Please note that this position is offered on a 12 month, Fixed Term Contract.

Essex County Council (ECC) is one of the largest and most dynamic local authorities in the UK, serving a population of 2 million residents, and has a very successful track record of delivering transformational change. ECC anticipated change was needed in the public sector and has worked to deliver better quality at lower cost. We have an ambitious transformation agenda - one with the scope to reach every part of the council. We are changing the way we think, the way we work, and the ways in which we deliver our services. We are committed to becoming a place where individuals, partners and communities feel proud to play their role and genuinely want to belong. We're immensely proud of our flexible working options.

Job Purpose

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. 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.

ESCA Development Assistants will work at the heart of the team to deliver administrative tasks in support of all programmes and projects across Children & Families and Adults and financial monitoring. This role will offer a development focus by encouraging the involvement in project/programme support, develop autonomy and build knowledge and learning of wider aspects of the team's work, to promote opportunities for career development. It is a requirement of the role to gain an understanding of adult learning theories and how this supports the development of the workforce. Good communication skills will be key to success.

Service/Functional Accountabilities

• Responsible for providing administrative support to the full range of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and support programmes/projects.
• Coordinate the ESCA CPD programme including provision of course materials, ensuring adherence to criteria in relation to training attended and non-attendance and quality of training delivery and provision.
• Prepare and present reports at relevant meetings to illustrate required take up training and quarterly returns.
• Responsible for arranging training dates for Course Leaders, ensuring appropriate resources are available including information and tutor packs and evaluation forms.
• Responsible for collating Quality Assurance and Training Transfer evaluation and impact information, to produce summary and progress reports which inform identification of need for targeted support.
• Support the ESCA Workforce Development Leads in Quadrant engagement and to deliver the ESCA library locally.
• Responsible for arranging events, to ensure professional delivery of lectures, workshops and conferences in support of the development of the Social Care workforce.
• Provides general administration support, including file management, meeting room bookings, diary management, minute various meetings and maintain shared drives. Monitors the generic team email accounts, to identify and distribute urgent and routine correspondence.
• Responsible for providing financial monitoring and budgetary updates of projects and programmes of work, ensuring compliance with ECC policies and procedures, to maintain financial controls. Process payments, vouchers, recharge documents, purchase and marketplace orders and journal transfers.
• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Educated to RQF level 2 (GCSE) in administration or business practice, or by equivalent experience.
• Ability to develop skills and knowledge within role.
• Experience and evidence of working in a project/programme coordination role in a large, complex organisation.
• Evidence of building good working relationships across the team and externally.
• Experience of using MS Office and other IT systems.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills and able to work on own initiative.
• Ability to work in an agile environment where you can learn and develop, be flexible and adapt to changing demands.