Head of Sector Programmes

Key information

Location: Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, or London

Hours: 37.5 hours

Start date: February 2025 (we are happy to work with you and your notice period)

Duration: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: £45,065 - £50,215 per annum if based in London. £42,490 -£47,640 per annum if based in Manchester, Nottingham, Newcastle or Bristol, plus a £312 yearly tax-free work from home allowance.

Application deadline: 12pm, 17th January 2025

The Assessment Centre for this role will consist of an interview, a written assessment and a presentation (you will be given a brief to prepare in advance for this). Assessment Centres will take place on 24th January.

Early applications are encouraged, as we will assess applications and schedule interviews on an ongoing basis.

 

About upReach

Do you think that your socio-economic background should determine your career prospects?  

upReach’s vision is of a society in which everybody has an equal opportunity to realise their full career potential. Our work is important because right now a student from disadvantaged background who gains a first-class degree from a top university is less likely to secure an elite job than a more privileged student with a 2.2. 

We are an award-winning charity employer working to address this issue in partnership with employers and universities. We help undergraduates from lower socioeconomic backgrounds achieve their career potential by providing an intensive programme of support that addresses socio-economic barriers to graduate employment. 

To find out more about how we support our students, visit our website and read our Annual Report, and Impact Report. 

 

Role Summary

The Head of Sector Programmes plays a significant role in  the strategy, design and delivery of our programme of support for students exploring their career options. This includes managing a team of Programme Managers who lead their own teams of Programme Coordinators to deliver key upReach programmes, planning high quality events, managing relationships with external stakeholders, and evaluating impact.

They will report to the Director of Programmes, and will be a member of the Programmes Senior Leadership Team, taking responsibility for the development and implementation of an effective programme design and strategy.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

Head of Sector Programmes: This person will contribute to upReach's mission by working to ensure the smooth running of upReach’s core programmes, focused on our sector-specific support. They will work closely with the Director of Programmes to provide oversight and strategic input for upReach’s student-facing programmes, setting the direction of travel and monitoring progress.

Please note that it is not possible for the job description to cover the exhaustive list of responsibilities of your role due to the varied nature of the role. The job description aims to provide an overview of your remit. 

PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT AND DESIGN 

Make strategic decisions regarding the design and delivery of our sector programmes of support for students, creating a 12 month plan in advance of the start of each recruitment cycle. 

Oversee multiple sector programmes, working closely with Programme Managers to monitor efficacy and ensure that high-quality, targeted interventions are delivered.

Guide the Programmes Team to design learning journeys (including events & opportunities) for Associates, in addition to the development of the resources, planning and delivery of events and opportunities relevant to the unique needs of the participants on our sector programmes. 

Manage and track team progress to ensure that all organisational OKRs regarding programmatic impact are achieved and reported on to the Board of Trustees.

Be part of the Programmes Senior Leadership Team, setting Programme strategy and agreeing focus areas of the Programmes team to ensure that upReach maintains/improves its impact. 

Take on a Deputy Responsibility for a key strategic area of organisational need within the Programmes team. 

Work with the Partnerships Team to make strategic decisions about new opportunities to grow upReach's existing and new partnerships.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

Manage a team of Programme Managers in a variety of locations, providing weekly 1-to-1 check-ins, reviews and personal development support. This includes coaching and enabling them to guide Programme Coordinators in their teams to manage day-to-day partnership responsibilities and relationship management.

Act as a role model within the Programmes Team, engaging in all programme interventions and activities to ensure successful, high quality programme delivery is embedded throughout the team.

Support with oversight of professional development within the Programmes Team, including objective setting, performance reviewing and appraisals.

Act as a Sponsor on key strategic Programmes projects, providing oversight and guidance to junior team members.

 

SKILLS 

The ideal candidate for Head of Sector Programmes should display these skills: 

Programme management at a senior level, including implementing and delivering interventions and guiding teams to meet objectives.

Ability to engage and flex communication style confidently with a variety of stakeholders, such as beneficiaries, upReach partners, all levels of employees across the organisation and Trustees.  

Strong ability to manage, coach and train teams.

Strong problem-solving skills and excellent organisational skills, to manage a varied workload.

Self-motivation and an ability to work in a small team as well as independently, with a creative and a proactive attitude.

 

EXPERIENCE

To be successful, it is anticipated that you would have substantial knowledge and experience in:

Delivering all aspects of a programme end to end, from design to delivery and reporting and evaluation.

Overseeing multiple programmes simultaneously, ensuring consistent and high-quality delivery across all programmes.

Making complex decisions taking into account beneficiary needs, stakeholder needs, wider organisation strategy and the mission of the charity.

Driving unique programme Objectives and Key Results and contributing to wider organisational strategy, intervening and supporting where necessary to ensure these are both met.

Partnership management, in the corporate or charity space.

Working directly with key stakeholders to manage and grow a relationship and/or partnership. 

Managing and motivating a team remotely across different locations. This will also involve overseeing team performance and managing this where appropriate.

Managing individuals at different levels, including managers, and providing coaching and training to teams.

Taking a lead on finding solutions to problems, within a fast-paced environment.

 

Team Culture & Benefits: 

By joining the upReach team, you will be joining a team who are committed to supporting you in your career journey and fostering an inclusive culture. 

We offer: 

Flexible 37.5 hour week, around core hours of 10am-4pm. Hybrid working based in any of our 5 offices.

Statutory Holiday Entitlement of 25 days plus bank holidays. This increases to 2 additional days after 2.5 years and then to 3 additional days after 5 years of working with us. 

Birthday leave.

Enhanced Parental Leave beyond statutory requirements for all team members. 

3% Pension Contribution, this increases to 5% after 5 years of working with us. 

Cycle-to-work and Tech buying scheme.

Monthly socials.

Dedication to Staff Wellbeing through our Employee Assistance Programme and Mental Health First Aid Training. 

Personal Development Budget, activated after 6 months in the role.

The opportunity to participate in our fantastic staff networks: 

Disability and Inclusion Network

Ethnic Minorities Network 

Green Network 

LGBTQ+ Network

Mindfulness Network

Parents and Carers Network 

Socio-Economic Background Network

Ready to apply?

Applications close at 12pm, Friday 17th January.  Early applications are encouraged as we will be scheduling interviews on an ongoing basis. 

Equal Opportunities

We are committed to making our recruitment process inclusive. All applications will be blind screened, and our job packs are available in Braille, large text or another format upon request. We can provide reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment application process and on the job, and we'll always endeavour to be as accommodating as possible. 

At upReach, we are committed to being an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate in employment matters on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, disability, social background or any other protected class. We celebrate and value the diverse perspectives that people from all backgrounds bring to our team. We are passionate about creating a workplace that is inclusive and reflects the diversity of communities across the UK. Diversity in the workplace creates dynamic and effective organisations and we are actively working to build a more inclusive workforce by continuously improving our recruitment, retention, and development practices. We strongly encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented groups, including Black, Asian and other ethnic minority backgrounds, those with disabilities, those who are care-experienced, those from low socio-economic backgrounds, and those who are LGBTQIA+.