Project Support Officer

This is an exciting time to join our Funding & Programmes team! We’re a relatively new local authority, created in April 2021. We’re at the beginning of our journey of shaping what the Economic Growth & Inward Investment service looks like at West Northants Council, so there is plenty of opportunity to develop processes, and shape our offering so we can provide the best possible service to our local businesses and residents, as part of the wider Communities & Opportunities directorate.

We are seeking a determined and creative individual to join our dynamic team here at West Northamptonshire Council. We are looking to recruit a variety of new roles as part of our enhanced new Economic Growth & Inward Investment Service and the Project Officer will play a key role in supporting our funding, skills and programme services. It is the perfect time to join our Team as we amplify our activities and establish a new strategy for the service.

West Northamptonshire is a place of huge opportunity, world renowned skills, and locational advantage. We in the Economic Growth & Inward Investment Service are at the forefront of capitalising on these strategic assets and establishing new opportunities for growth. Working innovatively, we are proactive in our approach to supporting and growing the local economy with a strong focus on the following areas:

Business Growth
Inward Investment & Place Marketing
Skills & Employment
Tourism & the Visitor Economy
Funding Programmes & Projects

Home to over 20,000 businesses and more than 425,000 residents, the value of West Northamptonshire's economy (GVA) was valued at around £11.5bn in 2022, supporting around 214,700 jobs. In addition, around 20m visitors flock to the area each year, generated over a £1bn and supporting 14,000 jobs. We want to support and grow the local economy, meaning that our Team must establish a high-profile reputation across the world that West Northants is a place where everyone can thrive, supporting businesses & investors to locate & grow here, upskilling the local labour market and ensuring there are opportunities for all. We must showcase West Northants as a destination for investment, business, tourism and quality of life.

This role will be vital to deliver service excellence in terms of supporting and growing the local economy, by supporting the delivery of projects and programmes (especially externally funded activity) which help to grow the local economy, enhance the local community and raise the profile of West Northamptonshire Council as a driving force for economic development.
Our benefitsWe offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include:

Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 28 days annual leave per year, 29 days for senior managers (pro rata, depending on how many hours per week you work), plus bank holidays. An additional 5 days, linked to continuous service, and ability to purchase up to 6 weeks additional leave per year.
Cycle to Work scheme. 
Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.
Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
Car Lease scheme
Professional subscriptions / registration - if your job description requires that you are registered with or are a member of a professional body, WNC will pay for your professional subscription or membership fees
Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
Ongoing training and development opportunities.
A variety of flexible working options to support your work/life balance, including full or part time, term time, 9-day fortnight, etc. (subject to business needs).
Our West Ways of Working – We want our workforce to thrive, and we equip our employees with the right technology to support hybrid and collaborative working, on or off site, depending on the role.
Making a difference - If you want to use your skills and experience with an organisation that are genuinely invested in making a difference, are committed to improving people's lives, and whose success has a direct impact on the wellbeing of your family, friends and people in your local area, then West Northamptonshire Council is the place for you.

What will you be doing?Working alongside our colleagues in the wider Economic Growth & Inward Investment service, you’ll act as a key delivery officer in respect of activities related to external funding, particularly our UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF).

You’ll work closely with colleagues in the team on matters such as Town Centre Management, employment and skills, funding programmes and more to ensure activities are delivered in time, accurately and in line with requirements.

You will develop relationships with many internal and external services delivering projects funded through UKSPF and REPF, giving you valuable insight into different teams and opportunities to collaborate. You will administer and maintain accurate, compliant records to submit to Government as well as be involved with processes relating to matters such as procurement, legal and more.

You will support the delivery of project and programme activity, providing administrative support for meetings, financial matters, project promotion and more. This will include events associated with project activity, assisting with the planning and administration to ensure successful outputs.

Each day will look slightly different and you’ll be able to get involved in various projects across the directorate, including opportunities for CPD and to share best practice. You will be involved with the creation of a new Economic Growth & Inward Investment strategy and will input into the processes to handle enquiries and stakeholder engagement.
About youWe’re looking for someone with a keen eye for detail that takes pride in their work and has proven experience and skills in Project Support, developing effective internal & external relationships and innovative processes to deliver successful outputs.

You will be passionate about working innovatively to achieve tangible outcomes, combining creativity with finely honed project management skills to ensure compliancy and accuracy in all that you do.

Exceptional interpersonal and collaboration skills are key. We are also looking for significant experience of administration including report writing, minute taking & effectively keeping records to achieve a consistently high performance. You’ll thrive when working collaboratively and be a team player through and through.

You’ll need to have a solutions driven and adaptable approach to working, thrive in a busy environment with a positive approach to challenges!

Ideally you will have previous experience of supporting projects, with processes for administering and supporting programmes. You will be able to work across a variety of projects and activities, being able to use your own initiative to 'think outside of the box’. You’ll use your great attention to detail to ensure our activities are innovative, creative and achieve high level results.

Finally, your knowledge of delivering previous projects and programmes will be utilised as part of the wider service, enabling you to have a diverse experience and work collaboratively across the full service.
About usWe're a new council, following one of the largest shake-ups in local government reform in recent history. As a new authority, we're embarking on an exciting journey to deliver exceptional services for our residents, customers and communities.

Our vision at West Northamptonshire Council is 'to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive'. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services.

Hear more from Anna Earnshaw, our Chief Executive, about working for West Northants Council: https://youtu.be/lV0EfeUF4aU

At West Northants Council, it's about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

When potential is unlocked, talent thrives.

Choose a career that offers you a true sense of achievement, fills you with pride and challenges you in a positive way, every day.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.