Team Leader, Social Work

The Team Leader will be responsible for leading, motivating and hold Mentors accountable for delivering an effective participant journey that supports young people into sustainable work. You will oversee day-to-day delivery, drive performance against contractual targets, ensure Mentors provide high-quality guidance at every stage of the journey, and work collaboratively with internal teams, employers and external partners to maximise job outcomes, sustainment and progression.

• Service Manager
• Mentors and Activity Co-ordinators
• Employer Services and Employer Engagement colleagues
• Quality, Compliance and Performance teams
• Customer Excellence Centre and Participant Experience teams
• Wider AKG Delivery colleagues
• Shared Services functions across the Group, including People and Culture, Finance and MI Teams

• Participants (young people aged 18 to 24), and, where appropriate and with consent, their support networks and other support services helping young people overcome barriers to work
• Department for Work and Pensions and Jobcentre Plus contacts
• Local employers providing funded employment opportunities
• Local authorities, education providers, training providers and community partners

• Lead, motivate and support a team of Mentors and Programme Co-ordinators to deliver the contract, ensuring young people receive consistent, high-quality support that moves them into sustainable work.
• Oversee the performance of Mentors and Programme Co-ordinators, setting clear expectations, monitoring caseload activity and ensuring each Mentor is actively progressing participants through the full journey from engagement to job start and sustainment.
• Monitor individual and team performance against contract targets, using management information to identify risks, address underperformance quickly and drive achievement of job outcome and sustainable employment targets.
• Ensure Mentors deliver a structured, participant-centred journey, including effective action planning, regular contact, barrier removal, employer engagement and timely progression towards work.
• Conduct regular one-to-one meetings, monthly staff reviews, observations and coaching sessions to improve Mentor performance, strengthen quality of delivery and ensure compliance with contract standards.
• Review participant caseloads with Mentors to ensure young people are receiving the right level of support, referrals, employer introductions and in-work support to achieve and sustain employment.
• Support the recruitment, onboarding and induction of new team members, ensuring they understand the contract model, participant journey, performance expectations and compliance requirements.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal colleagues, Jobcentre Plus, local stakeholders, employers, training providers and support agencies to strengthen referral routes, work opportunities and participant outcomes.
• Ensure accurate recording, case management and compliance activity is completed in line with contract requirements, internal policies and audit expectations.
• Maintain an up-to-date understanding of the local labour market, youth employment opportunities, benefits system, employability provision and wider support services to help Mentors provide relevant and practical guidance to young people.
• Promote a positive, inclusive and performance-focused team culture where Mentors are supported, accountable and encouraged to share best practice that improves participant outcomes.
• You will ensure delivery complies with DWP requirements, AKG policies and values, data protection, health and safety, safeguarding, equality and diversity legislation, and quality assurance standards.
• You will also undertake any other duties appropriate to the level of this role, for which you have the necessary training or experience.

• Experience of leading, supervising or coaching colleagues within an employability, youth employment, welfare-to-work, customer service or performance-led environment.
• Strong understanding of performance management, target delivery, job outcomes, sustainment, quality assurance and compliance requirements within contracted services.
• Experience of holding colleagues accountable for caseload progression, participant engagement, action planning and achievement of performance targets.
• Experience of supporting staff development through observations, feedback, coaching, one-to-one meetings and structured…