Director of School - Construction

Preston College; Preston; On-site; GBP 62,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Preston College is seeking an ambitious Director of School - Construction and the Built Environment to lead our expanding provision across Lancashire. You will provide strategic leadership, shaping curriculum and driving excellence in teaching, learning and employer engagement.

Reporting to the Vice Principal, you will develop strong partnerships with employers, drive growth across full-time, apprenticeships and adult provision, and ensure learners meet industry needs in a modern construction

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of the Construction and Built Environment sector.
• Proven ability to inspire and lead high-performing teams.
• Passionate about technical education and its impact.
• Excellent relationships with employers and partners.
• Strategic vision with commercial awareness.
• Committed to outstanding learner outcomes.
• Willingness to contribute to regional economy.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership across Construction and the Built Environment.
• Lead, motivate and develop a talented teaching and support team.
• Drive outstanding student achievement, progression and destination outcomes.
• Shape an ambitious, future-focused curriculum aligned to local, regional and national skills priorities.
• Strengthen partnerships with employers, contractors and industry stakeholders.
• Identify and deliver opportunities for growth across full-time, apprenticeship, adult and commercial provision.
• Champion innovation, sustainability and emerging technologies in construction education.
• Foster a culture of high expectations, continuous improvement and excellence.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Team development

Stakeholder engagement

Industry knowledge

Job description

Construction is rapidly evolving. Across Lancashire, demand for highly skilled construction professionals continues to grow, with employers facing significant skills shortages and an increasing need for a workforce equipped with the technical expertise, adaptability and professional behaviours required for the future.

This creates an exciting opportunity for Preston College to play a leading role in developing talent our region needs. Working closely with industry, we are preparing young people, apprentices and adult students with the skills, knowledge and confidence to thrive in a dynamic and changing sector.

As a proud community college at the heart of Lancashire, we are committed to transforming lives through education, creating opportunities for social mobility and supporting the economic prosperity of our communities by developing the skilled workforce our region needs for the future.

Preston College is seeking an ambitious, strategic and inspirational Director of School - Construction and the Built Environment, to lead our growing provision and shape the future of construction education across Lancashire.

As an integral member of the College Management Team, the successful candidate will play a key role in shaping and delivering the College's strategic priorities, contributing to whole college performance, planning and growth. Reporting directly to the Vice Principal (Curriculum Delivery & Planning), you will provide strategic leadership of an important curriculum area and help drive our ambition to be an outstanding provider of technical and professional education.

There has never been a more exciting time to join Preston College.

We have recently secured £3.6 million of government investment to transform and modernise our School of Construction and the Built Environment. This significant funding will create industry-leading learning environments that reflect the technologies, practices and standards shaping the future of the sector.

Combined with growing student recruitment, strong employer demand and expanding opportunities across technical education, apprenticeships and adult learning, this is a pivotal moment for Construction at Preston College.

As Director, you will have a unique opportunity to shape the future direction of the School, influence regional skills development and ensure learners are equipped to meet the needs of a modern construction industry. You will contribute to strategic decision-making across the College, ensuring Construction and the Built Environment remains responsive to employer demand, regional priorities and emerging industry opportunities.

As Director of School, you will provide strategic leadership across a broad and ambitious curriculum area, driving excellence in teaching, learning, student outcomes and employer engagement.

Working closely with employers, stakeholders and industry partners, you will ensure our provision remains responsive to regional priorities and equips learners with the knowledge, technical skills and professional behaviours required to succeed in employment, higher-level study and apprenticeships.

You will:

• Provide strategic and inspirational leadership across Construction and the Built Environment.
• Lead, motivate and develop a talented team of teaching and support staff.
• Drive outstanding student achievement, progression and destination outcomes.
• Shape an ambitious, future-focused curriculum aligned to local, regional and national skills priorities.
• Strengthen partnerships with employers, contractors and industry stakeholders.
• Identify and deliver opportunities for growth across full-time, apprenticeship, adult and commercial provision.
• Champion innovation, sustainability and emerging technologies within construction education.
• Foster a culture of high expectations, continuous improvement and excellence.

We are seeking an exceptional leader who:

• Has a strong understanding of the Construction and Built Environment sector, including the opportunities and challenges it faces.
• Demonstrates the ability to inspire, develop and lead high-performing teams.
• Is passionate about technical education and the transformative impact it can have on individuals, communities and employers.
• Builds strong and productive relationships with employers, stakeholders and external partners.
• Combines strategic vision with commercial awareness and a focus on sustainable growth.
• Is committed to delivering outstanding outcomes for learners and raising aspirations.
• Wants to make a meaningful contribution to the future success of Preston College and the wider Lancashire economy.

This is more than a leadership role.

It is an opportunity to influence the future of construction education, help address critical skills shortages, support economic growth across Lancashire and transform the lives of learners through high-quality technical education.

As a member of the College Management Team, you will help shape the wider strategic direction of Preston College while leading a curriculum area that is central to the region's future prosperity.

If you are ready to bring your expertise, ambition and leadership to a college with a clear vision for the future, we would love to hear from you.

Join Preston College and help build the workforce that will build Lancashire's future.

Job Title:Director of School - Construction and the Built Environment

Salary:JOB FAMILY GROUP 1, SCP 46 (£62,307) to SCP 50 (£70,136) per annum pro rata, depending on qualifications and experience.

Hours:1.0FTE, 37 hours per week

Closing Date for Applications: Friday 30 October 2026 at 23:59

Interview Date:Thursday 19 November 2026

For a full list of staff benefits, please visit www.preston.ac.uk/jobs.