<p> UNISON </p><p>Job Brief: Learning and Workforce Development Officer</p><p>Introduction</p><p>1. UNISON is Britain and Europe's biggest public sector union with more than 1.3 million members. Our members are people working in the public services, for private contractors providing public services and in the essential utilities. They include frontline staff and managers working full or part time in local authorities, the NHS, the police service, colleges and schools, the electricity, gas and water industries, transport and the voluntary sector. We employ 1200 staff, approximately 360 at our national centre in Euston, central London and the remainder in our twelve regions across the UK - 9 English regions and, Scotland, Cymru/Wales and Northern Ireland. </p><p>As well as a Learning and Organising Services Unit at the national centre, each UNISON region has a dedicated learning and organising function delivering workplace representative training and membership development programmes. </p><p>Learning and Organising Services</p><p>2. Learning and Organising Services (LAOS) is responsible for the development and delivery of learning opportunities to UNISON activists and members. This ranges from the development of organising, recruitment and negotiating to specialist training across all of UNISON’s different service groups, to member development programmes to develop skills for life, confidence and communication skills. LAOS also provides support to staff and representatives in discussions with employers around learning issues.</p><p>In addition to activist training, LAOS supports a programme of learning to members and potential members in UNISON either directly or through employer partnerships, and oversees strategic projects which promote the development of activists and members. LAOS also delivers staff training on key areas linked to organising, campaigning and mentoring.</p><p>The Role</p><p>3. The Learning and Workforce Development Officer (LWDO) is part of a team with responsibility for developing strategy, providing resources and ensuring high quality delivery of a programme of member education. The LWDO is responsible, within assigned areas, for: </p><p> Developing and implementing national policies and strategies for learning and workforce development in sectors where UNISON organises, in accordance with the union’s organising priorities, its equalities agenda and commitment to widening participation  Promoting good practice within the organisation and the collective bargaining processes of the union in relation to learning and workforce </p><p>1 development, and providing necessary advice and support to members, activists and officers on these issues</p><p>4. LAOS runs externally funded projects including the English Union Learning Fund project and supports similar initiatives in devolved nations. The LWDO will support the ULF Project Manager and Member Development Officer in this:</p><p> Organising learning events which bring together Union Learning Reps and branch activists to develop and share best practice  Directly supporting branch based projects in their designated areas of responsibility  Liaising as appropriate with external providers in support of branch and regional based projects  Collating and evaluating data relevant to project outcomes and supporting regions and branches to do this</p><p>5. LAOS runs an internal programme of courses aimed at members and potential members. The LWDO will support this in designated areas, by  Ensuring materials are kept up to date and relevant to the union’s recruitment and organising priorities  Liaising with regions regarding delivery of programmes  Developing and maintaining good relationships with external providers including though national partnership agreements.  Supporting and organising the piloting of new education materials to deliver to meet the needs of UNISON members</p><p>6. LAOS supports and encourages work with employers and sector bodies including sector skills councils to support the delivery of education for members and potential members. The LWDO will support this by  Working with relevant bodies and UNISON service groups in designated areas  Supporting organisers working in relevant workplaces to promote UNISON learning both with employers and the workforce</p><p>7. LAOS is also responsible for the union’s activist development and training programmes and is closely involved in initiatives to build an organising union characterised by high levels of member participation and engagement in union activity and campaigns. </p><p>The LWDO will support this by ensuring that all member development initiatives reflects the need to encourage members to engage actively in their branches, and to establish progression routes into union activity and representative roles.</p><p>2 UNISON</p><p>LEARNING AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER X 2 1 X PERMANENT - REF ORE/7 1 X FIXED TERM CONTRACT UNTIL 31 MARCH 2017 - REF ORE/8T LEARNING AND ORGANISING SERVICES</p><p>JOB DESCRIPTION</p><p>Grade: 4 </p><p>Hours: 35 per week</p><p>Location: UNISON Centre, London NW1</p><p>Reports to: Head of Learning and Organising Services</p><p>Key Tasks and Responsibilities</p><p>Strategic Development</p><p> Support the continuing development of UNISON strategy on widening participation in learning in respect of key employment groups and in line with UNISON’s organising strategy  Liaise with UNISON’s learning partners on widening participation issues and representing UNISON on outside bodies dealing with these issues  Develop national programmes of learning to meet member needs</p><p>Managerial</p><p> Manage programmes of learning in conjunction with a range of stakeholders  Set and monitor standards and evaluate progress on national learning programmes  Support and where appropriate manage national projects relevant to designated areas</p><p>Financial</p><p> Oversee budgets for specific programmes and project  Prepare financial reports</p><p>Administrative</p><p>3  Delegate work to appropriate staff  Oversee the delivery of services by UNISON partners  Prepare reports, agendas and minutes as appropriate  Collate outcomes and expenditure as required by UNISON and external funders and support branches and regions to do the same</p><p>Communication/Co-ordination</p><p> Represent UNISON its members, aims and objectives in meetings with national bodies  Participate in appropriate UNISON meetings at national and regional level  Provide advice and guidance to branches, regions and staff about learning and workforce development  Give briefings and presentations at national and regional levels  Promote UNISON’s aims, objectives and policies concerning learning and workforce development  Encourage members, activists and staff to actively engage in learning and in broader UNISON activity and campaigns </p><p>Specialist/Technical</p><p> Provide technical advice to branches, regions and service groups on designated learning and workforce development issues including accreditation frameworks  Contribute to national policy development on learning and workforce development and communicate this throughout UNISON  Provide advice on systems of public funding and how they relate to UNISON activity in order to access support for union members</p><p>UNISON</p><p>4 LEARNING AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER X 2 1 X PERMANENT - REF ORE/7 1 X FIXED TERM CONTRACT UNTIL 31 MARCH 2017 - REF ORE/8T LEARNING AND ORGANISING SERVICES</p><p>PERSON SPECIFICATION</p><p>UNISON is an equal opportunities employer committed to providing equal opportunities regardless of race, marital status, genders, sexuality, disability or age. This Person Specification is designed to help members of interviewing panels judge the qualities of the interviewees in a systematic and consistent way in accordance with UNISON’s Equal Opportunities Policies. It is given to all applicants for information.</p><p>Assessment code A – application form Pl – panel interview</p><p>Heading Selection criteria Assessment 1. Thinking 1.1 Ability to support UNISON’s objectives A & Pl skills through lifelong learning</p><p>1.2 Ability to develop national A & Pl programmes of lifelong learning to meet member needs</p><p>1.3 Specialist expertise in aspects of A & Pl workplace learning and programme development</p><p>2. Inter- 2.1 Ability to represent UNISON in A & Pl personal & relations with outside bodies Communicatio n skills 2.2 Ability to motivate members, activists A & Pl and officials to promote lifelong learning</p><p>2.3 Ability to communicate effectively A & Pl using written and presentation skills and to work in a team</p><p>3. Initiative and 3.1 Ability to work quickly to high A & Pl independence standards of accuracy and quality</p><p>3.2 Ability to work on own initiative and to A & Pl prioritise work under pressure</p><p>4. Staff 4.1 Ability to develop and implement work A & Pl management programmes in conjunction with a range of stakeholders including setting standard, </p><p>5 monitoring and evaluating progress, and tracking impact for learners and for UNISON</p><p>5. Resource 5.1 Ability to monitor and control budgets A & Pl Management and ensure value for money and the effective use of resources 5.2 Ability to maintain accurate A & Pl administrative systems 5.3 Ability to plan and organise a complex A & Pl programme of work</p><p>6. Physical 6.1 Keyboard skills A Skills (with DD modification where necessary) 7. General 7.1 Commitment to and understanding of A & Pl Knowledge equal opportunities and UNISON’s aims and values 7.2 Knowledge of national and local A & Pl bargaining, funding mechanisms for training and lifelong learning and qualifications and training frameworks for adults 7.3 Knowledge of the socio-economic and A & Pl political context of lifelong learning 7.4 IT literate with an ability to understand A and use both industry and specialist software</p><p>Other Information</p><p>Please submit three copies of your completed application form.</p><p>Completed applications should be returned to Jane Pettit, Learning and Organising Services, Unison Centre, 130 Euston Road, London NW1 2AY OR by email to [email protected] quoting ref: </p><p> Ref ORE/7 - Permanent  Ref ORE/8T - Fixed Term Contract until 31 March 2017</p><p>Applications must be received by no later than Friday 11 November 2016.</p><p>Interviews will take place on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 November 2016.</p><p>6</p>