Head of Employer Engagement and Pupil Projects

King's College School Wimbledon; Greater London; On-site; GBP 53,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

King's College School Wimbledon is seeking a head of employer engagement and pupil projects from January 2027, or sooner if possible. The role sits within the Futures team and focuses on expanding employer engagement, work placements, and pupil projects, representing the school to employers, parents, and partner organisations.

The post-holder will lead partnerships, manage risk and safeguarding, and work with senior leaders to develop a sector-leading programme for pupils aged 11 to 18.

Qualifications

• Holds a degree or a recognised professional qualification.
• Has at least five years’ experience at management level in employer engagement, partnerships, business development, or a comparable role.
• Has credibility with senior leaders in business and the professions, and experience of negotiating partnerships with large organisations.
• Has experience of managing risk and compliance, and knowledge of safeguarding and data protection for young people in workplaces, or the capacity to acquire it.
• Understands, or has a strong interest in, careers education and the Gatsby Benchmarks.
• Builds and maintains relationships easily, from global firms to individual parents.
• Works generously within a team, sharing responsibility for pupils, projects, and contacts.
• Is comfortable working with pupils aged 11 to 18 and pitches guidance at the right level.
• Is organised and systematic, with excellent attention to detail.
• Is proactive: brings ideas, tests them, evaluates honestly, and changes course where needed.
• Has outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Has strong IT skills and is confident with records, data, and digital systems.
• Is adaptable, resilient, and calm under pressure, and committed to the life and community of King’s.

Responsibilities

• Manage the school’s work with employers and its programme of work placements and pupil projects.
• Represent King’s to employers, parents, and partner organisations.
• Lead the Futures team and collaborate with the director of entrepreneurship & employability and the deputy head (futures & communities).
• Develop a pipeline of real workplace opportunities for pupils.
• Design an offer recognised across the sector for depth and quality of execution.
• Coordinate with the King’s Business School and ensure Gatsby Benchmark compliance.

Skills

Management experience

Partnerships & business development

Negotiation with large organisations

Risk & safeguarding knowledge

Gatsby Benchmarks interest

Relationship building

Team player

Pupil engagement 11-18

Attention to detail

Proactive & adaptable

Interpersonal communication

IT skills & data systems

Committed to school community

Education

Degree or professional qualification

Job description

We are delighted to welcome applications for the role of head of employer engagement and pupil projects at King’s College School, Wimbledon from January 2027, or sooner if possible. This is a new post, created to add capacity to the Futures team as we develop new areas of focus in employer engagement, work placements, and pupil projects. The post-holder will manage the school’s work with employers and its programme of work placements and pupil projects, and will represent King’s to employers, parents, and partner organisations.

The post is offered at 24 or 32 hours per week (0.6 or 0.8 FTE), term time only, with some additional hours during the school holidays. Full details are set out in the terms and conditions.

The post-holder reports to the director of entrepreneur ship & employability, within the Futures team overseen by the deputy head (futures & communities). The post holder manages the outward-facing and pupil project side of the programme: the employer partnerships, and the links with alumni and parents made through the development of f ice, that generate opportunities for pupils, the work placement and mini internship pipeline, pupil enterprise projects, visiting speakers, and Futures related trips and visits, shaping its direction within the wider Futures strategy agreed with the director of entrepreneurship & employability and the deputy head (futures & communities).

Colleagues in the Futures team continue to lead on the core careers programme, the King’s Business School curriculum, Gatsby Benchmark compliance, policy, and impact assessment. Priorities and the division of work will be agreed and kept under review as the team develops.

The Futures team works with pupils from Year 7 to the upper sixth, and with the wider King’s community of parents, alumni, and employer partners. The post-holder will be tasked with building a pipeline of real workplace opportunities for our pupils, designing an offer that is recognised across the sector for its depth and the quality of its execution.

The post will suit someone who:

• Holds a degree or a recognised professional qualification
• Has at least five years’ experience at management level in employer engagement, partnerships, business development, or a comparable role
• Has credibility with senior leaders in business and the professions, and experience of negotiating partnerships with large organisations
• Has experience of managing risk and compliance, and knowledge of safeguarding and data protection for young people in workplaces, or the capacity to acquire it
• Understands, or has a strong interest in, careers education and the Gatsby Benchmarks
• Builds and maintains relationships easily, from global firms to individual parents
• Works generously within a team, sharing responsibility for pupils, projects, and contacts
• Is comfortable working with pupils aged 11 to 18 and pitches guidance at the right level
• Is organised and systematic, with excellent attention to detail
• Is proactive: brings ideas, tests them, evaluates honestly, and changes course where needed
• Has outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal
• Has strong IT skills and is confident with records, data, and digital systems
• Is adaptable, resilient, and calm under pressure, and committed to the life and community of King’s

A careers guidance qualification is not required, and we welcome candidates from outside schools.

Terms & Conditions

• Start date: January 2027, or sooner if possible
• Salary: approximately £52,800 to £58,700 per annum FTE, depending on experience. Actual pay, reflecting term-time working plus additional hours: approximately £28,500 to £31,700 at 0.6 FTE, or £36,500 to £40,600 at 0.8 FTE
• Working hours: 24 or 32 hours per week (0.6 or 0.8 FTE), term time only, plus 160 additional hours per year
• King’s Business School: attendance is expected from the first day of the summer holidays until the programme ends, usually two to two and a half weeks of full working days, regardless of usual working pattern. These hours are taken from the 160 additional hours
• Events: open morning and some careers and admissions events are held on weekday evenings or on Saturdays. Attendance at these is expected, and these hours also count towards the 160 additional hours

Closing date: Monday 2nd November 2026 at 9am

Interviews: Week of Monday 9th November 2026

Early applications are encouraged; interviews may be staged and we may choose to appoint at any time during the application process.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974.

King’s is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. King’s College School is fully committed to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusivity in its recruitment of teaching and support staff.