Early Careers Officer

Job Description

Are you a strategic thinker with a passion for unlocking potential? London Borough of Harrow is looking for a dynamic Early Careers Officer to shape the future of our workforce.

In this pivotal role, you won’t just manage a program; you will define the strategic direction for graduate and apprenticeship schemes across the Council. From leading on early careers and graduate placements to ensuring our Apprenticeship Levy is invested in high-impact strategic priorities, you will be the driving force behind our commitment to lifelong learning.

As our resident expert on all things vocational learning, you will:

• Develop Council-wide policies and action plans to grow our apprenticeship numbers against key KPIs.

• Spearhead our early careers, graduate, and work placement initiatives, including programs like Kickstart and opportunities for care leavers.

• Source high-quality training providers and manage the end-to-end procurement and funding process.

• Act as the bridge between internal Directorates, external partners, and the ESFA, ensuring everyone is aligned and engaged.

• Navigate the complexities of the DAS portal, levy funding rules, and Ofsted requirements to ensure an audit-ready service.

• Provide pastoral care and guidance to apprentices and managers alike, fostering an environment where talent thrives.

We are looking for a collaborator with a "can-do" attitude who thrives on challenge. You should have:

• Proven experience in the apprenticeship management lifecycle and a deep understanding of ESFA funding rules.

• The ability to align apprenticeship growth with the Council’s wider talent management and succession planning.

• You can tailor complex information into clear, persuasive updates for a variety of audiences.

• You are autonomous, innovative, and resilient, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• Educated to degree level (or equivalent relevant experience).

For more information, please refer to the Role Profile/Selection Criteria

About us

Harrow Council is the 12th largest London borough and one of the most culturally diverse local authorities in the UK, making it a great place to live, work and visit with a range of cultures, religions and opinions that come together to produce high achieving schools and a close and friendly community. Located 10 miles from the city centre and just 13 minutes to Euston from Harrow & Wealdstone station there are great transport links via the Metropolitan Line, Watford DC Line and national rail service. It is easily accessible to the M1, M25 and A406.

Other information

Support for candidates visit:Harrow.gov.uk Our behavioural indicators roles below G11 and above G11 Here at Harrow Council, the vision is one of 'Working together to make a difference for Harrow' Please click here to view Harrow Council's benefits

Important Note

To deliver our commitment to equality of opportunity in service provision, all staff are expected to promote equality in the workplace and in the services the Council delivers. All sections of the population will have equal access to jobs at the London Borough of Harrow. No applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of age, disability, gender, reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy, or maternity unless a Genuine Occupational Qualification applies. As such, we value diversity and welcome applications from all backgrounds. For further information, please read our equality statement.

As a disability-confident employer, we are committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and accessible to everyone. This includes reasonably adjusting the recruitment process for those with disabilities or long-term health conditions. For further information, please contact us at resourcing@harrow.gov.uk

London Borough of Harrow is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Harrow operates stringent, safer recruitment procedures.

Due to the high number of applications received for some posts, we may close vacancies before the stated closing date if sufficient applications are received. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible.

Harrow redeployees will be given priority consideration.

The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, any your data protection rights, can be found by visiting www.cifas.org.uk/fpn