Lead, coach, empower and deliver impact.
The Royal Borough of Greenwich is committed to improving the lives and opportunities of residents through high-quality employment, skills and training support. Our award-winning GLLaB (Greenwich Local Labour and Business) service plays a vital role in connecting local people to sustainable employment and progression opportunities.
We are now seeking a skilled and motivated Principal Programme Team Leader to lead a team of Employment Specialists, ensure excellence in frontline delivery, and drive high performance across GLLaB's supported employment and IAG provision.
This is a key leadership role for someone who is passionate about delivering quality employment support, confident operationally, and committed to modelling best practice in both IPS and SEQF approaches.
About The Role
As the Principal Programme Team Leader, you will:
Lead and develop a high-performing team
Line manage up to 10 Employment Specialists, providing supervision, coaching, guidance and performance management.
Role-model best practice in IPS/SEQF approaches and ensure staff deliver high-quality, person-centred employment support.
Conduct regular 1:1s, caseload reviews, PDCs, group supervision and lead the development of work plans and team targets.
Ensure excellence in service delivery
Coordinate day-to-day operational management of GLLaB's frontline services, including duty management cover.
Maintain high standards of delivery across all externally funded programmes, ensuring SEQF fidelity, quality assurance and audit compliance.
Monitor caseloads (typically 20–25 per specialist), support effective triage, identify barriers, and ensure timely and tailored interventions.
Drive impactful employer engagement
Guide and equip Employment Specialists to engage employers confidently through patch walks, employer visits, remote outreach and events.
Support job development, job matching and the creation of inclusive opportunities for residents.
Ensure all employment checks, safeguarding documentation, health & safety, and service level agreements are robust and up to date.
Strengthen partnerships and community engagement
Build and maintain referral networks with health partners, community organisations, voluntary groups and local services.
Support outreach in priority areas to increase engagement among under-represented and disadvantaged groups.
Represent GLLaB at external meetings, events and partnership forums.
Promote continuous improvement
Identify and address underperformance, creating a culture of accountability, learning and development.
Support the design and delivery of in-house training, peer learning and staff development.
Lead on service improvements, participant feedback, complaints resolution and quality/performance improvement plans.
Be flexible, practical and hands-on
Provide cover for Employment Specialists when required, including carrying a small caseload.
Support weekend or evening outreach where needed to ensure accessibility of services.
Contribute to emergency planning, business continuity and council-wide priorities as required.
About You
We are looking for a confident leader with a strong understanding of supported employment models and frontline programme delivery.
You Will Bring
Knowledge & Skills
Strong knowledge of IPS and/or SEQF supported employment models.
Ability to supervise, motivate and develop Employment Specialists to deliver outstanding IAG and employment support.
Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage complex workloads and support staff caseloads.
Highly effective communication skills, able to represent GLLaB at meetings, events and partnership forums.
Strong IT and CRM capability, with accuracy in data management and reporting.
Experience
Proven experience supervising or leading frontline employment, training or advisory teams.
Experience supporting employer engagement activity and building partnerships with businesses.
Track record of working collaboratively with multi-agency partners — including clinical teams, community groups, and employers.
Experience meeting KPIs, compliance standards and customer service expectations.
Values & Commitment
A strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusive practice.
Alignment with the Council's staff values — working together, taking ownership, improving services and putting residents first.
An Enhanced DBS with Barred List check is required.
Why Join the Royal Borough of Greenwich?
Play a pivotal leadership role in a respected, forward-thinking service.
Make a meaningful difference to residents' wellbeing, employment prospects and long-term independence.
Be part of a supportive team that values innovation, collaboration and professional growth.
Access ongoing training and development opportunities, including apprenticeship-funded qualifications.
Help shape the future of employment support across the borough.
Apply Now
If you're a dedicated people-leader who thrives in a fast-paced, community-focused environment — and you're passionate about delivering high-quality employment support — we'd be delighted to hear from you.
Lead a team that changes lives. Join GLLaB.
Please note, there will be an interview assessment that will take place in person on Monday 16th March 2026, if shortlisted.
If you are interested in an informal discussion or have any questions about the roles, please do not hesitate to get in contact with me, Gemma Morrison using
Diversity Statement: Royal Borough of Greenwich values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects this. We therefore encourage applications from all sections of the community.
Advert Close: All vacancies close at midnight unless otherwise stated.
Early Advert Close: Royal Borough of Greenwich reserves the right to close any job advert earlier than the advertised closing date where there is reason to do so (for example high volume of applications).
How Applications are Scored: Each application is scored according to how well the supporting statements addresses each point on the Person Specification for the role. Candidates will be short-listed for interview on the extent to which they meet the specific points within the Person Specification. The Person Specification is supplied with the job advert. When completing your application, please use the supporting statements section to tell us how you meet each of the points on the Person Specification. We need to have this information in order to consider your application.
Salary: Salaries advertised are for a standard working week of 35 hours unless otherwise stated. Please use this 'Salary Calculator to help you calculate a pro rata salary.
Our Staff Values: Our Staff Values are important to us. Candidates will be continuously assessed against our staff values throughout the recruitment process. Where candidates demonstrate views and behaviours that do not meet the standards of our staff values, we reserve the right to reject their application/ registration.