Head of Centre – Bristol

The Focus Training Group; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

37 days leave

Company pension

Cycle to work scheme

Free on-site parking

Work from home arrangements

Job summary

The Focus Training Group is seeking an ambitious Head of Centre to lead our Bristol centre, taking ownership of its performance, reputation and future development. You will shape the curriculum, develop high-performing teams, build strong employer relationships and deliver sustainable growth, while ensuring learners receive an outstanding experience.

You will work closely with senior colleagues across Focus Training.

Qualifications

• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams in further education, apprenticeships or training sectors.
• Strong track record of improving learner outcomes and progress.
• Proven ability to translate strategy into local action and growth.

Responsibilities

• Translate group strategy into a local business plan and drive measurable results.
• Lead, develop and motivate a multidisciplinary team.
• Shape a Bristol-centred curriculum aligned with local skills needs and employer demand.
• Own the centre’s P&L and balance quality with financial sustainability.
• Generate new employer and learner opportunities and convert relationships into sustainable business.
• Build a strong network with employers, stakeholders and education partners.

Skills

Leadership

P&L management

Curriculum development

Stakeholder engagement

People management

Job description

Role: Head of Centre – Bristol
Location: Bristol
Team: Leadership
Reports to: Managing Director

At Focus Training, we change lives through skills.

We are looking for an ambitious, credible and commercially minded Head of Centre to lead our Bristol centre and take ownership of its performance, reputation and future development.

This is more than a conventional Centre Manager role. It’s an opportunity to lead a local business, shape its curriculum, develop high-performing teams, build strong employer relationships and deliver sustainable growth – all while ensuring learners receive an outstanding experience.

The Opportunity

As Head of Centre, you will have overall local accountability for:

• Centre leadership and performance: Translate Group strategy into a clear local business and improvement plan, establish accountability and drive measurable results.
• People and culture: Lead, develop and motivate a multidisciplinary team, creating a positive, professional and high-performing working environment.
• Quality of education: Ensure learners receive high-quality teaching, learning and assessment, with strong progress, achievement and progression.
• Curriculum development: Shape a curriculum that responds to Bristol’s local skills needs, employer demand and emerging opportunities.
• Financial and commercial performance: Own the centre’s P&L, manage resources effectively and balance quality with financial sustainability.
• Growth and business development: Generate new employer and learner opportunities, develop products and services, and convert relationships into sustainable business.
• Local partnerships and reputation: Build a strong professional network across employers, stakeholders, education partners and the wider community.
• Compliance and operational management: Ensure the centre is safe, compliant, audit-ready and provides a welcoming, professional environment.

You’ll work closely with senior and specialist colleagues across Focus Training, including Finance & MIS, Marketing & Commercial, Operations, Quality, Safeguarding, Health & Safety, Partnerships and HR. You will own the local outcomes while making effective use of Group-wide expertise and support.

What You’ll Bring

We’re looking for someone who combines educational leadership, commercial thinking and personal credibility.

Essential experience and attributes

You will be:

• An impressive, visible and approachable leader who builds confidence quickly.
• Experienced in leading multidisciplinary teams and developing a high-performance culture.
• Commercially minded and comfortable being accountable for financial performance.
• Able to understand, manage and challenge a P&L.
• An excellent communicator who can engage people at all levels.
• A strong salesperson and negotiator who can turn relationships into opportunities.
• Confident working with employers and senior external stakeholders.
• Able to develop and execute business and growth plans.
• Knowledgeable about high-quality teaching, learning and assessment.
• Capable of challenging curriculum and quality performance.
• Comfortable operating within a funded and regulated environment.
• Able to use performance data to drive effective action.
• Decisive, organised, resilient and personally accountable.
• Curious about Bristol’s local economy and motivated to develop strong local networks.

It would be advantageous to have experience in one or more of the following:

• Leadership within further education, apprenticeships, training or a related sector.
• Managing a significant operational budget or P&L.
• Apprenticeship and/or adult skills funding.
• Ofsted inspection and external scrutiny.
• Funding audit and compliance.
• Teaching, assessing or quality assurance.
• Developing curriculum, products or commercial training services.
• Established employer and stakeholder networks.

Why Focus Training?

We believe outstanding training needs a strong and sustainable organisation behind it.

At Focus, you’ll have the opportunity to:

• Lead and develop a local training business with genuine accountability.
• Shape the curriculum around local employer and community needs.
• Build relationships that make a meaningful difference to learners and employers.
• Develop talented, high-performing teams.
• Work alongside specialist colleagues across the wider Focus Training Group.
• Make a visible impact on skills, workforce development and the Bristol community.

We value responsibility, collaboration, continuous improvement, integrity and professionalism. We take ownership of results, challenge constructively and work together as one organisation.

• 37 days leave, inclusive of bank holidays and Christmas closure
• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Free on-site parking
• Work from home arrangements

Plus you’ll be joining a proactive, positive team open to all your ideas for innovation and growth!