Adult Skills Performance and Growth Lead

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of all Adult Skills Fund contracts, ensuring delivery aligns with organisational priorities, commissioner requirements and local skills improvement priorities. 
• Develop and implement the organisation's Adult Skills Fund growth and performance strategy, driving sustainable contract performance and organisational growth. 
• Lead contract planning, forecasting and performance management processes across all Adult Skills Funded provision. 
• Ensure effective monitoring of contract performance against financial profiles, learner targets, achievement rates, quality standards and contractual KPIs. 
• Analyse management information, performance data and market intelligence to inform strategic decision-making and identify areas for improvement or growth. 
• Line manage the Skills Contracts Operations Managers, providing leadership, coaching, performance management and professional development. 
• Establish a high-performance culture focused on accountability, customer service, learner outcomes and continuous improvement. 
• Support workforce and succession planning to ensure sustainable and effective contract management capability across Adult Skills Fund provision. 
• Develop leadership capability within contract management teams through mentoring, coaching and professional development activities. 
• Drive collaboration across operational, quality and curriculum teams to achieve organisational objectives. 
• Ensure all Adult Skills Fund provision remains fully compliant with funding rules, commissioner requirements, audit standards and organisational policies. 
• Work closely with the Quality and Curriculum team to drive continuous improvement activities across all contracts. 
• Lead contract self-assessment, quality improvement planning, internal audits and commissioner assurance activities. 
• Ensure effective corrective action planning where performance, quality or compliance concerns are identified. 
• Maintain a continual state of inspection and audit readiness across Adult Skills Fund provision. 
• Identify and share effective practice across contracts to improve learner outcomes, operational effectiveness and value for money. 
• Build and maintain productive relationships with commissioners, funding bodies, local authorities, combined authorities and strategic partners. 
• Act as the senior operational lead for commissioner relationships, contractual reviews and performance discussions. 
• Represent Acorn Training at regional and national forums, stakeholder meetings and strategic networking events. 
• Contribute to the bid writing process by providing operational insight, performance evidence and market intelligence to support the development of competitive, high-quality submissions that meet commissioner requirements and align with Adult Skills Fund priorities. 
• Support the identification and development of new funding streams, growth opportunities and commercial initiatives. 
• Develop partnerships with employers, referral organisations, community groups and delivery partners to support learner recruitment, progression and contract growth. 
• Lead financial performance management across Adult Skills Fund contracts, ensuring delivery remains within profile and achieves agreed funding targets. 
• Monitor contract utilisation and performance against budget, undertaking corrective action where required. 
• Ensure robust forecasting and risk management processes are in place across all Adult Skills Fund provision. 
• Lead strategic projects and organisational improvement initiatives as directed by the Assistant Director for Skills. 
• Contribute to organisational business planning, growth strategies and quality improvement objectives. 
• Champion innovation, digital transformation and learner-centred approaches to delivery and contract management. 
• Promote Acorn Training's values, culture and commitment to delivering positive outcomes for learners, employers and communities.

• Achievement of Adult Skills Fund contractual performance measures and funding targets. 
• Contract utilisation and financial performance against profile. 
• Learner recruitment, retention, achievement and progression outcomes. 
• Employer, commissioner and stakeholder satisfaction levels. 
• Successful achievement of quality assurance, compliance and audit outcomes. 
• Achievement of contract growth, partnership and business development objectives. 
• Timely and accurate performance reporting and forecasting. 
• Effective leadership and performance management of Skills Contracts Operations Managers and associated teams. 
• Successful implementation of strategic improvement initiatives and growth plans. 

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise