About the role 

In 2023, we launched our new identity as the Leadership Skills Foundation (previously Sports Leaders UK) alongside a new 5-year ‘Evolve’ strategy. Having navigated the challenges of the pandemic, the organisation has naturally placed an emphasis in recent years on retaining and sustaining the existing relationships we have with the 2,500 organisations (centres) that deliver our programmes.  

Looking ahead, with new programmes and partnerships emerging, this role will now play a significant part in helping us expand the network of centres delivering Leadership Skills Foundation programmes and broaden the audiences we reach. Over the next few years, we aim to create an adaptable leadership skill offer that will increase our reach to more young people across, fully establishing the Leadership Skills Foundation as the trusted voice for leadership skills development.  

We have ambitions to empower a more diverse range of young people with opportunities to develop essential leadership and life skills, regardless of their background. Having recently secured a strategic partnership with Sport England, this role will play a significant role in activating that programme, leading the co-ordination, engagement and management of local and regional stakeholders to deliver leadership programmes with identified target audiences, groups and individuals. 

The role will initially be a fixed term contract (to July 2027) but we aim to secure further funding for the role to extend.  

As a key member of the newly formed Programme Delivery Team, you will contribute to the growth, reach, and impact of Leadership Skills Foundation programmes among underserved and under-represented individuals and communities. Your work will play a vital role in benefiting thousands of young people across the UK. 

We are looking for an energetic and innovative relationship-builder who can establish and manage partnerships with local community groups across England.  Through strong relationship management, you will play a key role in identifying learnings through the programmes delivery and will be confident to use the learnings to influence future strategy and delivery plans. 

The role requires someone who is excited by the challenge of trying new things and working differently through a test and learn approach.  You will need to be comfortable working collaboratively as well as independently and want to pro-actively lead on making a positive social difference to the individuals and groups benefitting from our programmes. 

Main Duties & Responsibilities

• Responsible for co-ordinating, engaging and managing multiple local community organisations across c. 5-7 locations in England to deliver leadership programmes with identified target audiences, groups and individuals. 

•  Design, develop and manage a delivery plan for the Programme, which engages key stakeholders, and is based on the principles of co-creation, trust and flexibility. 

•  Support identified stakeholders to test adapted leadership skill programmes and learn from the delivery to inform future delivery. 

• Through learnings from local delivery partners and working with research colleagues, develop a shared understanding of the needs and barriers young people in underserved communities face in accessing leadership skill development and volunteering opportunities. 

• Work with colleagues in the Innovation team to provide support to local delivery partners to address and overcome these barriers to engage the target audiences. 

• Deliver training, support and orientation to local delivery partners   

• Work with the Programme Research Manager to establish a delivery feedback loop to inform the development of learning resources and programmes to overcome the needs and barriers young people in underserved communities face.  

• Provide opportunities for the research plan, developed by the Programme Delivery Research Team, to be implemented to drive the improvement of strategic, business and operational planning and delivery. 

• Provide connectivity between your work/engagement with delivery centres and the work of the Business and Market Development Teams.  

• Work with the Programme Research Manager to capture and share best practice to support the wider adoption across community and partner networks.  

•  Work collaboratively to successfully influence and deliver agreed programme objectives and key results. 

•  Maintain a working knowledge and up to date awareness of the landscape and audiences the Leadership Skills Foundation works with and aspires to work with. 

Key Relationships

Internal 

• Head of Programme Delivery (line manager) 

• Programme Delivery Research Manager 

• Programme Delivery Research Executive 

• Innovation Officers 

• Finance Manager 

External 

• Local delivery centres and partners 

• Strategic partners including organisations such as Sport England and Active Partners 

• Research and insight partners 

  Skills, experience and knowledge 

 Essential 

• Strong experience of proactively supporting and managing local and regional stakeholder relations. 

• Experience of working with community organisations and good understanding of the voluntary and community landscape 

• Experience of supporting individuals/teams and organisations to deliver projects and programmes. 

• Confidence to act as the lead contact point for the local delivery of a nationally funded programme. 

• Experience of working flexibly, responding to need and opportunities 

• Familiarity with delivering and carrying out operational workplans and working collaboratively with teams to achieve them 

• Effective resource management 

• Analytical thinking and evaluation skills- experience of using data and insight to learn, adapt and tell stories  

• Strong interpersonal, presenting and communication skills with the confidence and ability to adapt styles to different groups.  

 Desirable 

• A proven track record in leading and delivering purpose-driven programmes. 

• Experience of delivering/managing test and learn projects 

• Experience of working with under-represented/under-served young people 

• Experience of Place-based working and community development 

• Experience of supporting programme innovation, development, and design.  

• An understanding of the sport and physical activity landscape in England. 

• Experience of delivering informal education, employability or skill development programmes 

 Personal qualities 

• A people- person with strong interpersonal skills to initiate, engage with and build strong and impactful relationships with a range of external stakeholders. 

• A confident, collaborative individual that wants to lead and make a positive social difference. 

• Effective and confident communicator, able to inspire and engage stakeholders. 

• Detail-orientated, organised and capable of balancing multiple and complex priorities. 

• A team player, flexible and able to respond positively to evolving opportunities and challenges in a fast-paced environment.  

• Optimistic and energetic outlook, keen to maximise the positive change that the programme can deliver. 

• Self-starter and independent thinker; able to solve problems and instigate solutions. 

• Takes initiative and responsibility for their own workload. 

• Adaptable to operational requirements with an openness to give and receive constructive feedback as part of a growth mindset. 

• The ability to multi-task and manage partner relationships at various stages 

• Comfortable working from home, with regular travel across England as required