Head of Employability and Health

Join us as our Head of Employability and Health and help our 2.2million residents gain the skills they need to progress in the jobs of today and tomorrow.

Welcome to EMCCA

The East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) is the UK's first mayor-led combined county authority. The East Midlands is a great region. But it deserves to be better. Better connected, better funded and better prepared for a future of opportunity, growth, and hope. EMCCA will oversee devolved powers around transport, housing, skills and adult education, economic development, and net zero. We will conceive the strategies and create the connections that will empower local partners, people and businesses - maximising the impact of billions of pounds of funding. Together, we can put the East Midlands on the map as a place to live, work and study.

Role Overview

You will be at the heart of our ambition to shape both a prosperous and inclusive future for the East Midlands, driving the region's agenda on enabling people with health issues and disabled people to access high-quality employment.

You will lead a high-performing delivery team and be a key member of the Skills and Employment group within EMCCA, directly overseeing the mobilisation and delivery of the multi-million pound Connect to Work programme in the East Midlands - the government's flagship initiative to tackle health-related economic inactivity. You will also be responsible for our role in driving a system-wide transformation around health and work.

Collaboration will be key; with our partners in the health system, DWP, local authorities, the voluntary sector, and local businesses, putting employment at the top of our shared agenda.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategically develop and oversee the implementation of all Employability and Health programmes across EMCCA, notably the Connect to Work programme.
• Assume ultimate accountability for service delivery by enforcing rigorous accountability measures, tracking progress meticulously, and delivering comprehensive reporting.
• Compliance with all contract and grant funding requirements for major stakeholders, including the Department for Work and Pensions.
• Secure and optimise funding for all Employability and Health programmes, ensuring financial resources are allocated efficiently, managed effectively, and deliver maximum impact.
• Oversee and ensure the delivery of service plans with clear, measurable targets set in collaboration with the Director of Skills and Employment and external funders, driving performance to meet or exceed expectations.
• Provide motivational leadership for your team, fostering a high-performance culture while ensuring the wellbeing of all team members.
• Provide critical insights and intelligence through timely, accurate data reporting on programme performance, emerging trends, and future requirements, shaping strategic decision-making.
• Develop and sustain high-value relationships with key stakeholders, including senior health leaders, government departments, regulators, and partners, to ensure programmes are widely supported and impactful.

Your Profile:

• A degree or equivalent level of experience, a management qualification or equivalent level of experience and evidence of continuous professional development.
• Extensive experience working at a senior level within the employability sector while having a strong understanding of the health landscape.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with key stakeholders.
• A strong track record in delivering high-profile programmes, including establishing and managing programme functions.
• Significant experience of service delivery, including resource planning, performance management and effective and efficient delivery, in a relevant service area.
• Significant experience of leading changes in a service delivery environment with responsibility for direction of a service involving the co-ordination and integration of several sub functions.
• Experience of high value budget management, generating match-funding, bid writing and budget allocation.
• Extensive experience of working in large, complex political environment with an understanding of the unique role that the EMCCA will have.

For more details on EMCCA including our rewards and benefits, please visit:

Office location - all roles are based at NGEC, Saltergate, Chesterfield, S40 1UT unless stated otherwise.

Please note - at this time EMCCA cannot offer sponsorship.

Closing date: 22nd June 2025.