Management and Leadership

Novus; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

31 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays

Wellbeing/PD time

Pension contributions (Aviva Auto-Enro

Retail discounts

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Novus Transforming Lives is seeking a Head of Education at HMP Forest Bank in Manchester. This senior role leads curriculum development, quality assurance and learner engagement to deliver high-impact education in a secure setting.

You will drive strategic change, manage budgets and oversee a motivated team to meet ambitious targets. The post is a permanent, full-time position (40 hours/week) within a leading prison-education provider.

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level (or equivalent career or life experience).
• Willingness to work towards ILM accredited qualification or equivalent.
• Experience managing a complex education service within budget and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership across curriculum, quality, performance and learner engagement.
• Drive and shape prison education provision to achieve meaningful outcomes.
• Manage stakeholder relationships and subcontractor arrangements to meet targets.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Curriculum development

Project management

Budget management

Relationship building

Education

Degree level or equivalent

ILM accreditation or equivalent

Job description

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

Job details

Job title Head of Education Job reference REQ012755 Date posted 28/08/2026 Application closing date 11/09/2026 Location Manchester Salary £54,153.84 - £66,187.68 per annum Package Competitive Benefits + Aviva Auto-enrolment Pension Scheme Contractual hours 40 Basis Full time Job category/type Management and Leadership Attachments Head of Education (2026).pdf Job description

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced education leader to join Novus Transforming Lives as Head of Education at HMP Forest Bank. This is a key leadership role, offering the chance to shape and drive a high-quality education provision which supports learners within a secure setting to build confidence, develop skills, and work towards positive futures.

We have a great opportunity available to join Novus Transforming Lives, our prison education provider at HMP Forest Bank, working as Head of Education. This role is offered on a permanent, full-time basis, working 40 hours per week.

Who are Novus Transforming Lives?

Novus Transforming Lives is a leading UK-based education provider dedicated to delivering high-quality learning and rehabilitation services within the prison system. We are also part of the LTE group of companies that include The Manchester College, MOL, Total People, UCEN, and LTE Group Operations. We are currently rated “Good” by Ofsted and have partnerships with over 1000 industry and employer partners, ensuring our learners secure their place as the movers and shakers of the future. Our business is growing year on year due to our continued success as a leading provider in prison education.

Site Information

HMP Forest Bank is located in Pendlebury in Salford, Greater Manchester. The prison is a Category B Male Prison that accommodates remand and sentenced offenders. It offers a diverse range of education opportunities and employment support. Individuals can work towards nationally recognised qualifications.

Role Responsibilities

The successful candidate will provide strategic leadership across curriculum, quality, performance and learner engagement, ensuring that our prison education provision achieves meaningful, long-term impact.

Please see the attached role profile for an overview of general role responsibilities. Specific details about the individual role are shared during the interview process.

Skills, Qualifications and Experience

To be successful in this role, you will need to:

• Be educated to degree level (or have equivalent career or life experience)
• Hold or be willing to work towards an Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) accredited qualification, or equivalent
• Have experience strategically managing a complex education service and achieving outstanding results within budget and deadlines (Desirable)
• Have programme and project management experience of complex work streams with multiple stakeholders
• Demonstrate an ability to develop and implement a Learner-focused, accredited Curriculum that will support Learner’s post release
• Remain focused on continuous quality improvement in a challenging and restricted secure learning environment
• Have experience of managing a highly achieving, qualified and motivated team (Desirable)
• Comfortable delivering a roadmap of transformational change and providing strategic leadership in a high-pressured, fast-paced environment
• Demonstrate the ability to develop rewarding relationships with key internal stakeholders and external partnerships
• Have experience managing sub-contractor’s arrangements to meet agreed targets and contractual delivery indicators (CDI) (Desirable)
• Have a track record of delivery in a multi-agency environment (Desirable)
• Have a track record of achieving or exceeding performance, financial and quality targets

Benefits

• 31 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays
• 2 hours for wellbeing / personal development per week
• Significant pension contributions (Aviva Auto-Enrolment Pension Scheme)
• Retail Discounts
• Employee Assistance Programme

Safeguarding

The LTE Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All applicants will be required to undergo an appropriate DBS check via the Criminal Records Bureau and may be subject to additional online checks as part of our pre-screening process. Some roles are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and would require an Enhanced DBS check.

Equal Opportunities Statement

Novus Transforming Lives is committed to providing an environment where everyone is valued as an individual and where learners and colleagues can work, learn, flourish and develop their skills and knowledge in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. We are committed to working in an inclusive way with all the communities in which we are geographically located and to developing a workforce and learner community that reflects the UK’s rich diversity and vibrancy.

The closing date for this job advert is 11/09/2026. However, sometimes the job advert may close early if we receive a good response!