Why Southwark?
Do you see yourself developing innovative programmes that connect local residents with exciting career opportunities?
Can you use your programme management and partnership-building skills to create lasting impact in local communities?
Does the idea of joining a collaborative partnership shaping the future of health and life sciences in South London inspire you?
If yes, we have the perfect role for you!
Our Local Economy Team is looking for a passionate and dedicated Senior Programme Officer - SC1 London Skills and Employment to join our team and help make a difference today.
What You'll Be Doing
We have an exciting opportunity to join our team as a Senior Programme Officer (SC1 London Skills and Employment), developing innovative programmes that support residents of Lambeth and Southwark into career pathways within the growing health and life sciences sector.
As neighbouring boroughs, Southwark, Lambeth and our health partners share a joint ambition to establish a life sciences innovation district, SC1 London, in South Central London, creating a world-recognised home for transformative health innovation.
This role is critical in ensuring residents are informed, engaged and able to access opportunities within the local health and life sciences sector, while helping employers create diverse and accessible routes into employment.
You will:
- Lead the development and delivery of skills and employment projects that support residents into health and life sciences careers.
- Design, commission and manage programmes, including outreach and promotion activities.
- Research and secure funding opportunities to sustain and grow employment and skills initiatives.
- Lead programme monitoring, performance management, data reporting and verification.
- Interpret and share research, policy developments and labour market intelligence relating to skills, employment and health innovation.
- Build strong relationships with employers, providers, partners and stakeholders to create meaningful opportunities for local people.
- Provide advice and support to senior officers, partnership boards and key stakeholders.
- Ensure all activity aligns with the strategic priorities of Southwark Council, Lambeth Council and the wider SC1 London partnership.
What We're Looking For
We're seeking a motivated self-starter who is passionate about helping local people access opportunities in growing sectors and who thrives in collaborative environments.
You'll bring:
- Strong programme and project management experience, ideally within skills, employment, economic development or related fields.
- Experience managing multiple projects and workstreams simultaneously.
- Excellent stakeholder engagement and partnership-building skills.
- Experience working with employers, education providers, commissioned organisations and community partners.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, monitor performance and produce high-quality reports.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to influence a wide range of audiences.
- Experience developing innovative solutions to address community and workforce challenges.
- Knowledge of policy, strategy and partnership working within public, voluntary or private sector organisations.
- Experience identifying funding opportunities and securing investment is desirable.
For detailed qualifications and requirements, please review the job description and person specification located at the bottom of the advert.
Contact Information
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Nazmin Yeahia at [email protected].
Additional Information
Contract Type: 12 Month Fixed Term Contract
Location: Hybrid working arrangement. We expect the role to spend up to 3 days in the office, this will include working from Southwark Council offices (London Bridge), Lambeth Offices (Brixton) and SC1 London Offices (London Bridge).
Interviews are expected to take place in person at 160 Tooley Street.
Benefits and more information
https://jobs.southwark.gov.uk/why-us/
Recruitment Timeline
Go Live Date: 28/08/2026
Advert Close Date: 11:59pm on 13/09/2026
Shortlisting Date: TBC
Interview Date: TBC
The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative. We particularly welcome applications from members of the Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.
Southwark Council will only contact candidates through official Council recruitment channels. We will not ask you to provide passport details, proof of address, National Insurance number, bank details or payment at application stage. These checks are only requested at the onboarding process, once an offer of employment has been made. If you're unsure whether a communication you've received is genuine, please contact the Resourcing team directly on [email protected] before sharing any personal information.
Guaranteed Interview Scheme
As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role and identify with one of the below criteria:
- Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
- Are currently in care, or have previously been in care
- Consider yourself disabled or have a long-term health condition
Job Reference: SC08374
