Head of school Business and Professional Services

The City of Liverpool College; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 57,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Liverpool College is seeking a Head of School for Business and Professional Services. This key leadership role focuses on managing curriculum development and operational excellence in educational programmes while fostering innovation and industry partnerships.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance up to 27 days

Flexible working options

Local Government Pension Scheme

Comprehensive professional development opportunities

Access to sports and fitness facilities

Employee Assistance Programme

Travel savings and interest-free loans for passes

Employee benefits platform

Qualifications

• Experience in leading a college department with proven outcomes.
• Understanding of EDI strategies in education.
• Ability to engage with diverse technologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning and delivery of Business and Professional Services programmes.
• Develop relationships with awarding organisations and employers.
• Manage curriculum design and implementation with high expectations.

Skills

Leadership

Curriculum Design

Pedagogical Leadership

Financial Management

Education

Professional or teaching qualification

Relevant qualifications in education and business

Job description

Application Deadline: 31 July 2025

Department: Business Development

Location: Liverpool

Description

Job Title: Head of School Business and Professional Services
Department: Academic Studies
Salary: £56,772 per annum
Job Type: permanent, full time role.

The Head of School for Business and Progressional Services is a key leadership role, providing expertise and managing the curriculum design and implementation of provision from Level 2 and above, with a particular focus and demonstrable track record of excellence in the operational management of the Business and Professional Services provision. Working with the Director of Academic Studies, the role will lead and support the implementation of a consistent research-informed pedagogical approach to all Business and Professional Services programmes with significant summative assessment, drawing upon international best practice and regional and national policies and expectations. Alongside these approaches you will be working with a large network of exceptional Business Leaders who will be delivering one of the most ambitions and innovative curriculums in the Northwest. We are looking for a candidate who will be able to drive this innovation forward and grow our business network further to cement our position as the college for business.

In addition to ensuring the delivery of an outstanding student experience, the Head of School for Business and Professional Services will develop relationships with, and be a key link for, awarding organisations, employers, educational institutions, and industry trailblazers within the city region and beyond.

The Head of School for Business and Professional Services is a member of the Wider Leadership Team (WLT). The post-holder will manage one Deputy/Assistant Head of School and will support other members of the WLT in delivering an outstanding student experience across all aspects of the learner journey.

Responsible to: Director of Academic Studies and Life Sciences

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the College’s strategic and operational delivery of Business and Professional Services programmes, with due account of the College’s overall strategic plan and the social, economic, and educational context of the Liverpool City Region.
• Lead the effective planning, development and delivery of a diverse and responsive curriculum within Business and Professional Services programmes, effectively meeting student, higher education institutions, employer and key stakeholder demand.
• Support the development and implementation of the college’s teaching, learning and assessment strategy, providing pedagogical leadership with regards to levels two to four best practice, including curriculum design and implementation, within a supportive framework for all colleagues in their ongoing development as inspirational teaching professionals, leading to outstanding student outcomes and progression.
• Support and promote the College’s EDI strategy, translating this into operational actions that strengthen the approach and deliver meaningful accomplishments within Business and Professional Services programmes, developing learners and staff as advocates and allies.
• Ensure high expectations, achievement and progression are effectively promoted and measured throughout the learner journey for all students within Business and Professional Services programmes, including the most disadvantaged and those with learning difficulties and / or disabilities, supporting the College in meeting the strategic goal of turning disadvantage to advantage.
• Support the continuing development of an integrated approach to the learner across the delivery of curriculum, learning support and student wellbeing, centring the student at the heart of the College experience.
• Contribute to the College’s strategic and business planning processes to ensure efficiency and high performance in Business and Professional Services Programmes and support the development of 2,3 and 5 year plans which are informed by industry and an expert understanding of upcoming knowledge and skill requirements across Liverpool City Region priority areas.
• Undertake effective financial management including through the appropriate utilisation of college resources including facilities, technology and people within Business and Professional Services Programmes.
• Drive high expectations and high performance consistently across Business and Professional Services Programmes to secure the College’s position as ‘best in class’ in both curriculum delivery and support for learners.
• Engage in the clear, timely and robust self-assessment of the quality of education and student experience across Business and Professional Services through proactive participation in quality assurance and improvement measures and prepare the College for inspections and external audit processes.
• Implement mechanisms that ensure individuals and teams within Business and Professional Services Programmes are developed and challenged to secure the best possible student experience that leads to a positive ‘next step’ and ‘future steps’ for the learner within the framework of higher education, further education, training, or employment.
• Implement strategies that ensure education within Business and Professional Services study supports students’ knowledge and skills beyond the academic, technical, or vocational, through the development and effective implementation of a wide range of personal development and progression opportunities linked to building confident and resilient students.
• Ensure the consistent implementation of progress measures and associated interventions across Business and Professional Services programmes, to support learners in meeting aspirational grade targets and progression outcomes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Essential Criteria:

• Proven, consistent delivery of success as the accountable person for improving student outcomes for Business and Professional Services courses over consecutive years as the leader of a college department / team
• Relevant qualifications and/or experience in education and business
• Professional or teaching qualification
• Proven ability to consistently embed robust and researched-informed pedagogical approaches in an Academic Curriculum that support all learners to succeed and thrive as individuals
• Robust knowledge of study programme strategies and associated national expectations and policies
• Robust knowledge of research-informed approaches to addressing disadvantage and supporting learners to succeed
• Ability to lead the consistent use of diagnostic tools to identify learners’ starting points and needs to support personalised progression over the lifetime of the learner
• Proven ability to challenge, mentor & coach – a developer of a high-performance culture, intolerant of underperformance and a track record of securing buy-in and support through constructive challenge
• A positive role model and the ability to be a positive ambassador for the College
• Committed to own continuous professional development – focused on the very best in pedagogy
• A commitment to addressing the impact of bias, discrimination and injustice through a proactive approach to equality, diversity and inclusion
• Willingness & ability to engage with current technologies and embrace diverse and evolving technologies & pedagogy to ensure a modern and effective student experience
  

Desirable Criteria:

• Links to business networks and an understanding of corporate education
• Successful experience in developing and leading upon cross-college strategies, establishing credibility with a wide range of colleagues as part of an effective matrix management approach
• Good understanding of OFSTED, SAR processes and quality inspection regimes, including successful experience of preparing for inspection
  
  
  
  

Benefits

Why Join The City of Liverpool College?

As a valued member of our College community, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive range of benefits, dedicated wellbeing support, and meaningful opportunities for professional growth and development.

Here are some of the benefits available to you:

Generous holiday allowance
Up to 27 days annual holiday allowance, excluding bank holidays, plus an annual wellbeing day.

Flexible Working
We offer flexible working options depending on business need to support our employee's work-life balance.

Pension Scheme
You'll be part of the Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions, one of the best pension packages in the sector.

Professional Development
We’re passionate about helping you thrive, offering a mix of formal and informal professional development opportunities—designed to sharpen your skills, expand your knowledge, and accelerate your career..

Sport & Fitness Suite
Our excellent sports and fitness facilities can be used free of charge by staff, and you’ll have access to our Cycle to Work scheme.

Health and Wellbeing
You’ll have access to our Employee Assistance programme and to free, independent and confidential 24-hour counselling service. You’ll also be entitled to a free eye test through our voucher scheme with Specsavers. It covers a full eye exam (worth up to £25) and even includes £45 towards a pair of glasses. We also offer free flu vaccinations to help keep you feeling your best all year round. As a member of College staff, you’ll be able to access a range of discounted hair and beauty treatments at our Academy and Graduate Hair & Beauty Salons

Travel
We’ve partnered with Arriva to bring you great savings on bus travel. Plus, we offer interest-free loans to help you buy annual travel passes from Merseytravel and Merseyrail. That means you can enjoy the savings of up to two months' free travel—without having to cover the full cost upfront. It’s all about making your commute more affordable and less stressful.

Employee Benefits Platform
As part of our team, you'll get access to the COLC employee benefits platform—packed with discounts, deals, and rewards on everything from everyday essentials to luxury treats. You can also access a range of discounted hair and beauty treatments at our Academy and Graduate Hair & Beauty Salons.