Early Careers Programme Manager

Company Description At United Living, our mission is to be the partner and employer of choice for designing, building, maintaining, and connecting communities and critical infrastructure to create a more sustainable and inclusive society. Whilst our scale gives us the ability to deliver significant projects, we pride ourselves on our agility. We work collaboratively with our customers, stakeholders, and supply chain to provide solutions that support the growth and improvement of local communities and infrastructure. Everything we do is about moving safely and innovatively towards a sustainable future for our people, our business, our customers, and the communities we operate in. We believe that together we achieve more. Job Description To manage all levels of early years careers programmes across the Group from recruitment to completion, including degree apprenticeships and graduate programmes.  Identify and design programmes to cover a variety of academic and experience entry points and routes to increase diversity and social mobility.  Continually evaluate and enhance programmes to be best in class and provide proactive solutions to support business growth. Manage and be the point of contact for all early careers programmes across the UL Group. Be proactive in identifying a wide variety of recruitment entry points and suitable early careers programmes across all Pillars from Levels 2 to 6. Liaise with stakeholders across the Group to ensure programmes meet current and future business requirements, including scope of offering. Collate the overall number of apprentice positions to be recruited per Pillar. Create an overall Brand for Early Careers, with clear identification of the various programmes through sub-branding. Define and advise the recruitment timescales per entry route, aligned to external provider intake dates. Manage the recruitment process, including communicating timelines to stakeholders, promoting vacancies through apprenticeship and social media channels, sifting applications, interviewing, running Assessment Centres as applicable, engaging Pillar Managers in the selection process (e.g. interviewing) and monitoring candidate progress through the HR offer of employment process. Design, coordinate and deliver cohort learning experiences such as online workshops and in-person development days and networking activities. Be the main learning and development team contact for all apprentices. Propose, design and execute programme enhancing activities such as department rotations, secondments, projects and annual awards. Identity and develop internal coaches and mentors as required to support apprentices. Ensure a consistently high candidate experience across all programmes, and regularly evaluate feedback from apprentices and their line managers. Develop and maintain a preferred supplier list of Universities, Colleges and providers that UL use for each programme, and ensure at least one point of contact is known in each institution. Facilitate and be the point of contact for professional membership routes for all employees, including MCIOB and MRICS for degree apprentices as part of the EPA process. Manage all UL Apprenticeship Levy accounts. Identify all available funding streams, and manage the process of applying for, and receiving funding and grants. Monitor apprentice progress through regular contact with their training provider, and report on a (minimum) quarterly basis. Calculate the percentage or apprentices for per Pillar and Group, and report quarterly. Maintain an up-to-date and accurate record of all UL early careers apprentices/trainees, including academic year and expected completion dates. Be the point of contact for external early careers audits, including the 5% Club. To provide support for all Learning and Development initiatives as and when required.  Qualifications Essential experience Experience of managing early careers programmes, including apprenticeships. Knowledge of UCAS processes and eligibility. Understanding of, and experience in, early years grants and funding opportunities. Experience of working in a learning and development function. Ability to be flexible and prioritise workload effectively. IT literateDesirable experience Experience of managing Apprenticeship Levy accounts. Designing learning to meet an apprenticeship standard. Coaching and/or mentoring qualification. Knowledge of client social value and Section 106 requirements. Construction/Energy/Telecoms industry experience. Additional Information The role may be based near any of the main UL offices. Regular travel will be required to other United Living offices and external venues – for example in-person Team Meetings, to meet internal and external stakeholders, and visit training providers including Universities and Colleges