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Achieving for Children is a Community Interest Company that has a public sector ethos, combined with the freedom to innovate enabling us to do things differently. As a not-for-profit social enterprise owned by three local authorities (Windsor & Maidenhead, Kingston and Richmond), we offer the freedoms of a social enterprise with the employment benefits of local government. To find out more about us click here.
Please review our Candidate Application Guide before submitting your application, it’s packed with helpful tips to guide you through our application and interview process, while showing you what we are looking for.
Transformation Lead - Foster with South-West London
Secondment Opportunity Term 6 months | Ends: 31st March 2027 | Cross-borough travel required
Are you an experienced programme or project manager with a passion for improving outcomes for children, young people and families? Are you confident in managing grant-funded programmes and working with partners to turn ambitious plans into successful, measurable projects? Then we have a role for you!
About the role
We are looking for a Transformation Lead to lead the successful development and delivery of a new sub-regional service, Foster with South-West London.
The role will provide strong programme management delivery and oversight, ensuring projects are well planned, effectively delivered and able to demonstrate clear outcomes and impact. You will work across organisational boundaries, bringing together colleagues and partners, managing risks and dependencies, monitoring budgets and grant conditions, and ensuring delivery remains focused on agreed objectives.
We are looking for a Transformation Lead (secondment opportunity) for a six-month term with:
- Proven experience of managing and delivering complex projects or programmes, ideally including grant-funded programmes;
- Experience of developing and maintaining effective programme plans, monitoring delivery against milestones, outcomes, budgets and funding requirements;
- Strong partnership and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively across Children’s Services and with external organisations and stakeholders.
- An ability to identify and manage risks, issues, dependencies and barriers to delivery, escalating appropriately and supporting teams to find solutions;
- Experience of using data, insight and performance information to monitor progress, demonstrate impact and support continuous improvement;
- Excellent communication and engagement skills, with the ability to bring people together around shared objectives and communicate complex information clearly;
- A strong understanding of project and programme governance and the ability to produce high-quality reports and updates for senior leaders, boards and funders; and
- A genuine interest in improving services for children, young people and families, with a commitment to keeping their needs and experiences at the centre of all you do.
If you have the skills, experience and enthusiasm to successfully manage this ambitious programme for South West London, we want to hear from you!
About you
This role is available as a secondment opportunity to staff in participating authorities and will be hosted by the lead authority for this service initiative, Achieving for Children (representing the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames).
For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact:
- Lucy Pennie, Strategic Lead for Children and Young People (South London Councils) - lucy.pennie@sutton.gov.uk; or
- Matthew Edwards, Associate Director Provider Services (AfC) - matthew.edwards@achievingforchildren.org.uk.
Important Information
Start dates: Achieving for Children have set start dates meaning successful candidates join on a set date in each month. Candidates are advised to prepare for this should a job offer be accepted to ensure eligible continuous service is not affected.
Right to work: The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance.
Equality: We particularly welcome applications from sections of the community who are currently underrepresented within our teams. Achieving for Children are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.
Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
