Operations or Departmental Manager (Level 5)
Who is this Apprenticeship for?
This course is for any eligible candidates who wish to develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours in an operations or departmental managerial focused role within any industry.
An Operations or departmental manager is someone who manages teams and/or projects, and achieving operational or departmental goals and objectives, as part of the delivery of the organisations strategy. They are accountable to a more senior manager or business owner. Working in the private, public or third sector and in all sizes of organisation, specific responsibilities and job titles will vary, but the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed will be the same.
Key responsibilities may include creating and delivering operational plans, managing projects, leading and managing teams, managing change, financial and resource management, talent management, coaching and mentoring.
Roles may include: Operations manager, Regional manager, Divisional manager, Department manager and Specialist managers.
Are there any entry requirements?
Must be a UK citizen, or have the right of abode in the UK, or is a citizen of a country that is within the EEA and have been ordinarily resident in the UK, the EU or the EEA continuously for the previous three years before the start of learning.
Candidates will have achieved a minimum of GCSE Grade 9-4 (A*-C) or equivalent in English and Maths. We also offer Functional Skills English and maths at Level 1 and Level 2 for those needing to gain these qualifications prior to enrolment.
Apprentices must be employed, for a minimum of 30 hours, in a role that suits the skills requirements of this apprenticeship.
New applicants will be contacted by a vocational delivery tutor to determine suitability/eligibility prior, give information and advice on the next steps.
Shortlisted applicants will be sent to the employer, to then follow their recruitment procedure. Unsuitable applicants will be sign-posted to other areas of our service to develop transferable/employability skills, with a view to ensuring they are suitable for other apprenticeship positions in the future.
What is the curriculum intent of this Apprenticeship?
The structure and delivery of the course curriculum will enable you to develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours to reflect the needs of local and regional employers, gain qualifications and be successful in this area.
The curriculum is planned and sequenced to enable learners with previous knowledge and experience to develop the new skills needed to progress to the next stage of their career, training, education or employment.
The curriculum is flexible and responsive to learner demands and can be tailored to suit individual needs, arising from any current and dynamic issues affecting their role, which can be addressed during workshop sessions.
As an apprentice you will need to be able to demonstrate knowledge and practical skills at the end of your apprenticeship training programme and understand how this reflects the needs of the local, regional and national economy.
What will the Apprenticeship cover?
The Operations or Departmental Manager Level 5 Apprenticeship will develop the knowledge and understanding of:
Operational management
- Understand operational management approaches and models, including creating plans to deliver objectives and setting KPIs. Understand business development tools (eg SWOT), and approaches to continuous improvement. Understand operational business planning techniques, including how to manage resources, development of sales and marketing plans, setting targets and monitoring performance. Knowledge of management systems, processes, and contingency planning. Understand how to initiate and manage change by identifying barriers and know how to overcome them. Understand data security and management, and the effective use of technology in an organisation.
Project management
- Know how to set up and manage a project using relevant tools and techniques and understand process management. Understand approaches to risk management
Finance
- Understand business finance: how to manage budgets, and financial forecasting
Leading people
- Understand different leadership styles, how to lead multiple and remote teams and manage team leaders. Know how to motivate and improve performance, supporting people using coaching and mentoring approaches. Understand organisational cultures and diversity and their impact on leading and managing change. Know how to delegate effectively.
Managing people
- Know how to manage multiple teams and develop high performing teams. Understand performance management techniques, talent management models and how to recruit and develop people.
Building relationships
- Understand approaches to partner, stakeholder and supplier relationship management including negotiation, influencing, and effective networking. Knowledge of collaborative working techniques to enable delivery through others and how to share best practice. Know how to manage conflict at all levels.
Communication
- Understand interpersonal skills and different forms of communication and techniques (verbal, written, non-verbal, digital) and how to apply them appropriately.
Self-awareness
- Understand own impact and emotional intelligence. Understand different and learning and behaviour styles.
Management of self
- Understand time management techniques and tools, and how to prioritise activities and the use of different approaches to planning, including managing multiple tasks.
Decision making
- Understand problem solving and decision-making techniques, including data analysis.
- Understand organisational values and ethics and their impact on decision making.
Develop the skills in
Operational management
- Able to input into strategic planning and create plans in line with organisational objectives.
- Support, manage and communicate change by identifying barriers and overcoming them. Demonstrate commercial awareness, and able to identify and shape new opportunities. Creation and delivery of operational plans, including setting KPIs, monitoring performance against plans. Producing reports, providing management information based on the collation, analysis and interpretation of data.
Project management
- Plan, organise and manage resources to deliver required outcomes. Monitor progress and identify risk and their mitigation. Able to use relevant project management tools.
Finance
- Able to monitor budgets and provide reports and consider financial implications of decisions and adjust approach and recommendations accordingly.
Leading people
- Able to communicate organisational vision and goals and how these to apply to teams.
- Support development through coaching and mentoring and enable and support high performance working. Able to support the management of change within the organisation.
Managing people
- Able to manage talent and performance. Develop, build and motivate teams by identifying their strengths and enabling development within the workplace. Able to delegate and enable delivery though others.
Building relationships
- Able to build trust and use effective negotiation and influencing skills and manage conflict.
- Able to identify and share good practice and work collaboratively with others both inside and outside of the organisation. Use of specialist advice and support to deliver against plans.
Communication
- Able to communicate effectively (verbal, non-verbal, written, digital) and be flexible in communication style. Able to chair meetings and present using a range of media. Use of active listening, and able to challenge and give constructive feedback.
Self-awareness
- Able to reflect on own performance, working style and its impact on others.
Management of self
- Able to create a personal development plan. Use of time management and prioritisation techniques.
Decision making
- Able to undertake critical analysis and evaluation to support decision making Use of effective problem-solving techniques.
Develop and exhibit the behaviours, below, in the workplace:
Takes responsibility
- Drive to achieve in all aspects of work. Demonstrates resilience and accountability.
- Determination when managing difficult situations. Seeks new opportunities.
Inclusive
- Open, approachable, authentic, and able to build trust with others. Seeks the views of others and values diversity.
Agile
- Flexible to the needs of the organisation. Is creative, innovative and enterprising when seeking solutions to business needs. Positive and adaptable, responding well to feedback and need for change. Open to new ways of working.
Professionalism
- Sets an example, and is fair, consistent and impartial. Open and honest. Operates within organisational values
End Point Assessment
To trigger the End Point Assessment, you must have:
- Proof of English & maths GCSE minimum grade 4+ (C+) or equivalent level 2 qualification
- Completed a showcase portfolio, demonstrating how you have met the knowledge, skills and behaviours
The End Point Assessment consists of:
- Professional Discussion: A 60-minute structured discussion, underpinned by a portfolio of evidence, with the Independent Assessor. This is to draw out the best of the apprentice’s competence and excellence and cover the knowledge, skills and behaviours
- Project Proposal: A 500 word maximum project proposal completed within 12 weeks.
- Presentation and Questioning: A 20- minute presentation, covering a range elements from the skills, knowledge and behaviours, and 40 minute question and answer session (60 minutes in total).
- Project Proposal, Presentation and Questioning: A 60 minute online knowledge test, consisting of 35 questions.
This standard will be graded as Distinction, Pass or Fail
What could I do when I have finished this Apprenticeship?
On completion, apprentices may choose to register as Associate Members with the Chartered Management Institute and/or the Institute of leadership and management, to support their professional career development and progression.
The team managerial role may be a gateway to further career opportunities, such as higher management or senior support roles.
This qualification supports progression onto the following ILM/City & Guilds qualifications:
- ILM Level 6 Award in Management
- Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (England only)
- Management related degree course
- ILM Level 7 Qualifications in Leadership and Management
Where and when will I learn?
During the course you will be expected to attend the training centre (Eastbourne Sports Complex) once a month to work towards the mandatory elements of the standard via the e-portfolio. The remaining days will be spent working with your employer gaining the skills, knowledge and behaviours required in preparation for End Point Assessment (EPA). Functional Skills English and maths are embedded into your training programme.
Please note, training can also take place via Teams.
This on-programme taught element will typically take 30 months, but this is based on a vocational initial assessment to determine prior learning in this area and may be reduced. The End Point Assessment will be completed within 3 months of completing the on-programme taught element.
How much will the Apprenticeship cost?
There are no fees for this apprenticeship.
What do I do next?
You can:
Or you can:
- Apply for this apprenticeship area to be entered into a 'pool of candidates'. When a relevant vacancy becomes available we will contact you.
- If you are already employed in this area and wish to join the apprenticeship training, or have identified an employer wishing to start you as an apprentice in this area, please contact us