Job title:  

Apprenticeship Programme Lead 

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exemptions) Order 1975 applies to this post. Disclosure and Barring Clearance is required prior to employment to this post. 

Main purpose of job: 

To lead and deliver Little Gate’s Apprenticeship Programme, supporting young people with learning disabilities and autism to access and successfully complete apprenticeships across East Sussex. This role is currently part-funded by the National Lottery.

The Apprenticeship Programme Lead is responsible for achieving 24 apprenticeship starts by June 2027. In addition to programme delivery, the postholder will take a strategic lead in shaping the future of the programme—developing and growing it to become financially and operationally self-sustaining. This will involve working collaboratively with stakeholders, employers, training providers, and community partners to secure long-term funding, build strategic partnerships, and embed the programme within local employment pathways, ensuring lasting impact for young people

Position reports to: 

Head of Little Gate College

Staff who will report to this job title: 

Team Co-Ordinator and Job Coaches

Location: 

Your usual places of work will be at the Little Gate Supported Employment Office in Battle and at the workplaces of the trainees whom we support. However, your job duties include a requirement that you will travel away from these locations as may be required by the Charity for the proper performance of your duties. Other locations may include but are not limited to other offices or branches of the Charity, any agreed remote working location (which could include your home).

Our services cover a wide geographical area across East Sussex

Salary: 

£31,200 per annum

Your usual hours of work will be 40 hours per week working 8 hours per day with core hours between 8.30am and 5.30pm, Monday to Friday however, days and hours of work may be variable to suit the business needs of the Charity, availability of employers and the needs of those you support. You may be required to schedule work outside of these hours and days (weekend, early morning and evening work) by mutual agreement with your line lead. 

In certain circumstances, it may be necessary to adjust or exceed your normal working hours in order to meet the requirements of your job.

Probationary period:  

6 months

Holiday Entitlement: 

5.6 weeks per annum (pro rata) inclusive of bank and public holidays

Contract type: 

Full time, Permanent

Safeguarding requirements: 

All employees and volunteers, regardless of their posts, share in the responsibility for protecting our work trainees, young rangers and students, keeping them safe from harm whilst they are attending Little Gate and for reporting concerns about any person’s welfare and safety. 

To work with the Employer Engagement Co-ordinator and Employer Training and Internal Development Lead to provide stakeholders/employer partners with support and resources to enable them to commit to and achieve required Safeguarding expectations.

DBS requirements; 

Child and Adult Workforce, Enhanced with Barred list check

Main tasks of job: 

• Programme Delivery & Targets:
  Oversee the delivery of the Apprenticeship Programme, ensuring that 24 apprenticeship starts are achieved by June 2027 in line with National Lottery funding requirements.

• Ensuring timely and accurate reportingto funders and internal stakeholders.

• Developing and implementing a sustainability planto secure long-term funding and partnerships by the end of Year 2.

• Team Leadership:
  Manage and support a team including a Team Co-Ordinator and Job Coaches, ensuring high-quality support for all programme participants.

• Pathway Coordination:
  Ensure each young person attends the LEAPS pre-employment programme and other skills development activities before progressing to work experience and then an apprenticeship.

• Individual Support:
  Act as a conduit for young people, sourcing suitable employers and training providers, and supporting their transition into apprenticeships.

• Employer & Provider Engagement:
  Work in conjunction with the Employer Engagement Co-Ordinator to identify and secure apprenticeship opportunities with local employers and training providers.

• Increasing employer engagement, measured by growth in the number of active partnersyear-on-year.

• Work Experience & Apprenticeship Placement:
  Support young people to access meaningful work experience placements as a pathway to apprenticeships.

• Ongoing Support:
  Oversee Job Coaches as they provide in-work and educational support in partnership with individual training providers, ensuring apprentices’ needs are met throughout their journey.

• Stakeholder Liaison:
  Maintain strong relationships with employers, training providers, LEAPS tutors, and other stakeholders to ensure a seamless experience for young people.

• Monitoring & Reporting:
  Ensure accurate records are kept and provide regular reports on progress towards targets and outcomes for funders and internal stakeholders.

• Quality & Compliance:
  Uphold Little Gate’s values and ensure all activities comply with relevant safeguarding, quality, and funding requirements.

• Social Media & Communications:
  Take responsibility for providing regular updates and information for Little Gate’s social media channels, ensuring the Apprenticeship Programme remains visible and engaging for external stakeholders, partners, and the wider community.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)  

This role includes KPIs that are designed to support quality apprenticeships with training providers and employer partnerships with sustainable outcomes which will be regularly reviewed;

• To meet Apprenticeships target starts per year

• Employer satisfaction and retention rates

• Successful candidate transitions and sustained employment outcomes

• Quality and timeliness of data reporting

KPIs are designed to support your professional growth and celebrate your achievements. As our programme develops, these targets will increase reflecting our shared ambition to make a bigger difference together.

The above is not an exhaustive list of duties, and different tasks may be required as necessitated by the changing role within the organisation and the overall business objectives of the organisation. 

Person Specification; 

The Apprenticeship Programme Lead will be an enthusiastic, organised, and compassionate individual with a commitment to improving outcomes for young people with learning disabilities and autism. They will be a skilled communicator, able to build relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, and possess the leadership qualities needed to manage a team and deliver a high-quality programme. The successful candidate will be adaptable, resilient, and passionate about inclusion and employment opportunities for young people.

Essential Criteria; 

• Experience managing and supporting teams, ideally in education, employment, or social care.

• Strong communication, networking, and negotiation skills with young people, families, employers, stakeholders and training providers. Proven ability to plan, deliver, and monitor structured programmes or schemes of work. Excellent understanding of the needs and challenges faced by young people with learning disabilities and autism. Ability to build and maintain professional relationships with employers and external partners.

• Experience supporting individuals to achieve positive outcomes in education, training, or employment.

• Confident and outgoing, with the ability to motivate and inspire others.

• Strong IT skills, including record keeping and report writing.

• Full driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes.

• Ability to prioritise workloads, work to deadlines, and manage multiple projects simultaneously.

• Flexible and adaptable approach to work.

• Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable young people.

• Willingness and ability to provide regular updates and information for social media to promote the programme internally and externally.

• Ability to work occasional evenings or weekends if required.

Desirable Criteria; 

• Experience working with apprenticeship programmes or similar employment initiatives.

• Knowledge of Access to Work and other employment support schemes.

• Experience of partnership working with local authorities, training providers, and employers.

• Familiarity with monitoring and reporting requirements for externally funded programmes.

• Experience of delivering or supporting pre-employment and skills development programmes.

• Understanding of the local employment landscape in East Sussex.

• Experience of managing budgets or contributing to funding applications. Knowledge of safeguarding procedures and best practice in supporting vulnerable young people.

Qualifications; 

Strong Maths and English skills equivalent to GCSE Grade 4 (Grade C) or above, demonstrated through qualifications, training, or relevant experience.

Suggested Education 

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Education, Social Care, Youth Work, Supported Employment, or a related field.

• Relevant professional qualifications or training in supported employment, careers guidance, or special educational needs (SEN) are advantageous.

• Evidence of ongoing professional development is desirable.

Important Information  

Application deadline:

26th January 2026 (23:00 hrs)

Interview date:  

4th February 2026

To apply for this role please use this link to complete our application form Little Gate Application For Employment – Apprenticeship Programme Lead (APLJan26) – Fill out form 

Our Commitment

Little Gate is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. Please see our application form for more information regarding guaranteed interviews for candidates choosing to share that they have a disability.

Our application and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role.

We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.

Little Gate implements safeguarding protocols in all aspects of their working practices and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All successful applicants will be subject to an enhanced and barred DBS check, and this may include social media checks. For further details please contact Sally Moseley via email at  hrsally@littlegate.org.uk.  

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exemptions) Order 1975 applies to this post. Disclosure and Barring Clearance is required prior to employment to this post.

Please note, due to a high volume of applications, we are not always able to feedback if you have been deemed unsuccessful upon review. We apologise in advance should you not be contacted.