Assistant Principal – Student Experience

East Durham College; Peterlee; On-site; GBP 61,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

East Durham College is seeking an Assistant Principal – Student Experience to lead the strategic development of the student experience across Peterlee and Houghall campuses. The role drives inclusion, safeguarding, and high-quality student support, ensuring every learner thrives and progresses.

The post holder will steer the end-to-end student journey, use learner voice and performance data to inform decisions, and report to the Vice Principal Curriculum and Performance.

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Experience of senior leadership in FE is desirable.
• Experience as Designated Safeguarding Lead is preferred.
• Proven ability to use learner voice and performance data to drive improvements.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the College's student experience across campuses.
• Lead the Student Experience Strategy and ensure effective learner voice feedback informs decisions.
• Oversee inclusion, SEND, safeguarding and student support services for all learners.
• Drive improvement in retention, attendance, achievement, progression and destinations.
• Collaborate with management to deliver consistent student experience and outcomes.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Student experience

Safeguarding

Inclusion

Budget management

Staff development

Education

Degree level or equivalent

Job description

Assistant Principal – Student Experience

Location: Peterlee and Houghall Campus

Salary: £71,589 per annum

Responsible to: Vice Principal Curriculum and Performance

Hours: 37 hours per week

Type: Permanent

Responsible for: Student Services, Progression Coaches, High Needs

and Inclusion, Pathways, Counselling, Learning Resource Centres and other student support functions.

Job Purpose

To provide strategic leadership for the College's student experience, ensuring every student receives outstanding support, achieves their potential and progresses successfully. The postholder will lead the continuous improvement of the student journey, using learner voice, feedback and performance data to inform decision-making and drive improved outcomes for all students. The postholder will also provide strategic leadership for inclusion, SEND, student support and safeguarding, ensuring that all learners, particularly those facing barriers to success, are able to thrive and achieve.

Student Experience and Student Success

• Lead the development, implementation and evaluation of the College's Student Experience Strategy.
• Ensure student voice, learner feedback, complaints and satisfaction measures directly inform service improvement and strategic decision-making.
• Lead and continuously improve the College's end-to-end student journey, ensuring that every stage of a learner's experience from enquiry, application and enrolment through to induction, support, achievement and progression is responsive, efficient and centred on student needs.
• Review and improve policies, procedures and systems to enhance the student experience and remove barriers to participation, achievement and progression.
• Work collaboratively with curriculum and support functions to deliver a seamless and consistent student experience across all campuses and services.
• Monitor key student experience indicators and implement improvement actions where required.
• Champion a student-centred culture that places learner needs, experiences and outcomes at the heart of decision-making.
• Under the direction of the Vice Principal, be accountable for improving student retention, attendance, achievement, progression and destination outcomes through effective student support, intervention and student experience strategies.
• Lead initiatives that enhance students' progression to higher levels of study, apprenticeships, employment and other positive destinations, ensuring all learners are equipped to achieve their full potential.

Student Support, Inclusion and Student Services

• Under the direction of the Vice Principal, be accountable for the exceptional operation of student-facing services including enrolment, student support, high needs, Pathways provision, Progression Coaches, counselling services, Learning Resource Centres and other support functions.
• Shape and communicate a clear approach to inclusion across the College, identifying patterns, strengths and risks and translating these into robust action plans which improve student experience, achievement and consistency.
• Collaborate with College Management Group colleagues to ensure policies, procedures and processes are inclusive by design and reflect the lived experiences of students.
• Assume responsibility for the monitoring and evaluation of inclusion across the College, reporting to CLG on the performance of all learner groups, including those who are disadvantaged or vulnerable.
• Ensure all legal and statutory requirements for students with SEND are met, including responsibility for High Needs Funding, compliance, evidence requirements and funding claims.
• Ensure students receive high-quality support services including advice and guidance, interviews, initial assessment, tutorials and enrichment provision.
• Lead and promote best practice in equality, diversity and inclusion across all aspects of college life, including joint leadership of the EDIB Committee.

Safeguarding and Wellbeing

• Act as the Designated Safeguarding Lead for the college ensuring the safety and well-being of all students with reference to those under 18 years and vulnerable adults.
• To Chair weekly cross college safeguarding meetings and ensuring concerns are appropriately raised, acted upon and closed where relevant.
• Provide training for staff and Governors at key points throughout the year.
• Ensure the college is fully compliant with key safeguarding legislation and welfare policies, collaborating with external agencies where required.
• To undertake relevant safeguarding training as necessary to both lead and be an effective member of the College’s safeguarding team.

Leadership, Quality and Performance

• Ensure the accountability of managers within your area through the establishment, monitoring and review of relevant KPIs and performance measures.
• Contribute to the College Self-Assessment Report and Quality Improvement processes.
• Lead on the achievement of relevant aspects of the Strategic Plan through the development and delivery of local operational plans.
• Lead a culture of high standards, continuous improvement and accountability across all areas of responsibility.
• Provide highly effective leadership, performance management, support, challenge and inspiration to staff teams.
• Lead and support staff development activities that contribute to improved student outcomes and organisational performance.

Resource and Financial Management

• Be responsible for budget setting, monitoring and control across all areas of responsibility.
• Effectively manage human, physical and financial resources to enable the College to achieve its strategic objectives and performance targets.

General

• To contribute effectively to College Leadership Group and represent the College in key external networks.
• Represent the college externally on matters relating to your areas of responsibility.
• Participate in the College Performance Appraisal Development Programme, agree an action plan and undertake the required training in order to update skills and meet the requirements of the College and Departmental Strategic Plan and Service Standards.
• Undertake any other duties, appropriate to the grade of the post, as required from time to time.
• Comply with College Policies and Procedures and the Staff Code of Conduct.
• To take appropriate responsibility for PREVENT and safeguarding and promotion of the welfare of children and/or vulnerable adults.
• To uphold British Values, the college values and responsibilities regarding equality and diversity.
• To understand and adhere to college Health and Safety polices and guidelines ensuring compliance with statutory legislation and taking a responsibility for your own and other’s health and safety.

Requirements

• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• Minimum of level 3 Safeguarding Qualification
• Designated Safeguarding Lead Training
• Evidence of continuing commitment to self development relevant to the role
• Experience of successful senior leadership and management in a FE environment
• Experience of being a DSL or Deputy DSL within an education environment
• Experience of leading organisational change and service transformation across multiple departments.
• Experience of using student voice, learner feedback and performance data to drive service improvement and organisational change.
• Experience of developing and implementing college-wide strategies that improve student experience, achievement, progression and satisfaction.
• Experience of managing student-facing services and ensuring high standards of service excellence.