New offer, new talent

New offer, new talent ngdp council information pack 2015

All images used in this pack are of current national management trainees or ngdp alumni members. For more information and case studies please visit www.ngdp.org.uk

Recruiting for the future Talent is the heartbeat of productivity and innovation, particularly in the midst of challenging financial austerity. Here at the Local Government Association, we believe that graduate recruitment combined with a bespoke training and development programme, can introduce the next generation of talent into local authorities across England and Wales to improve services now and in the future. Local government needs people with leadership and management skills and who are willing to challenge current operating models in a time of change. The National Graduate Development Programme (ngdp) for local government exists to meet this need. This pack provides an overview of the ngdp the LGA s graduate recruitment scheme for local government and shares the experiences and views of some of the councils and individuals who have been involved. The ngdp is highly regarded by councils, graduates and the wider sector with a rising rank in the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers and Guardian UK 300. It increases the credibility of a career in local government to graduates and has provided a pipeline of consistently high calibre trainees to over 135 authorities through 16 cohorts. Evidence shows that councils who place our national management trainees can expect: individuals with leadership potential, who are able to rise to a challenge and hit the ground running; increased capacity to deliver high level initiatives; good value for money. For many councils, restricted budgets have meant that graduate recruitment may have been reduced or stopped. Whilst we understand why cuts in this area have been necessary, we believe that any extended hiatus in graduate recruitment will have adverse consequences for councils and the sector in the medium to long term. A missing generation of graduate intake could severely impact on the sector s ability to develop and innovate for the future. We hope that this pack provides a compelling case for your council to participate in the ngdp. Please examine our flexible recruitment pathways so that we can help you attract and retain the brightest and best in the public sector. Pascoe Sawyers Principal Adviser Leadership and Localism New offer. New talent. 3

What is the National Graduate Development Programme? The ngdp is a two year high profile national management trainee programme for high calibre graduates (minimum 2:1 entry level or merit at Masters level) with the potential to become senior managerial leaders in local government within the next ten years. Graduates are employed by councils and receive a minimum of three placements in front line, operational and strategic roles, where they are encouraged to challenge, innovate and improve services. The LGA coordinates the ngdp nationally and provides the infrastructure for its delivery. Our marketing and recruitment methods attract, select and place high quality applicants in local authorities. We also manage and commission the learning and development element of the programme to ensure the highest quality learning. Both the placements and learning and development programme are carried out in parallel so that the graduates, called national management trainees (NMTs), can implement their learning whilst working on real projects in your council. I believe that the National Graduate Development Programme is an excellent way to recruit new talent to local government. There is no doubt that Nottinghamshire has benefited from the injection of talent and energy that our national management trainees have brought to the council. Anthony May, Corporate Director and Deputy Chief Executive, Nottinghamshire County Council In Doncaster, we are long term supporters of the National Graduate Development Programme as part of developing our future leadership capacity and have always been impressed by the capability, innovative approach and work ethic of the National Management Trainees. Fiona Dudhill, Senior OD Officer, Doncaster Council NMT placement manager Participating in the NGDP has been a positive experience for me and the council, providing an input of ideas, skills and insight not normally present. The graduates are very high calibre with some outstanding individuals and offer a pool of talent the whole council can draw on. Nick Walkley, Chief Executive, Haringey Council The ngdp also provides national management trainees with networking opportunities across sectors and with central government, supporting and developing relationships at an early stage in individuals careers. A vibrant alumni network and a range of online tools support NMTs career progression in local government, providing knowledge and experience which they can use to benefit the sector. 4 New offer. New talent.

Learning and development The learning and development programme is delivered by a partnership led by SOLACE Enterprises. National management trainees are expected to attend six residential events over the two years where they will gain a diploma in Strategic Leadership (ILM Level 7). The overall purpose of the programme is to develop future leaders and managers within local government. The objectives of the programme are: to enhance personal effectiveness as leader and manager to increase self-awareness and awareness of others to enable participants to critically evaluate the leadership challenges facing local government to provide participants with high level capabilities in strategic management and leadership. Content will include: leadership models new operating models financial management procurement and commissioning project and people management engagement working in a political context delivering results developing self. What does the ngdp offer to councils? As a national scheme, the ngdp promotes local government to the graduate market on behalf of all councils in England and Wales. It provides the sector with high quality graduates every year to work on innovative strategic projects across councils providing fresh challenge, enthusiasm and high motivation to enable councils to increase innovation and enhance their programmes of change and transformation. The ngdp provides councils with outstanding individuals who can significantly influence that council s services and outcomes over the duration of the programme. New offer. New talent. 5

Why should my council take on ngdp national management trainees (NMTs)? Graduates bring energy, enthusiasm and intellect, demonstrating an ability to rise to a challenge and hit the ground running. The ngdp provides councils with national management trainees who have leadership potential and the capacity to modernise, challenge and improve services and service delivery. They are highly capable members of staff, working at a high level and delivering significant outputs on a variety of projects and initiatives. and capability at a senior level. National management trainees enhance strategic projects by acting as internal change agents, providing challenge and fresh thinking. They have the focus to turn strategy into action and are practical problem solvers. Retention within the immediate local government sector is 88 per cent.* In the medium to long term there is a strong financial case for graduate recruitment: Graduates are reported to generate three times their salary per annum. Being part of the ngdp allows councils to start thinking earlier about longer-term succession planning and future leadership potential. Growing your own talent is cheaper than recruiting higher up in the management structure, and taking on a graduate through the ngdp ensures you will have additional corporate capacity Our experience of the ngdp has been nothing other than positive. Not only is it good for our organisation to bring in new and fresh talent but it is also uplifting to watch that talent develop and grow. Equally, we have recruited from other authorities people who began their career on the ngdp and some of these are now occupying very senior positions at a young age within our council. At a time of unprecedented change for the sector, we need new talent and those open to change - who can learn from how we used to do it but are not constrained by that history. John Mothersole, Chief Executive, Sheffield City Council *Last survey conducted in 2010 6 New offer. New talent.

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The national management trainee perspective: Ed Habbitts, NMT, West Sussex County Council After working for a commercial law firm after graduating I decided that I wanted a more rewarding career where I would deliver social value as opposed to financial profits. I was attracted to a career in local government because I wanted to make a real difference to local communities. The NGDP is an excellent way to enter this sector as it allows you to gain experience of a variety of work areas within diverse organisations. The NGDP programme at West Sussex County Council has not disappointed. My first placement saw me working within the waste prevention team whose role is to reduce the amount of waste produced within the county. My primary role throughout this placement was to rejuvenate a volunteer scheme that had recently been brought back in house and had recently been the subject of a highly critical review. This was a great introduction to project planning, community engagement and volunteer management and made me realise how important it is to lead both staff and residents through change. I chose to do my second placement within the waste commissioning team in order to gain experience of commissioning services that meet the needs of residents. During this time I have worked on the procurement of a joint collection and disposal service with the district and boroughs of West Sussex which will lead to savings and to an improved service for residents. I am also helping to revise the county s waste strategy in order that it reflects how circumstances have changed since it was drafted in 2005. I have received excellent support from the scheme coordinators as well as my placement managers. The authority has really gone the extra mile to provide graduates with placements where they can make a difference and further their professional development. After my first year as a graduate at West Sussex County Council I believe that I have been given an excellent introduction to local government work which I will be able to build on throughout my career. 8 New offer. New talent.

Fran Stanning, Customer Development Manager, Oldham Council I graduated in 2008 from the University of Sheffield and spent four years working in fashion retail management before deciding on a change of direction. I became frustrated that the work didn t really reflect my values, it was all about targets and making a profit. Local government seemed like a better fit. I was offered a place at Oldham and was drawn to the council s sense of energy and innovation. As a trainee I particularly enjoyed leading a pilot project to introduce the Troubled Families approach to one of the local areas. Although I never met the families myself, to know that we were turning lives around was really powerful. I now work as Oldham s Customer Development Manager as I m still passionate about delivering customer service. The role involves managing customer service projects and the contracts for the council s Contact Centre and Access Centre, so my experience in the retail sector is providing useful. It s great to see that I can use my skills and experience to make a difference rather than a profit. Like other councils, Oldham is having to make significant budgets cuts and find new ways of delivering services. Our co-operative approach is about supporting and enabling residents to help themselves. It is a challenging but rewarding time to be in local government. Our focus now is on doing more for less and working closely with our public sector partners. You have to be creative and think of new ways of delivering services. New offer. New talent. 9

Edith Galliers, Policy Manager, London Borough of Redbridge I joined the NGDP at Wellingborough District Council in January 2005. The relatively small size of the Council meant that I was not restricted to one specialist aspect of work as my skills and NGDP training could add value across a wide range of projects and most services at some stage. I was involved in everything from frontline youth events, countywide Local Strategic Partnership work and supporting the Chief Executive with internal change management. Every day was different and it exposed me to many different aspects of working in Local Government. The scheme provided me with the opportunity to build my theoretical base as I studied part time with 50 peers throughout the two years. This enabled me to bring new thinking to the Council and link in with best practice around the country through NGDP networks. I believe that the scheme has underpinned my subsequent career development. My experience working at different levels of a Council during the NGDP has enabled me to switch between working strategically and operationally easily, making me a stronger middle manager, able to translate and represent resident and corporate views to a variety of audiences. My links to the NGDP also opened opportunities to volunteer. Some examples include being a Director of the Wellingborough Volunteer Bureau, working in Tower Hamlets with the Local Area Partnerships linking residents and service delivery together and running volunteer groups for Friends of Ibba Girls School who are building a boarding school in South Sudan. Each volunteering opportunity has directly arisen from my involvement with the NGDP and the networks it has generated. Having worked in a variety of positions in London Borough of Barking and Dagenham since completion of the scheme, I moved earlier this year to the post of Policy Manager at London Borough of Redbridge. I work closely with senior managers and elected members to develop the strategic direction of the organisation, leading on Policy, Strategy, Engagement and Corporate Projects. My days are varied and I enjoy being able to draw on my early experience of community development to ensure the corporate work we deliver has maximum impact. 10 New offer. New talent.

The council perspective: Working in South Tyneside, there is no shortage of big projects to get involved in and William was thrown in at the deep end right from the beginning, supporting a range of strategic initiatives across the Council. One such example was a root and branch review of our directly provided Adult Social Care services covering about a dozen schemes, 9m expenditure, and over 300 staff. William oversaw the entire review, liaised with care staff, social workers, HR, Finance and Commissioning colleagues, and carefully balanced the need to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the services. As a result, we are now exploring a range of new models of delivery for these services and have already made significant improvements to how they operate. South Tyneside has always benefited hugely from the NGDP (I was a previous trainee myself!) and William has been no different. His ability to develop strong working relationships, his persistence, attention to detail and good humour has helped us greatly. Mark Jupp NMT Placement Manager South Tyneside Council New offer. New talent. 11

Supporting graduate recruitment the way that suits your council We are aware that whilst the ngdp provides councils with access to a national pool of high calibre graduates some councils may wish to recruit from their own communities. We have broadened our offer to reflect this and are pleased to now provide a range of options for councils who wish to participate in this national programme at a local level. What does it cost my council? The salary of the graduate over the term of their two year contract is set at a minimum of 23,698 per annum (accurate at November 2014 and excluding London weighting). Each option outlined below comes with a one off fee paid to the LGA once the national management trainee has started. In my experience the ndgp more than covers its costs. David Hill, Chief Executive, Milton Keynes Council 12 New offer. New talent.

The options: 1. National Management Trainee full participation in the ngdp: Promoting the sector We market local government as a premier career choice for graduates and we promote the ngdp roles available in your council. Meeting the standard We recruit and select the highest calibre graduates for you to interview. You employ your chosen NMT(s) for two years ensuring a minimum of three different placements with your council. It costs you: 23,698 per annum NMT salary + 2,275 per graduate participation fee payable to the LGA. Growing capacity We support each NMT on the programme with a high quality learning and development programme and provide access to national networking and knowledge events. 2. Shared National Management Trainee All the benefits of participating in the full programme but NMT(s) and their placements are shared between councils. Cost is divided proportionally between participating councils: 23,698 per annum NMT salary + 2,275 participation fee payable to the LGA. 3. Local recruitment for Management Trainees Supported recruitment and equal access to the ngdp s learning and development diploma in Leadership and Management (ILM Level 7). We facilitate the assessment of candidates from your local area to ensure they meet the national standard.* 4. Grow your own Management Trainee Giving qualified graduates you employ access the ngdp s learning and development diploma in Leadership and Management (ILM Level 7). Your council nominates a new or existing graduate employee to participate in the ngdp learning and development programme and to be part of the national cohort with access to networking and knowledge events. We facilitate the assessment of your internal recruits to ensure they meet the national standard.* Your NMT (s) participates in the ngdp learning and development programme gaining a diploma in Leadership and Management (ILM 7) and benefits from access to national networking and knowledge events. It costs you: 23,698 per annum NMT salary + 2,275 per graduate participation fee payable to the LGA. There is an additional fee of 18 per candidate for online assessment charged by our test provider. It costs you 2,275 per graduate, participation fee payable to the LGA. There is an additional fee of 18 per candidate for online assessment charged by our test provider. *All candidates must pass the ngdp s assessment benchmarks to take part in this initiative. Recruitment and assessment can be supported until the end of May 2015. For more information, please contact Anna Buttenshaw: anna.buttenshaw@local.gov.uk. New offer. New talent. 13

Promoting the sector: marketing graduate opportunities You can also advertise your council s graduate placement, scheme or other graduate opportunities and vacancies as part of the ngdp marketing campaign, reaching the national graduate market. Recruiting locally: case study In 2013 the Royal Borough of Greenwich undertook a combination of approaches to recruiting candidates, utilising the LGA s recruitment and selection tools to support recruitment of high quality candidates from the local area as well as participating in the full national programme. The Royal Borough of Greenwich promoted the local pathways into the National Graduate Development Programme as it provided another route through which the council could attract local, gifted and talented individuals to come and work for the council. Applications were received from 27 graduates who wanted to use their local knowledge to support our aim of making Greenwich a great place to live, work, learn and visit and two were recruited in addition to a further four from the national graduate programme. They included Bakita Kasadha who said, Even during the first few weeks here at the Royal Borough of Greenwich, my appreciation has grown for the vast amounts of services a local authority provides. I can see the impact the council has both through my new role and also as a resident, which gives me a unique and valued perspective. I feel the local graduate recruitment programme further highlights the council s commitment to investing in its local and young residents. This sentiment was echoed by Fiona Harbord who said, I wasn t aware of the national programme so having it advertised locally was essential in order for me to apply and secure a place on the scheme. I feel so lucky to have been selected in my local area as I have been a resident here since I was born and, perhaps, I have more vested interest than the other graduates in this sense. 14 New offer. New talent.

How does my council get involved? To sign up for the 2015 ngdp intake, please complete the participation form by 30 April 2015. You can find this online at www.local.gov. uk/ngdp and forms are also available from the ngdp team. Talk to the LGA about signing up to the scheme Discuss participation in the programme, and how you can benefit from the next cohort of high-calibre national management trainees. We can come to you We can come and meet your team to talk in more detail about the ngdp and how it can work for you. Speak to a council that is already engaged If you d like to hear some first-hand experience of the ngdp and how it has worked in another council, please let us know. The LGA can put you in touch with another authority that can tell you all you need to know about participating, and can give you their honest opinion. For any of the above please contact Anna Buttenshaw Telephone: 020 7187 7386 Email: anna.buttenshaw@local.gov.uk New offer. New talent. 15

Commitments What commitments does my council have to make? The full list of council commitments is available in the ngdp partnership agreement however at a glance, we ask councils to: Conduct the local best fit interview at the end of the recruitment process. Information will be provided by the LGA at the appropriate time and councils are required to adhere to the LGAs interview guidance and timeframes. Employ national management trainees on a (minimum) two-year fixed term contract. Pay national management trainee salaries at Spinal Column Point (SCP) 27 of the national pay scale, 23,698 per annum (accurate at November 2014 and excluding London weighting). This is expected to rise to SCP 29 (or equivalent) over the course of the programme. Organise a minimum of three placements for each national management trainee over the two years in front line, operational and strategic roles. The LGA will: Annually subsidise the programme on behalf of councils in England and Wales, using RSG (revenue support grant). Market the programme to high calibre graduates across the UK. Assess candidates suitability through a rigorous and established three stage recruitment process, with the final selection process, the local best fit interviews, taking place locally at participating authorities. Provide candidate information events where councils participating in the programme have the opportunity to market themselves and meet candidates who have successfully completed the first two stages of the recruitment process. Fund and organise a national programme of learning, development and networking. Produce a partnership agreement outlining the expectations of LGA, councils and national management trainees. Volunteer staff to assess at national assessment centres (full training is provided). Nominate a member of staff to be the placement coordinator for the programme, once the council s national management trainee (s) is in place. 16 New offer. New talent.

Key dates for 2015 December 2014 Window opens for councils to sign up to participate in the ngdp. March and April 2015 Candidate Assessment Centres held. Participating councils asked to volunteer assessors. 30 April 2015 Deadline for councils to sign up to the programme. w/c 11 May 2015 Information events held where councils can meet shortlisted graduates June 2015 Council interviews held. September and October 2015 National management trainees start placements by the first day of the National Induction. October 2015 ngdp National Induction. All graduates must be employed no later than the first day of the national induction event for employer liability and other insurance purposes. New offer. New talent. 17

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Council participation form 2015 Please complete all sections of this form and return to the ngdp team at the LGA. Your form must be received by Thursday 30 April 2015 at the latest. Name of council/s: How many graduates are you applying to take from the 2015 intake?* Options and LGA fees 1. National management trainee Full participation in the ngdp 2,275 2. Shared national management trainee Full participation in the ngdp 2,275 (shared proportionally) 3. Meeting the standard and growing your capacity - ngdp learning and development programme plus use of LGA tools 2,275 4. Growing your own access to ngdp learning and development 2,275 Contact Please provide details of a member of staff who will be the single point of contact that the ngdp team can deal with on programme matters at this stage. This doesn t necessarily have to be the person who will be the placement coordinator once the programme starts. Name: Position: Department: Telephone: Email: Chief Executive Commitment Name/s: Date: Thank you for completing the form Please email the completed form to: anna.buttenshaw@local.gov.uk Or please send it to: The ngdp team, Leadership & Localism, LGA, Local Government House, Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HZ An online version of this form can be accessed directly from here or via the ngdp area of the LGA website: www.local.gov.uk/ngdp. Once you have appointed your national management trainee/s we will ask for contact details of your placement coordinator and senior champion of the ngdp within your council. * We can provide up to 120 places on each cohort of the ngdp. If demand for these places exceeds supply, the LGA may distribute places at their discretion between participating authorities to ensure that a maximum number of councils benefit and that the distribution of places remains geographically diverse. New offer. New talent. 19

Local Government Association Local Government House Smith Square London SW1P 3HZ Telephone 020 7664 3000 Fax 020 7664 3030 Email info@local.gov.uk www.local.gov.uk Local Government Association, December 2014 For a copy in Braille, larger print or audio, please contact us on 020 7664 3000. We consider requests on an individual basis. L14-705