Skills Coach

The Growth Company - Business Growth Hub are looking to recruit Skills Coaches to deliver high quality workforce development assessments, manage employer relationships, broker recruitment and training for a portfolio of business owners/senior managers of companies looking to achieve growth. These roles will assess the scope for companies to provide wider training and development opportunities including apprenticeships for the workforce to improve productivity.

Working with the wider Greater Manchester (GM) FE/HE and provider base to ensure GM residents are well placed to access training opportunities. This will include: engaging SMEs through self-generation, dealing with referrals from across The Growth Company, Local Authorities and other key partners and stakeholders, handling enquiries, undertaking training needs analysis, completing a productivity plan for the business and linking this to the creation of individual skills plans for employees, brokering training solutions, maintaining relationships with the business to ensure that growth ambitions are realised, individual development outcomes are achieved and impact recorded. To be fully proficient with all the financial support in the form of grants available to employers engaging with apprenticeships across the ten local authorities in GM.

**This role is a Fixed Term Contract until 31/08/23**

**Key Responsibilities**
- Establish and maintain effective relations with business owners/leaders and internal and external key contacts to promote workforce development and generate high quality referrals
- Work with colleagues across the Group to cross refer and maximise opportunities for linked services such as Access to Finance, Export, Innovation
- Establish referral networks into the programme from public and private sector bodies and networks including banks, accountants, solicitors, trade associations, Local Authorities and other providers of business support
- Making sure clients are personally introduced to those services identified as appropriate (internal and external) and monitor the delivery of these services to support the client’s strategy, ensure apprenticeship opportunities are taken up, and business impact is captured
- Ensure client enquiries and partner referrals are correctly recorded on GC’s CRM and associated service-specific data capturing systems, updating progress against agreed actions as plans progress. Ensure all administration is completed in timely manner against deadlines and is checked for accuracy
- Use understanding of the portfolio of apprenticeships and wider training opportunities available to ensure that employers are fully aware and can make informed decisions for employees
- Proactively in collaboration with marketing team carry out sales activity including cold calling, tele sales and structured e-marketing and digital campaigns to employers
- Develop and maintain excellent account management relationships with customers that result in the take up of services, repeat business
- Attend networking events (which at times will involve working outside of standard business hours)
- Undertake detailed diagnostics on a business, or a detailed diagnostic on the organisational/training needs for the business area, using various tools and methods to capture baseline data and identify needs
- Develop, and work with internal teams and external providers to implement, comprehensive growth/productivity plans which deliver a step change in the take up of training/development/apprenticeships
- Continually update professional knowledge on GM Apprenticeship / Skills and Employment Strategies and central government policy, strategy and funding changes, including the Apprenticeship Levy. Develop relationships with a diverse range of Apprenticeship providers and other recruitment and training providers in GM, both commercial and publicly funded.
- Undertake detailed discussions with the client to understand their business issues, making sound recommendations for appropriate actions that will lead to growth/improved productivity

**About You**
- Sound knowledge of the work-based learning routes including wider training opportunities, apprenticeship frameworks, standards, and their processes
- Sound knowledge of business support services across Greater Manchester
- Sound knowledge of funded training opportunities such as ESFA, ERDF, ESF and others
- Team player, but also a self-starter
- Ability to identify opportunities and to be innovative

**Skills Required**:

- Proven business/workforce development diagnostic skills
- Experience of working in a target/result driven environment
- Proven negotiation/presentation and account management skills with business of all sizes
- In-depth understanding of the skills arena including funded/non funded provision, the Apprenticeship Levy and national and local priorities / policy / funding in relation to Apprenticeships and wider training and development
- Proven track record of developing workforc