JOB TITLE: Education Development Officer (Employability)
DEPARTMENT: Sale Sharks Foundation
REPORTING INTO: Community Inclusion Lead
HOURS OF WORK: 37.5 hours per week
BASED: Carrington Training Ground – M31 4AB
SALARY: £23,500-£25,500
CLOSING DATE: Monday 03, March 2025
PLEASE NOTE: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and interviews will be conducted accordingly. Therefore, if a suitable candidate is found, the position may be filled before the closing date. We encourage interested applicants to apply early.
Job Summary
Sale Sharks Foundation are seeking an empathetic, proactive, and skilled Education Development Officer (Employability) to support children, young people, and adults with diverse educational and employability needs. This primary focus of this role will be to oversee the coordination and delivery of our HITz employability programme, targeting young people aged 16–19 who are NEET (or at risk of), providing essential life skills, physical literacy, and qualifications to support them to unlock their future potential.
The successful candidate will offer support and guidance to learners to foster positive attitudes and engagement, personal growth, and essential life skills. They will also collaborate with local businesses and organisations to raise awareness of the programmes the Foundation offers to increase referrals, as well as creating opportunities for work experience, enrichment and employment and/ or further training.
Roles & Responsibilities:
Programme Development and Delivery
- Develop, coordinate and the delivery of Life Skills and Employability projects and programmes at Sale Sharks Foundation, including HITz and Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programmes 1-2-1, small group and larger classroom-based sessions.
- Support and guide children and young people to unlock their potential to achieve work and learning goals.
- Use innovative approaches to engage participants, addressing the unique challenges faced by both young people to inspire and empower them to overcome barriers to education and employment.
- Plan and deliver high quality learning sessions in schools, colleges and community settings ensuring inclusivity and accessibility.
- Support behaviour management systems in educational and community settings.
- Mentor participants with varying abilities, needs, and demands in diverse environments.
- Act as a strong role model, promoting personal growth and encouraging regular attendance through promotion of positive attitudes.
- Build and maintain a network and coordinate employer engagement activities, such as guest workshops and work experience placements.
- Collaborate with local agencies and colleges to recruit and enrol young people into programmes, aligning activity with local need.
Relationship Building:
- Build trusting relationships with children, young people, adults, and their families to support educational and personal growth.
- Collaborate with schools, community organisations, adult education providers, and other stakeholders to expand programme reach and impact.
- To maintain strong relationships with schools, colleges, and referral partners through effective and regular communication.
- Work collaboratively with internal colleagues and ensure effective communication.
- Working with communication colleagues to support content creation and marketing to ensure awareness of the work of Sale Sharks Foundation across your areas of work, ensuring all safeguarding practices and GDPR are followed.
Safeguarding and Risk Management:
- Ensure the safety and well-being of young people, and other vulnerable groups.
- Oversee the activities with thorough risk assessments and health and safety protocols.
- Follow safeguarding policies and procedures, promptly reporting incidents to the designated Safeguarding Lead.
- Maintain professional relationships and appropriate behaviour with participants.
- Complete training to uphold best practices in safeguarding and risk management.
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting:
- Keep accurate attendance and monitoring records for all sessions and contribute to the creation of Individual Learning Plans, Personal Education Plans, Educational Health Care Plans, and internal reporting as required.
- Keep track of learner progress including work experience and enrichment and create accurate monitoring records and reports for all programmes and projects and gather and analyse evaluation information on the systems for activities and individuals within those activities.
- Produce regular reports for internal and external stakeholders, outlining progress against identified programme KPIs.
General:
- Any other level appropriate duties as required by the employer.
- This job description is not necessarily an exhaustive list of duties but is intended to reflect the range of duties
the post-holder will perform.
- The job description will be reviewed regularly and may be changed in the light of experience and in consultation
with the post-holder.
- There may be times on occasions, when the role may have to working evenings and weekends, including match days. This will always be agreed in advance with time off in lieu offered.
- It is key to this role that candidates:
- Understand and implement the Foundations’ Safeguarding Policies, procedures, and best practice
guidelines and to use this understanding to ensure safe working practices, appropriate reporting of
concerns and contribute positively to a safe environment. - Demonstrate the Sale Sharks Foundation values at all times.
- Promote Sale Sharks Foundation’s brand and ethos in a professional and positive manner.
- Be committed to applying and promoting equality, diversity and inclusion at Sale Sharks Foundation
and comply with all Charity policies and procedures.
Person Specification
Essential:
- Experience mentoring young people aged 16+ with complex behavioural and learning needs.
- Experience of community work to engage and retain young people in learning activities
- Demonstrated ability to deliver high quality, engaging and inclusive learning and employability activities to a range of group sizes.
- Demonstrated ability to coordinate projects effectively, achieve KPIs and deliver tailored, needs-based initiatives.
- Strong interpersonal skills and experience in developing strong relationships with participants, families, partners and stakeholders.
- Excellent planning, organisational, and communication skills (verbal and written).
- A strong awareness of safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures.
- Experience of assessment, monitoring, and evaluation.
- Experience and competent in using IT packages including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Publisher and PowerPoint, Outlook).
- A passion for making a difference and inspiring others.
- A friendly, positive, courteous attitude with self-motivation for professional development.
- A commitment to the aims, vision, and values of the Foundation.
- Strong teamwork, organisation and communication skills.
- Willingness to work flexible hours.
- Full driver’s license and use of a vehicle.
- Degree qualified in a relevant subject or equivalent Youth Work qualifications.
- Working towards or achieved an NGB Level 2 coaching award.
Desirable:
- Experience of marketing a programme to raise awareness and engage new audiences.
- Experience of delivering multi sports activities in a community setting.
Staff Benefits:
- £240 per year (Pro-rata, claimed monthly) wellbeing benefit
- 3% Pension contribution
- 2 tickets free per game (Men’s & Women’s)
- Kit provided worth in excess of £300
- 20% discount on the staff shop
- Access to Sale Sharks High Performance Gym after 4pm
- Additional leave after 3 and 5 years service
- Flexible working (where possible)
- Health insurance through Vitality which also includes free access to the Headspace app, discounted gym memberships, free weekly coffee and film rental, health checks, employee assistance as well as a wider variety of discounts on health and wellbeing products (upon successful completion of probation period)
- Annual reward and recognition awards
- Bi-annual all staff training days & Foundation socials
- Other CPD opportunities throughout the year as well as an annual budget for CPD as a team and an individual
- Access to e-learning platform
- Dogs allowed in the office/ outdoor kennels (Behaviour permitting)
- Opportunity to buy into Sale Shark performance meal prep
- Free tea & coffee in the office
- Free onsite parking
Notes
Fixed term until 31st July 2026, with a view to extending subject to funding.
To Apply
To apply, please upload your CV, covering letter and completed EDI Form via our online portal using the link HERE. (EDI form available to download in the same link)
If you have problems with applying online, please contact foundation.hr@salesharks.com
Please do not hesitate to contact Faye Richardson, Community Inclusion Lead, via faye.richardson@salesharks.com or 07355 092119 if you would like to discuss the role in more detail.
Sale Sharks Foundation is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from all sections of the community. The successful candidate will undergo an enhanced DBS check to work with children and adults at risk and employment will only be offered if a clear check and suitable references are received back.
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer feedback on individual applications. Please note only candidates selected for interview will be notified.
