STAKEHOLDER MANAGERS
The role of the Stakeholder Managers is to contribute to the overall success of the BBO Programme by engaging and working collaboratively with a range of Public, Private and third sector stakeholders to ensure effective delivery across D2N2. In delivering this EMC believes the roles have 3 key functions:
1. Awareness Raising – promoting effective operational and strategic links and sharing best practice;
2. Maximising Impact – ensuring BBO provision compliments and adds value to existing provision and avoids duplication;
3. Informing System Change – providing a mechanism for practical cross-LEP coordination and intelligence that can drive and shape future system development and coordination for the benefit of all.
There will be one Stakeholder Manager per upper tier local authority area (Derby City, Derbyshire County, Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County).
The Stakeholder Managers will play a vital role in raising awareness of the programme, by promoting effective operational and strategic links and sharing of best practice, with the aim of embedding all three BBO Pathways across D2N2 and providing practical ‘one the ground’ and strategic coordination of employability and skills provision at local level. Specific deliverables include:
· Supporting effective communication between BBO strands, and the wider ESF provision across D2N2 to ensure that this is aligned with the Local Authorities direction of travel;
· Ensure all relevant strategic linkages are made and maximised;
· Contribute towards ensuring that learning is embedded and to developing a business case to continue a participant approach to the provision of employability services for those most disadvantaged, excluded or hard to reach;
Key Performance Indicators for Stakeholder Manager posts
· Achieve target numbers to be agreed for networking meetings attended, outcomes of meetings and results of linkages made.
· Devise and implement methods of advocating for the BBO strands within their Local Authority and the feeding back effectiveness of that intervention.
· Navigate through the D2N2 ESF funding streams/programmes and ensure that there is added value identified for the BBO strand programmes.
· Build relationships with the bidders and winners of The Work and Health Programme and integrate them into the communication networks.
· Advocate on behalf of the 3 BBO strands to potential commissioners, councillors, MP’s and other key stakeholders.
· Horizon scan for potential opportunities and partnerships for the People’s First Alliance partners.
· Build relationships with the district authorities and be the conduit for future connections.
· Represent their Local Authority at each of the 3 strand Project Delivery Boards and provide reports on progress and connections.
· Strengthen the opportunities to facilitate the voluntary sector getting closer to the decision makers.
· Monthly progress reports to the People’s First Alliance.
· Quarterly reports to wider employment leads.
Recruitment, employment and management arrangements
Employment terms for Stakeholder Managers will follow two models depending on whether or not successful applicants are current LA employees:
1. Where appointees are currently employed within an authority, they will be either moved to a fixed-term contract as Stakeholder Manager and supported to deliver against a Service Level Agreement with EMC or seconded to EMC but remain based within the Local Authority (subject to local negotiations).
2. Where appointees are external to the local authority, EMC will employ the postholder under a fixed term contract and then ‘second’ the member of staff to the LA. EMC will provide HR services and reimburse the LA for management costs and overheads relating to the role.
Due to the complex nature of the roles, a matrix management system will be put in place involving EMC, D2N2 and the host Local Authority.
In each authority the named department and proposed line of management is:
Derby City CouncilDepartment: Economic Regeneration, Partnership Development Team
Line Management: Verna Bayliss / Derbyshire County Council
Department: Economic Regeneration, Employment & Skills Team
Line Management: Andrew Marsh
Nottingham City Council
Department: Economic Development, Employment & Skills Team
Line Management: Nigel Jackson / Nottinghamshire County Council
Department: Place Department, Economic Development Team
Line Management: Nicola McCoy-Brown or Hilary Porter
Coordination between EMC, D2N2 and Local authorities with the People First Alliance (PFA)
EMC will draw on the strategic input and advice of D2N2 LEP to inform dialogue with project sponsors and delivery bodies to promote the success of the project. The recruited post-holders will be required to operationally work with D2N2 LEP (officers) to;
a) Promote strategic co-ordination between BBO projects and other D2N2 ESF funded projects
b) Facilitate the engagement of 3rd sector organisations with the programmes and policies of D2N2 LEP
c) Identify and disseminate opportunities to improve practice
D2N2 LEP which, amongst its wider role of regional economic development, has a specific focus on skills, employability and inclusion through ESF. The LEP employs a number of employees who are well known and have strong existing relationships with the People First Alliance including:
· Rachel Quinn, Active Engagement Officer
· Katrina Woodward, Skills and Employability Manager and
· Richard Kirkland, ESIF Manager
· Matthew Wheatley, Growth Plan Manager
D2N2 is unusual in the appointment of the Active Engagement Officer, a role specifically created to support the strategic engagement and coordination of VCSE partners and inclusion work with the rest of wider LEP activities. Rachel is well known to all the People First Alliance members and it is intended that she will take a lead role in the management of relationships for the benefit of the partnership. D2N2 maintain a strong relationship with Big Lottery Fund and with a wide range of social partners with whom they are in regular communication.
Operationally, D2N2 will continue to ensure that People First Alliance members and their lead delivery partners are actively engaged and involved with the PDG, with the Social Inclusion and Equalities Advisory Board and with other relevant forums as appropriate.
To support effective operational links, Stakeholder Managers will be expected to share monthly activity reports with D2N2 LEP and post-holders spend at least 1 day a month working out of the D2N2 office in Nottingham.
Performance Management
EMC will agree performance management criteria with the People First Alliance, including a number of KPIs for the roles. These will include the following as a minimum:
· Attendance at and outcomes of networking meetings;
· Promotion of BBO projects locally and assessment of effectiveness of promotional activity - including number of briefings and information dissemination events held;
· Building relationships with all members of the PDG network;
· Coordination of PDG meetings;
· Providing update reports to the PDG network – quarterly;
· Building relationships with District Authorities and district-based stakeholders – linking delivery partners as required;
· Update meetings with PFA Delivery Partners – including attendance at the 3 BBO Project Delivery Boards;
· Submission of monthly progress and impact reports;
· Collection and analysis of locally- gathered evidence and data – aggregating where possible with similar data from the other LA areas.
Contract Duration
The contract duration will be fixed for a period of 26 months from 1st July 2017 until October 2019 subject to annual performance, audit and review.
Application Process
All applicants must complete the application form and submit their application by the deadline. Applicants currently employed within a host local authority and wishing to transfer to this role for the fixed period of the contract should make this clear on their application.
Additional information should include your reasons for applying and why you feel you are suitable for the role as well as how you meet the person specification. Please attach additional sheets as necessary.
All applicants must specify which authority area they wish to be considered for. Applicants applying for more than one area will need to make this clear within their application and demonstrate linkage in each area specified. You may be required to attend multiple interviews if you are shortlisted for more than one area.
The deadline for all applications is Midday 10th July 2017. Applications should be submitted electronically by email to . All applications must include additional information which addresses the specific requirements of the person specification. CVs are not accepted unless accompanied by an application form (if applicable) and additional information relating to the person specification.
Interviews will be held on the 25th and 27th July 2017 for all posts. If you are unavailable due to pre-booked leave during this week please make this clear on your application form and detail your availability during the preceding week.
ABOUT EAST MIDLANDS CHAMBER (DERBYSHIRE, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, LEICESTERSHIRE) AND D2N2
East Midlands Chamber (EMC) is a membership and business representation organisation with a membership base of 4,100 businesses and 3,000 affiliate members and is the second-largest accredited Chamber of Commerce in the British Chambers of Commerce network.
Members benefit from a wide range of business support services including lobbying and campaigning, helping businesses to realise their international trading ambitions, showcasing and market making activities to workforce training and development. EMC operates local delivery across three counties provided from 11 locations, including main offices in Chesterfield, Derby, Nottingham and Leicester.
EMC works in close partnership with many communities, the public sector, political and funding organisations. Through its various groups, EMC represents its members on matters such as the environment, transport, tax and burdens on business, skills issues, business crime and the impact of legislative regulations.
EMC is the accountable body for the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership. D2N2 is a voluntary non-incorporated partnership with a Board of Directors drawn from representatives of local authorities, the private sector and other partners. It was formed in 2010 to promote sustainable economic growth in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. It develops strategies and policies and advises on or administers a number of funds.
D2N2 is responsible for the development of the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Strategic Economic Plan and for the implementation of these local economic priorities through targeted investment of ESF, ERDF and Local Growth Funds. This involves the procurement of a strategically informed and connected programme of skills and employability provision from inclusion through to higher level skills. D2N2 also have a role beyond procurement in the success of those programmes; requiring the monitoring and coordination of skills, employability and inclusion projects across the entire D2N2 area.
D2N2 actively maintain ongoing strategic input with all local employability-related providers, including those responsible for mainstream delivery (DWP) and those delivering contracted programmes e.g. Inspire Local, Skills Local and the Youth Engagement Initiative.
D2N2 was the first LEP in England to publish a distinct ‘Social Inclusion Framework’ which was cognisant of existing and planned provision in the skills, employability and inclusion landscape. This document shaped the original priorities for the Big Lottery Fund’s Building Better Opportunities Fund in D2N2 and is currently in the process of refresh. EMC is keen that the learning from the existing BBO programme is embedded into future priorities for economic inclusion in D2N2.
D2N2 convenes the newly formed ‘Provider Development Group’; a network of employability providers across the D2N2 area with agreed terms of reference. The objectives of the group include:
· promoting a shared understanding of the skills, employment and inclusion issues in the D2N2 area and communication and co-operation to ensure the ESF programmes have impact and reach across the D2N2 area;
· supporting the ESF programmes to add local value to existing SFA/DWP programmes;
· working collaboratively to support quality developments in ESF provision ensuring progression pathways/gateways from different elements of the programmes are understood by individuals and employers;
· working collaboratively with employers and communities to identify skills and delivery capacity issues to inform future procurement and the Skills and Employment strategy;
· sharing appropriate management information to address provision delivery issues;
· working together to ensure and enhance the quality of the ESF programmes to promote inclusion and cross cutting themes of equality & diversity and sustainability;
· providing a forum for the exchange of ideas, experiences and expertise;
· identifying and disseminating examples of good practice.
BACKGROUND TO BUILDING BETTER OPPORTUNITIES (BBO) IN D2N2
The BBO Programme is jointly funded by the Big Lottery Fund and D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership European Social Fund (ESF) and aims to combat the root causes of poverty, promote social inclusion, challenge long-term unemployment, and empower socially excluded people. The ESF strand is a part of the European Structural & Investment Funds (EUSIF) Growth Programme 2014 – 2020; the objective of which is to improve local growth and create jobs, by investing in Innovation, Business, Skills and Employment. ‘Promoting Social Inclusion & Combating Poverty’ is a key Theme within the ESIF Programme. The Big Lottery Fund are providing match fund for ESF to deliver the BBO Programme. In D2N2 this is via three separate, yet complementary, pathways which are; Financial Inclusion, Multiple & Complex Needs and Towards Work.
The 3 projects are led by the People First Alliance (PFA). Within the alliance, St Ann’s Advice Centre is leading on the Financial Inclusion Pathway (Money Sorted), Framework Housing is leading on Multiple & Complex Needs Pathway (Opportunity & Change) and Groundwork Greater Nottingham is leading on the Towards Work Pathway. All three Pathways share a common ethos and approach, based on the principles of Personalisation, Strategic Purpose & Value for Money and also share a system for Data Collection, Monitoring and Evaluation.
Background to the three strands
Many disadvantaged and excluded people across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire need support to address the barriers they face in order to achieve stability, as a vital first step towards gaining employment. The level, duration and nature of support will depend on an individual’s personal circumstances, however it will primarily focus on addressing the root causes of their exclusion and helping them along a pathway into employment.
The Towards Work programme aims to support those who are disengaged and furthest away from employment. The programme focuses on creating more effective ways of accessing and navigating existing employment support provision; rationalising and aligning the range of provision accessed by individuals (especially those considered ‘hardest to reach’) and filling gaps where necessary with needs-led person centred solutions. Most importantly the programme aims to achieve real employment and self-employment outcomes, by guiding and supporting people to overcome their own barriers to employment and by providing an inclusive In-work Support service to ensure employment outcomes are sustained. Towards Work will engage and support 2,500 participants including people aged over 50, Long Term Unemployed People, Women Returning to Employment and Young People aged up to 24, including NEETs, particularly those furthest from the labour market and at risk of social exclusion.