This is a fixed‑base role based in Chelmsford with some home‑working and a requirement to attend ACL sites 2–3 days per week.
Customer & Learner Experience Manager
Permanent, Full Time
£54,758 to £64,421 per annum
Location: Chelmsford
Working Style: Fixed‑base worker*
Closing Date: 27th April 2026
Adult Community Learning (ACL) Essex is Essex County Council’s provider of lifelong learning experiences for Essex residents. The role oversees the end‑to‑end learner journey, ensuring a consistently excellent, inclusive and accessible experience from enquiry to progression.
Role Responsibilities
* Lead the design and delivery of the customer and learner service strategy, ensuring seamless and inclusive experiences from enquiry through to progression and destination reporting.
* Oversee enrolment, initial funding eligibility checks and customer care processes in line with guidance from the Department for Education, Department for Work & Pensions and Education Inspection Framework.
* Lead learner support services including information, advice and guidance, wellbeing, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support, digital inclusion and learning resources, to reduce barriers to participation.
* Lead a team to ensure effective utilisation of resources and facilities, maximising commercial opportunity and delivery across all centres and outreach sites.
* Oversee operational delivery of the service, including facilities, catering, health and safety and safeguarding at delivery locations, sharing knowledge and best practice to meet legal and audit requirements.
* Manage learner voice activities and feedback loops, ensuring insight informs service design, accessibility and improvement; publish and act on themes from complaints, compliments and surveys.
* Develop and monitor satisfaction measures, using Management Information Systems (MIS) and dashboards to identify risk and drive improvement for retention, achievement and progression.
* Ensure effective management of front‑line staff, systems and CRM platforms, ensuring accurate, timely and GDPR‑compliant communications.
* Collaborate with curriculum, quality, safeguarding and data leads to ensure compliance with the Education Inspection Framework, Edinburgh's Law, audit requirements and continuous service improvement.
* Contribute to service planning, risk management and value‑for‑money decisions, aligning customer and learner services to broader council outcomes for inclusion, health and wellbeing.
* Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
* Educated to RQF Level 5 or above (or equivalent by experience) in education management, customer service or a related field, with evidence of continuing professional development.
* Strong understanding of learner journey management, customer experience design and compliance requirements including guidance from the Education and Skills Funding Agency.
* Proven experience managing learner admissions, guidance or support services in Further Education or adult learning contexts, delivering measurable improvements in satisfaction and outcomes.
* Significant experience using digital performance tracking and reporting systems, including MIS, to analyse performance and address risks for learners and staff.
* Excellent leadership, communication and digital systems management skills, with credibility to influence stakeholders and collaborate across functions.
* Commitment to inclusion, safeguarding and continuous improvement, with the ability to interpret data to drive learner experience enhancements.
Benefits
Unpaid carer support and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.
Equal Opportunities
Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader and commits to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum requirements. We also interview veterans and care leavers who meet the minimum requirements of the role. If your role requires a DBS check, you will be required to register with the DBS update service, which is an annual subscription you must maintain.
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