Admissions Applications & Awards Lead

Permanent, Full Time

£40,353 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style: Anywhere worker

Closing Date: 4th February 2026

Job Purpose

The Admissions, Applications and Awards Lead will manage a team responsible the delivery of statutory school admissions, transport and uniform grant processes in Essex. These services are highly regarded and generate significant volumes of stakeholder contact with high reputational profile.

This role will be responsible for leading the frontline operational delivery of these services which have a scale and reach of over 50,000 applications each year from residents across the whole of Essex.

The role will understand, interpret and consistently apply existing legislation and policies and implement change using technology to manage and meet expectation and demand. Maintaining quality, whilst ensuring these services are cost effective will be critical. With a strong focus on public service, the role will be a key point of management contact for escalated customer and stakeholder enquiries and complaints and the operational interface with internal and external partners, including more than 500 schools, across various services.

The role will be responsible for ensuring compliance by the teams with policies and procedural guidance, whilst driving efficiency and best resource use and customer practice with the service.

Accountabilities

· Manage a customer facing Admission, Applications and Awards team that validate and determine more than 50,000 applications annually for over 500 schools for a school place, education transport and uniform grants within statutory timescales.

· Investigate, analyse and evaluate parental and school complaints and appeals, applying the law and statutory guidance across Admissions and Awards, making recommendations and driving the implementation of continuous improvement.

· Be responsible for the recruitment, induction and ongoing development and flexible deployment of all members of the team, undertaking performance management by ensuring clear targets and objectives are set and tackling poor performance positively and effectively.

· Manage the interface with the School Appeals, Children Missing Education and Passenger Transport Teams to ensure the Council meets its statutory duties, whilst protecting its reputation delivering services for some of the most vulnerable children in society.

· To prepare and present the Local Authority’s case at statutory independent admission appeal hearings under the national Code of Practice and consider both Stage 1 and escalated Stage 2 appeals under the Council’s Education Transport Policy.

· As a subject matter expert, manage changes in policy, legislation and guidance, including technology developments to customer access points and internal systems, in order to maintain and improve fair access for parents, children and other service users.

· Responsible for the interpretation and application of ECC policies in order to manage high quality responses to customer appeals, senior leaders, MPs, Councilors, Press Enquiries, Freedom of Information and Local Government Ombudsman.

· Deputise for the Head of Operations for all Admissions, Applications and Awards matters, collaborating with senior leaders as necessary.

· Ensure schools and the Council comply with their statutory responsibilities, protecting the needs of the most vulnerable and implement process changes to promote fair access to schools.

· Collaborate effectively across multiple Council services to improve access to services for residents, implementing change because of national guidance or Local Government Ombudsman recommendations, protecting the Council’s best interests.

· Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

Skills and Knowledge

· Educated to degree level or equivalent by experience.

· Demonstrable experience of managing a team with the ability to motivate, engage and develop the team in order to achieve high performance and business results.

· Ability to problem solve effectively, anticipating and intervening early to diffuse conflict and be resolute in situations of challenge.

· Experience of service delivery within Local Government, with a proven record of management in a busy customer facing environment.

· Expert knowledge and understanding of education provision, school admissions and transport legislation and the political and reputational profile and context of these services.

· Knowledge and understanding of Admissions, Applications and Awards legislation and policies, with proven experience of translating policy into practical application and of keeping up to date with relevant legislation to ensure policies remain current.

· Ability to manage and develop staff in high volume and pressurised environments with a significant reputational profile, with expert skill in managing and planning for peak workloads and maximising efficient use of staffing resources and adaptable processes.

· Good knowledge and experience of using a range of IT tools including service delivery databases, Microsoft Office and web-based systems.

· High level communication, presentational and written skills, with the ability to articulate and adapt responses to different audiences.

· Well-developed analytical skills with the ability to use and deploy information to maximum effect in the interests of the Council.

· Ability and experience of working under significant pressure, handle challenge, criticism, conflict and high workload, overcoming barriers and achieving resolutions which achieve outcomes for parents, children and the Council.

If you would like an informal conversation about the role, please contact Shamsun Noor, Head of Education Operations on 033301 32246.

To read more about our business area, please visit: Education

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone’s Essex . With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In February 2025 , Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR ) on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles , including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

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