Careers and Pathway Leader

Hanham Woods Academy; West of England; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS Pension

Annual leave

Wellbeing programme

Gym discounts

Maternity pay

Cycle to work

On-site parking

Job summary

Hanham Woods Academy is seeking a Careers and Pathways Leader to oversee CEIAG, ensuring every student receives guidance to pursue positive, aspirational destinations. You will build strong employer and education partnerships and lead activities from one-to-one guidance to careers events.

You will manage destination tracking, data, and work-experience coordination, evaluating impact to broaden opportunities for students, including those facing disadvantage.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering high-quality careers education, information, advice and guidance (IAG).
• Ability to provide impartial careers guidance enabling informed, realistic decisions.
• Excellent communication, listening and questioning skills with students and partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead CEIAG provision aligned with Gatsby Benchmarks and national guidance.
• Develop a high-quality careers programme to raise aspirations and employability.
• Build partnerships with employers, FE/HE providers, families and staff.
• Coordinate destination tracking, careers data management and work experience.
• Evaluate impact of the careers provision to improve student outcomes.

Skills

CEIAG experience

Workshop delivery

Partnership building

Data management

Impartial guidance

Education

Level 6 Careers Guidance

Tools

ICT and data systems

Job description

Job Title:Careers and Pathways Leader

Actual Annual Salary:£32,529 - £35,975 (Based on hours and week worked)

Full Time Equivalent Salary:£37,035 - £40,958 (CLF Grade E) Based on full-time hours, all year round.

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours:Full Time, Term Time Only Plus Inset days+ 5 days

Potential Start Date: January 2027 – pending completion of pre‑employment checks

An opportunity to inspire and empower young people to make informed, ambitious, and successful choices about their future education, training, and employment pathways.

As Careers & Pathways Leader, you will lead the academy's careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) provision, ensuring every student is supported to achieve positive and aspirational destinations. Working in line with the Gatsby Benchmarks and national careers guidance, you will develop a high‑quality careers programme that raises aspirations, enhances employability skills, and helps students navigate their next steps with confidence.

You will build strong partnerships with employers, further and higher education providers, training organisations, families, and colleagues across the academy to create meaningful opportunities for students. Through one‑to‑one guidance, group workshops, assemblies, careers events, and work experience programmes, you will play a pivotal role in preparing young people for future success.

You will also take responsibility for destination tracking, careers data management, work experience coordination, and evaluating the impact of the academy's careers provision. Your work will contribute directly to improving student outcomes, broadening horizons, and ensuring all learners, particularly those facing disadvantage, are able to access high‑quality opportunities and support.

About you:

You will:

• Be passionate about improving the life chances of young people and raising aspirations for all students.
• Have experience delivering high‑quality careers education, information, advice and guidance (IAG), or demonstrate a strong commitment to developing expertise in this area.
• Be confident providing impartial careers guidance that enables students to make informed, realistic, and ambitious decisions about their future pathways.
• Have excellent communication, listening, and questioning skills, with the ability to engage effectively with students, parents/carers, staff, employers, and external partners.
• Be comfortable delivering workshops, presentations, assemblies, and group sessions to a range of audiences.
• Have experience of building productive partnerships with employers, education providers, and community organisations to enhance opportunities for students.
• Be highly organised and able to manage a varied workload, appointments, events, and competing priorities effectively.
• Be confident using ICT and data systems to monitor destination outcomes, track student progress, and evaluate the impact of careers provision.
• Be able to analyse information and use professional judgement to support students in identifying appropriate progression routes.
• Have experience of maintaining accurate records and working in line with professional standards, policies, and procedures.
• Be resilient, adaptable, and able to remain calm when working in a fast‑paced and sometimes emotionally demanding environment.
• Be committed to embedding employability and career learning across the curriculum, working collaboratively with teaching and pastoral teams.
• Hold a Level 6 qualification in Careers Guidance or demonstrate a commitment to working towards this qualification.
• Be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
• Be dedicated to equality, diversity, inclusion, and ensuring equitable opportunities for every student.
• Applicants are advised to refer to the full requirements of the role in the attached job description and person specification before submitting an application.

About Hanham Woods Academy:

Hanham Woods Academy is a secondary school located within the outskirts of Bristol and South Gloucestershire, delivering education to pupils aged 11‑16. It is one of the most improved academies in the South West, providing an excellent education to over 800 students. The academy has a growing reputation both locally and regionally.

Whilst we appreciate the unique setting in which the academy is placed, we work hard to challenge students from a variety of backgrounds to be the best they can be in all areas of life. Our mission here is simple: we want to give people the best chance of success, underpinned by our ethos of Dream Big, Work Hard, Be Kind. We want students to 'climb the mountain' in order to achieve success both academically and by developing a confident, resilient and hard‑working character.

Why work at CLF?

We are a diverse and inclusive community of 37 academies across five cluster regions in the South West that is committed to excellence and making a positive impact. Our people bring unique perspectives, but we’re all driven by a shared moral purpose and a passion for making a positive impact, whether in a teaching, leadership or support role. We’re proud to foster a culture where everyone can thrive, feel valued, and make a meaningful difference to the lives of others.

We are an equal opportunity employer and proud to serve a diverse student population and our communities. We strongly believe that representation matters.

We aim to remove any barriers to employment, ensuring everyone can compete on equal terms. Job share, part‑time and flexible working opportunities will be considered.

What we can offer you:

• Access to a generous pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Generous annual leave.
• A comprehensive induction and ongoing commitment to wellbeing and career progression, through a range of training, apprenticeships and in‑role/wider‑trust development opportunities.
• Well‑being support through an Employee Assistance Programme.
• Health benefits, including wellness sessions, gym discounts, and flu jabs.
• A range of generous family leave options, including above industry average occupational maternity pay.
• Additional benefits like cycle to work scheme, on‑site parking plus many more!

Recruitment timeline:

Closing Date:29 November 2026

Shortlisting date: 30 November 2026

Interviews:7 December 2026

We welcome visits from potential candidates. If you would like to arrange a school visit prior to the closing date, please contact the academy/site directly to arrange a suitable appointment.

As part of our commitment to Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), we do not accept CVs – a full education and employment history must be provided through our application form.

Please note we are not able to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, should we receive a high level of interest in the role. Therefore, candidates are advised to apply at their earliest convenience to avoid missing out.

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer, we are dedicated to equity and inclusion and commit to interviewing applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria. We aim to provide an inclusive and accessible recruitment process, and support employees throughout their employment. If you have a disability, are neurodivergent, or require any adjustments to support you through the application or interview process please let us know how we can assist.