Job Description
Job Title: 4Skills Manager (Early Careers), 12 month secondment maternity cover
Reports to: Senior Portfolio Lead
Department: Nations and Regions (Operations)
Location: Leeds / London
Duration: 12 month secondment maternity cover
Job Grade: M
Department Description
As part of C4’s ‘4All the UK’ strategy, in October 2019 we opened a new national HQ in Leeds and a Creative Hub in both Bristol and Glasgow. This will ensure that we serve the whole of the UK and is the biggest change to the organisation’s structure in its history.
A key part of this strategy is to attract and develop talent across the UK. 4Skills is our new training and development initiative that brings together all of our existing training schemes across C4. This on-going programme is focussed on opening up our industry and finding and nurturing talent from the Nations and Regions to build successful careers in TV. 4Skills will address skills gaps and also play a key role in progressing the careers of those already in the industry.
Job Purpose
This role will be based in either Leeds or London where you’ll play a key role in helping to deliver our 4 All UK strategy. In particular you’ll support the range of activities and partnerships that we run, with a focus on establishing and implementing our internal and external entry level talent programmes alongside our engagement with schools and young people. While having a wide remit, you’ll lead on implementing specific programmes, such as 4Schools, 4Skills Work Experience, Apprenticeship programmes and our Production Training Scheme.
You’ll need to be able to manage your own time effectively, work on different projects simultaneously and have a real passion for working collaboratively in partnership and supporting skills and talent development across the UK.
The role will require travel when hosting and managing events in the Nations and Regions. Some evening and weekend work will be required occasionally for which you’ll be given time back in lieu.
Key Responsibilities
- Leading the delivery and strategy of several early careers specific schemes and activity across the UK – including 4Schools, Virtual Work Experience, Apprenticeship & Higher Level Apprenticeship programmes , Production Training Scheme, Access Services Internships, Assistant Commissioner Scheme & Care Leaver Programme
- Ensuring the high standard of attraction, recruitment, delivery and support for each cohort of trainees.
- Supporting our partnership work across the business to help deliver on our 4 All the UK strategy.
- Building and managing relationships with internal partners (hiring managers, commissioners, internal comms, finance, technology, workspace, and people operations) and external partners (TheTalentPeople, Apprentice providers, ThinkBigger, Independent Production Companies, Causeway Education, Red Bee Media), that will be required to deliver different activities, schemes and events, all in line with our strategic goals.
- Working closely with the UK’s independent television sector to identify skills gaps and opportunities where we can work in partnership to address them
- Ensuring that our 4Skills activities are able to support the industry to attract and retain more diverse talent, including those from underrepresented groups.
- Developing and delivering an ongoing programme of outreach, which will engage a large number of diverse young people across the UK.
- Evaluating our work with partners and the impact of our activities to ensure their effectiveness, and making recommendations to improve them.
- Collaborating with multiple departments across C4 to ensure 4Skills represents the breadth of what C4 offers and brings to life through our talent schemes.
- Attending industry events to keep your knowledge updated and representing C4 as required in the new talent / early career space.
- Managing part of the 4Skills team, focused on delivering interventions in early careers and engaging with young people
- Managing content on social media and our careers websites.
- Managing data, creating reports and maintaining databases.
- Managing and maximising a budget in relation to specific schemes.
- Supporting the C4 Diversity commitments and C4 Remit.
- Managing 2-3 direct reports
- Where budget allows, identifying gaps in our menu of activity, thinking and executing new, innovative ideas
Essential Experience & Skills
- Proven experience of managing early careers programmes, ideally withing the UK television/independent production sector or a creative business
- Proven experience of working in partnership with third parties to deliver strategic goals, especially in regards to training and skills programmes
- Proven experience of managing multiple programmes simultaneously
- Experience of both operational planning and delivery
- Excellent networking skills and the ability to develop and grow sustainable relationships both internally and externally
- Proven ability to build effective and collaborative cross-functional working relationships and communicate effectively with stakeholders
- Experience of delivering results in a fast-paced organisation going through a period of change
- Able to work with minimum supervision taking personal responsibility and ownership of tasks
- Is a self-starter with excellent organisational ability, time management and project management skills
- Is creative and takes an innovative approach to owning and resolving complex problems and issues
- Have experience managing a budget across multiple projects, as well as the use of the Apprenticeship levy
- Have experience managing people
- Have excellent communication skills; regularly delivering presentations to internal and external stakeholders on programme updates and successes
- Track and update spending and KPI measurements across all programmes on a regular and timely basis
- When required, have the ability to track and present data in a digestible way to key stakeholders
- Have excellent attention to detail and be very organised
- Be passionate about increasing diversity and removing barriers to employment
- Provide excellent pastoral care and handle sensitive and complex ER issues
Desirable Experience & Skills
- Experience and understanding of the skills challenges facing UK creative industry
- Experience of running outreach and engagement programmes for young people
- Managed a website and social media feeds
- Have experience of procuring contracts for delivery by third party suppliers
- Have some recruitment experience or experience of managing assessment centres
Secondment Policy
This role is advertised as a secondment meaning that if successful you would move into this role for a defined time period.
If you are currently a permanent employee, you will receive an acting-up allowance for the duration of your secondment, which will be the difference between your current basic salary and the salary of the role you are seconded into, or will be calculated as per our Acting-Up Policy. Please note that your basic salary will remain unchanged during the secondment. For any further details on secondments, please refer to our Secondment Policy on Moss.
If you are currently on a fixed-term contract your contract end date and salary will be changed for the duration of the advertised secondment.
Salary Basic salary starting at £65,625.00 dependent on experience
Application questions to complete
Please remember to complete the additional application questions by uploading a Word or PDF attachment. These questions really help us get to know you better and we won’t be able to consider your application without them.
- Please outline how you meet the ‘Essential Experience & Skills’ outlined in the Job Description (Max 500 words)
Benefits There are a million reasons why it’s great to work at Channel 4, here are just a few of the perks for you;
- Private medical insurance with NO EXCESS
- Free Virtual GP access for employees
- Free Female Health hormone test each year
- Free Tastecard membership
- Financial guidance 1-2-1’s available each quarter
- Free OnHand (as featured on Dragon’s Den) volunteering membership
- Discounted Gym memberships
- Pension
- Life Assurance
- Income Protection
- Holiday Buy/Sell
Hybrid working From September 2023 employees will be working minimum 3 days per week in their office location. The other 2 days should be working from home. This is to create more time for collaboration, creativity, learning and feedback. We also have a working from another location policy for up to 10 days. This pattern is subject to future changes which would be communicated in advance to provide employees with adequate notice of any change. If you need any additional support or workplace adjustments upon joining, please speak with your manager or our workplace disability lead.
Applications Close Date 26 Feb 2025
Equal Opportunities Channel 4’s purpose is to create change through entertainment; by representing unheard voices, challenging with purpose and delivering content which reflects the diversity of different communities across the UK.
We are only able to deliver on this remit by having a workforce rich in diversity of thought, background and lived experience. As an employer we encourage applications from candidates from all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on disability, age, gender reassignment, gender expression, criminal history, length of time spent unemployed, marriage or civil partnership status, national origin, pregnancy and maternity status, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
Disability Confident Scheme
Channel 4 is a member of the Business Disability Forum (BDF) and has also maintained the highest level of the Department of Work and Pension's Disability Confident scheme - Level 3: Leader. Under the Disability Confident Scheme, we aim to offer an interview to all candidates who have a neurodiverse condition, impairment or long-term condition and who meet the essential criteria for an advertised job. If you wish your application to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme, please select yes when completing the application questions. For more information, please visit the Disability Confident Campaign website.
For our roles and schemes that receive a high volume of applications it may not be possible to provide an interview to all applicants who meet the essential criteria and in this situation we can only select applications that best meet the skills needed for the role.
Care Leaver Friendly Employer
Channel 4 is a Care Leaver Friendly Employer. By signing the Care Leaver Friendly Employer Charter and adopting its principles, we are supporting an immensely talented yet often under-served and under-represented community of young people/ adults. We commit to offering an interview (and constructive feedback) to applicants who identify as care experienced and meet the essential criteria for the role as outlined on the job description. Applicants should indicate if they wish to apply under our Care Leaver Scheme by selecting the option on the application form.
Workplace Adjustments
We are committed to providing disabled applicants a level playing field when applying for a job and support whilst employed to perform to the best of their ability and develop their careers. If you have a neurodiverse condition, impairment or long-term condition and require any adjustments, additional support or alternative arrangements during the recruitment and wish to discuss this confidentially, please let us know via the following e-mail recruitment@channel4.co.uk
