Chief Executive & Principal

Education Week Jobs; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

South Staffordshire College is seeking a Chief Executive & Principal to build on our achievements and shape the next stage of development. You will lead a financially resilient, capable organisation with a shared commitment to helping learners succeed and to strengthening education across our five college campuses.

Working with the Board of Governors and senior teams, you will translate a clear long-term vision into priorities for curriculum, growth and resources, ensuring high-quality teaching,

Job description

South Staffordshire College is seeking a Chief Executive & Principal to build on our achievements and shape our next stage of development. Following Claire Boliver's planned retirement, this is an opportunity to lead an organisation with financial resilience, a capable leadership team and a shared commitment to helping learners succeed.

Our ambition is to keep improving; to strengthen the quality of education we provide, extend the opportunities available to our communities and ensure that growth and investment deliver lasting benefits. Working closely with our Board of Governors, you will help shape and bring these ambitions together in a clear long-term vision, connecting curriculum, people, partnerships and resources around the needs of our learners.

We are looking for a leader who will be present in college life, listen to colleagues and students, and understand what makes each of our five colleges distinctive. You will combine this visibility with the strategic confidence to lead a complex organisation, champion our role externally and make sound decisions about our future.

For an experienced educational leader - who values collaboration, inclusion and continuous improvement in teaching, learning and the student experience - this role offers the opportunity to build on substantial progress and make a lasting contribution to our learners, employers and communities.

About the role
As Chief Executive & Principal, you will bring strategic clarity and educational ambition to South Staffordshire College, turning a shared vision into meaningful progress for learners, staff and the communities we serve.
Working closely with the Board of Governors, Executive Leadership Team and staff across the College, you will translate that vision into clear priorities and action, ensuring that decisions remain focused on improving outcomes and opportunities for learners.

A key priority will be to work collaboratively with Governors to establish a clear and ambitious vision for the College's future, translating this into meaningful priorities for curriculum development, investment and organisational growth. This will ensure we remain responsive to the evolving needs of learners, employers and the communities we serve, whilst preserving the values and culture that have contributed to our success.

You will champion a culture of continuous improvement, building on existing strengths and supporting colleagues to deliver consistently high-quality teaching, learning and support. With the learner experience at the heart of your leadership, you will ensure that quality improvement is purposeful, evidence-informed and focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for students.

You will provide visible leadership for safeguarding, wellbeing, equality, diversity and inclusion, while championing the continued development of the curriculum.

The role presents significant opportunities to further enhance higher education, strengthen progression pathways and respond creatively to evolving skills priorities. You will encourage innovation across the College, ensuring that developments in technology and digital learning are harnessed in ways that enrich educational experiences and deliver meaningful impact for learners.

Beyond the organisation, you will act as an influential ambassador for South Staffordshire College, developing trusted relationships with employers, schools, universities, local authorities, regional partners and neighbouring colleges. Through this you will enhance the College's reputation and maximise its contribution to skills development, social mobility and economic growth. An appreciation of the distinct communities served by the College's five colleges will be fundamental to this work.

Internally, you will build on the College's positive and inclusive culture, providing leadership to the Executive and Senior Leadership Teams while empowering colleagues across the organisation to succeed. Through visible, authentic and collaborative leadership, you will maintain high levels of engagement, trust and accountability, ensuring that organisational decisions remain connected to the experiences of students, staff and stakeholders.

As Accounting Officer, you will be responsible for the effective stewardship of public resources, maintaining the highest standards of financial probity, governance and regulatory compliance. You will ensure that financial resilience, estate development and commercial opportunities are aligned to the college's educational mission, enabling South Staffordshire College to continue investing confidently in its future.

Ultimately, this is an opportunity to build on the strengths of a successful college, shape a shared vision for its future and make a lasting difference to learners, communities and the wider region.