ESCA Workforce Development Lead Childrens

ESCA Workforce Development Lead - Childrens

Fixed TermFull Time

38035.00 to 44747 Per Annum

Location:Chelmsford

Working Style:Fixed-base worker

Closing Date: 27th July 2026

Please note this vacancy is available as a fixed term contract or secondment opportunity for up to 12 months

The Role

Workforce development is an essential part of maintaining our outstanding OFSTED rating in Childrens Social Care. It is a critical time in the service with more change than we have seen in a generation. This role provides the opportunity to contribute to that change journey ensuring our staff are prepared for the future.

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Children & Families

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The Opportunity

Essex County Council (ECC) is achieving transformational change across Adult Social Care and Children and Families Services underpinned by delivery of high quality practice and a culture of collaboration integrity and compassion. The development of a professional knowledgeable and skilled workforce is central to achieving practice improvement and driving change; delivered by a joint Essex Social Care Academy (ESCA) service which meets the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) needs of both professional areas.

The ESCA Workforce Development Lead will oversee key areas of strategic and practice importance to enable ESCA to deliver against its vision. Supporting the development of a cohesive service across social care responsible for providing developing and commissioning a high quality training offer across complex and specialist programmes.

The role requires a thorough and in-depth understanding of adult learning theories and evidence of successful delivery and development of workforce projects and initiatives that support workforce strategies. Excellent communication skills with strong negotiation and influencing abilities will be key to success.

Accountabilities

• Responsible for developing a Workforce Development strategy related to specific areas of Social Care Practice equipped to deliver consistently high quality customer focussed for development of the Social Care Academy to improve performance and promote best practice.

• Lead on and manage the delivery of initiatives ensuring that internal Continuing Professional Development programmes (either function specific or broader) and development planning commissioning and delivery processes are integrated to reflect commissioned outcomes and align with Partner programmes.

• Develop and commission a range of blended learning and training opportunities tailored to the individual needs of staff processes to ensure the commissioning of training providers support excellence in practice represent value for money work to agreedstandardsand include safeguarding practices.

• Work collaboratively with external operational partners/stakeholders to ensure potential opportunities are maximised through development of innovative approaches to implement an agreed and consistent framework of impact measures.

• Responsible for ensuring compliance with National Minimum standardsregulationsand statutory guidancemaintainingeffective links with regulatory bodies to achieve requisite and address any issues ina timelyand effective manner.

• Measure and evaluate the impact of training and training transfer on improving outcomes and developments in practice across social regular monitoringreflectionand review to ensure continued and evidence to set andmonitorpriorities which inform strategic planning of training and development initiatives.

• Undertake financial monitoring and budgetary review of programmes of work undertaken.

• Contribute to building capacity for workforce planning to ensure effective developmental support is available through the creation of a range of initiatives including training opportunities careerdevelopmentand flexible career pathways.

• Review analyse and evaluate workforce intelligenceestablishrobust processes for the sharing of data analysis and closely with operational partners to support effectiveevidence basedworkforce planning.

• Specific individual and shared targets andobjectivesare defined annually within the performance management framework.

The Experience You Will Bring

• Educated to RQF level 6 (bachelors degree) or equivalent by experience.

• Evidence of continuing professional development and knowledge aligned to any relevant Professional Competency/Capability frameworks or Knowledge and Skills Statements whererequired.

• Evidence of successful delivery and development of workforce projects and initiatives that support the workforce strategy and capacity to work autonomously to achieve outcomes.

• Experience of leading the development of strong relationships which are collaborative in nature with partners otheragenciesand the local community to achieve jointobjectives.

• Good leadership and behavioural skills with the ability to focus on results supporting a highly performing and motivated team from diverse backgrounds to achieve strategicobjectives.

• An in-depth understanding of adult learning theories and how to apply them in practice to support the workforce to deliver more effective outcomes.

• Excellent communication skills with strong negotiationinfluencingandproblem-solvingability.
• Ability to analyse understand and present complex information effectively.

Why Essex

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents were committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity we ensure everyone matters in Everyones Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community Essex is the ideal place for you.

In March 2026 the Government announced that councils in Greater Essex will be reorganised into five new unitary authorities from April 2028. In addition to this Greater Essex has been accepted on to the devolution priority programme where we will work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority. You can read more about these changes and what this may mean for this role on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. Were committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. Were also committed to interview allveteransandcare leavers who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once youve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential.

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 vehicleor the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

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If you have queries on this role or require anything further please email

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Required Experience:

Senior IC