Curriculum Manager - Engineering & Construction Apprenticeships

Dovetail and Slate; Essex; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Dovetail and Slate seeks an experienced Curriculum Manager - Engineering & Professional Construction Apprenticeships to lead apprenticeship provision at an FE college in Essex. You will oversee engineering, welding and fabrication, manufacturing and construction training, providing strong leadership to teaching and support teams while strengthening employer partnerships.

You will drive quality, ensure learner success, monitor data, and shape provision to meet industry needs and college targets.

Qualifications

• Experience as Curriculum Manager/Head of Department in Further Education or a training provider.
• Strong background in engineering, manufacturing, welding and construction.
• Proven ability to lead apprenticeship provision and improve learner outcomes.
• Knowledge of apprenticeship funding, QA, compliance and employer engagement.
• Ability to use data to drive curriculum decisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of high-quality apprenticeship programmes across engineering, manufacturing, welding/fabrication and professional construction.
• Manage, motivate and develop staff, including recruitment, performance management, lesson observations and professional development.
• Oversee curriculum quality, teaching, learning and assessment, ensuring strong learner outcomes.
• Monitor recruitment, retention, achievement and progression, using data to drive continuous improvement.
• Ensure apprenticeship provision meets funding, quality assurance and safeguarding requirements.
• Develop new programmes and expand existing provision in response to employer demand and regional skills needs.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with employers, businesses and external stakeholders.
• Manage budgets, staffing and resources effectively, ensuring financial and performance targets are met.
• Contribute to wider college apprenticeship strategy and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Travel to employer sites and other campuses across Essex and the surrounding region as required.

Skills

Curriculum leadership

Apprenticeship management

Stakeholder engagement

Data-driven decisions

People management

Education

Level 5 qualification or higher

Job description

Location: Essex

Contract: Permanent, Full-Time

Sector: Further Education

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Curriculum Manager - Engineering & Professional Construction Apprenticeships to lead and develop apprenticeship provision at an FE college in Essex.

This is an excellent opportunity for an established curriculum or apprenticeship leader to oversee high-quality training across engineering, welding and fabrication, manufacturing and professional construction.

The successful candidate will provide strong leadership to teaching and support teams, strengthen employer partnerships and ensure programmes meet learner needs, industry requirements and college performance targets.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of high-quality apprenticeship programmes across engineering, manufacturing, welding/fabrication and professional construction.
• Manage, motivate and develop staff, including recruitment, performance management, lesson observations and professional development.
• Oversee curriculum quality, teaching, learning and assessment, ensuring strong learner outcomes.
• Monitor recruitment, retention, achievement and progression, using data to drive continuous improvement.
• Ensure apprenticeship provision meets relevant funding, compliance, quality assurance and safeguarding requirements.
• Develop new programmes and expand existing provision in response to employer demand and regional skills needs.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with employers, businesses and external stakeholders.
• Manage budgets, staffing and resources effectively, ensuring financial and performance targets are met.
• Contribute to wider college apprenticeship strategy and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Travel to employer sites and other campuses across Essex and the surrounding region as required.

The Ideal Candidate

• Proven experience in a Curriculum Manager, Head of Department or equivalent leadership role.
• A strong background in engineering, manufacturing, welding/fabrication, professional construction or the built environment.
• Significant experience managing apprenticeship provision, ideally within Further Education or a training provider.
• Experience leading and developing staff and managing curriculum performance.
• A strong understanding of apprenticeship funding, quality assurance, compliance and employer engagement.
• The ability to use data to improve learner outcomes and make effective curriculum decisions.
• Strong leadership, communication and organisational skills.
• A relevant Level 5 or above qualification, with appropriate teaching and assessor/verifier qualifications, or a willingness to obtain these as required.

We are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. All appointments are subject to satisfactory vetting, including a right to work check and, where relevant, an enhanced DBS, PVG (Scotland), or EWC (Wales) check, in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

We are an equal opportunities employer.