Curriculum Director

onlyFE; Southampton; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Enhanced employer pension contribution

Regular training and development

Job summary

South Hampshire College Group (SHCG) is seeking an ambitious and inspirational Curriculum Director to provide strategic and operational leadership across a portfolio of curriculum areas at Southampton College. This pivotal role drives curriculum excellence, quality improvement, student achievement, business growth, financial sustainability and stakeholder engagement.

You will lead Curriculum Area Managers to deliver outstanding teaching, learning and assessment, while innovating, widening

Qualifications

• Significant leadership and management experience within higher or further education.
• Proven track record of improving learner outcomes and quality standards.
• Experience managing budgets, resources and income targets.
• Strong understanding of curriculum planning, funding methodologies and quality assurance.
• Strong people leadership, inspiring and developing high-performing teams.
• Experience of employer engagement, partnerships and curriculum growth.
• Commercial awareness and commitment to innovation.
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• Passion for transforming lives through education.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop Curriculum Area Managers and wider curriculum teams.
• Manage curriculum staffing, timetabling and resource allocation.
• Take responsibility for budget planning, monitoring and financial performance.
• Deliver income targets across funding streams (AEB, HE, Adult Learning and Full Cost).
• Drive efficient operations while maintaining learner experiences.
• Lead performance management, staff development and appraisal processes.
• Identify capital investment requirements and support estate and IT planning.

Skills

Leadership experience

Educational management

Budget management

Curriculum planning

Funding methodologies

Quality assurance

People leadership

Employer engagement

Partnership development

Commercial awareness

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Transforming lives

Job description

Care to Join Us? South Hampshire College Group (SHCG) is seeking an ambitious and inspirational Curriculum Director to provide strategic and operational leadership across a portfolio of curriculum areas at Southampton College.

This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for driving curriculum excellence, quality improvement, student achievement, business growth, financial sustainability, and stakeholder engagement. Working closely with the Vice Principal and senior leadership team, you will ensure outstanding learner experiences and outcomes across Full Time, Higher Education, Apprenticeship, Adult Education Budget (AEB), and commercial provision.

If you are a visionary educational leader with a proven track record of improving performance, developing teams, and delivering growth, we would love to hear from you.

About The Role

As Curriculum Director, you will be responsible for the day-to-day leadership and management of a range of curriculum areas, ensuring they operate effectively, safely, and in compliance with all regulatory requirements.

You will lead Curriculum Area Managers and teaching teams to deliver exceptional teaching, learning and assessment, while driving innovation, widening participation, strengthening employer partnerships, and ensuring curriculum provision meets both learner and labour market needs.

This role combines strategic leadership with operational management and offers the opportunity to make a significant impact on the future success of Southampton College and the wider South Hampshire College Group.

This role is a fixed-term appointment until October 2027.

We offer great benefits include

• Generous annual leave
• Enhanced employer pension contribution
• Regular training and development

Duties

Curriculum Leadership and Quality

• Lead and develop a portfolio of curriculum areas to achieve outstanding student outcomes.
• Promote innovation and curriculum development to meet local, regional and national skills priorities.
• Develop and implement strategic plans that drive growth, productivity and organisational effectiveness.
• Work closely with the Head of Quality to embed quality improvement, self-assessment, learning walks and deep dives.
• Ensure high-quality teaching, learning and assessment across all provision.
• Develop curriculum intent and annual development plans that support college priorities.
• Ensure students fully engage with English, maths, work experience and all components of their study programmes.
• Maintain compliance with safeguarding, health and safety, funding and regulatory requirements.

Leadership and Resource Management

• Lead, coach and develop Curriculum Area Managers and wider curriculum teams.
• Manage curriculum staffing, timetabling and resource allocation effectively.
• Take responsibility for budget planning, monitoring and financial performance.
• Deliver income targets across a range of funding streams, including AEB, Higher Education, Adult Learning and Full Cost provision.
• Drive efficient operations whilst maintaining exceptional learner experiences.
• Lead performance management, staff development and appraisal processes.
• Identify capital investment requirements and support strategic estate and IT planning.

Business Development and Partnerships

• Develop strong relationships with employers, universities, schools and key stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities for growth, innovation and new curriculum development.
• Lead employer engagement activities and establish sector-specific advisory groups.
• Use labour market intelligence and competitor analysis to inform curriculum planning and investment decisions.
• Support student recruitment, progression and enrolment growth across curriculum areas.

Strategic Leadership

• Support the Vice Principal in delivering the College's strategic objectives.
• Act as a senior leader within the College and deputise for the Vice Principal where required.
• Participate in the College Duty Manager rota.
• Contribute to cross-college projects, committees and working groups.
• Champion a culture of excellence, accountability, innovation and continuous improvement.

Experience

We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced educational leader who can demonstrate:

• Significant leadership and management experience within further or higher education.
• A strong track record of improving learner outcomes and quality standards.
• Experience managing budgets, resources and income targets.
• Excellent understanding of curriculum planning, funding methodologies and quality assurance processes.
• Strong people leadership skills with the ability to inspire, motivate and develop high-performing teams.
• Experience of employer engagement, partnership development and curriculum growth.
• Strong commercial awareness and a commitment to innovation.
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• A passion for transforming lives through education.

About Us

The South Hampshire College Group (SHCG) is a dynamic, purpose driven Further Education organisation with a commitment to Creating Better Futures for learners, employers and communities within South Hampshire and beyond.

We pride ourselves on living our values - Collaborative, Inclusive and Aspirational. We also understand the difference exceptional employees can make to us delivering outstanding results and we are always seeking to attract talent who can add value and who will be proud to be part of our growing organisation.

South Hampshire College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Our recruitment practices follow safer recruitment guidance, including enhanced DBS checks, online checks, and thorough pre-employment vetting.

We value equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging, and welcome applications from all backgrounds.