Vice Principal - Apprenticeships and Higher Education

Inspire Education Group; Peterborough; On-site; GBP 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent educational institution in Peterborough is seeking a Vice Principal for Apprenticeships and Higher Education. The role involves providing strategic leadership across HE and Apprenticeship curricula, ensuring quality and student demand alignment. Candidates should have extensive experience in budget management and regulatory compliance. The position offers 35 days of annual leave, pension scheme, and professional development opportunities in a dynamic education environment.

Benefits

35 days holiday entitlement

Local government pension scheme

Employee assistance programme

Lifestyle savings and discounts

Qualifications

• Substantial experience leading external inspections and regulatory reviews.
• Excellent ability to analyze management information.
• Vast experience of budgetary management at a significant level.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic planning and delivery of HE and Apprenticeship curriculum.
• Strengthen relationships with key stakeholders for funding opportunities.
• Ensure successful outcomes and quality improvement plans for external body reviews.

Skills

Leadership

Data-led decision making

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Postgraduate or equivalent with a professional management qualification

Job description

Vice Principal – Apprenticeships and Higher Education

As a member of our Group Executive Team at Inspire Education Group, the Vice Principal – Apprenticeships and Higher Education will provide strategic leadership for all Higher Education (HE) and Apprenticeship provision across the Group.

Salary: £89,169 per annum

Location: Peterborough

Hours: 37 hours per week, all year round

Contract: Permanent

Closing Date: Friday 6 February 2026

About the role

Reporting to the Chief Learning Officer, we are seeking a dynamic and highly motivated Vice Principal to lead the strategic planning and delivery of our HE and Apprenticeship curriculum, ensuring alignment with quality, student demand and financial targets.

You will strengthen relationships with key stakeholders, positioning the Group positively to secure revenue and capital funding for projects, development opportunities as well as external award opportunities, whilst promoting a culture of ambition and aspiration for students and colleagues that ensures the highest standards of organisational, academic and financial performance across the Group.

Working closely with the Accounting Officer for UCP this role will lead our compliance with funding body regulations while defining and driving the employer engagement strategy, fostering excellent relationships with employers, validating partners and regional stakeholders to ensure our curriculum is innovative and meets local and regional needs.

Acting as a strategic lead for our external body reviews and OfS you will ensure successful outcomes and robust quality improvement plans are implemented and delivered. Internally, you will work closely with key senior leaders ensuring effective governance by sharing high‑level performance reports and plans to the Executive team, Governors and UCP council.

As a member of the Group Executive Team you will contribute to the development and delivery of IEG's vision, mission, values and strategic priorities, lead the strategic planning and delivery of all HE and Apprenticeship curriculum, ensure alignment with quality, student demand and financial targets whilst promoting a culture of ambition and aspiration for students and colleagues that ensures the highest standards of organisational, academic and financial performance across the Group.

About you

As a postgraduate (or equivalent) with a professional management qualification (or equivalent) you will demonstrate your ability to develop and implement employer engagement strategies that achieve business growth.

You will have substantial experience when leading/preparing for external inspections and regulatory reviews, along with the excellent ability to analyse management information demonstrating your data‑led decision making skills.

Your excellent leadership and influencing skills will show through your ability to manage complex issues, lead high‑performing teams, make difficult decisions and delegate effectively to ensure outstanding management of your business area.

You are dynamic and responsive with the ability to react to changing agendas, ensuring risks are managed appropriately.

You have vast experience of budgetary management at a significant level, including forecasting and bid writing. You can also demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the HE sector, OfS conditions and government legislation impacting Higher Education as well as strategic knowledge of DfE funding rules, the Apprenticeship Accountability Framework and EPA requirements.

What we offer

• 35 days holiday entitlement, plus bank holidays and discretionary days
• Local government pension scheme
• A culture committed to professional development, innovation and continuous improvement
• 24/7 access to our employee assistance programme
• Access to a variety of lifestyle savings including blue light card, cycle to work scheme, discounted gym memberships and many more

About Inspire Education Group (IEG)

Inspire Education Group is a dynamic and ambitious education provider operating across the historic market town of Stamford and the vibrant city of Peterborough. Formed in August 2020 following the merger of Peterborough Regional College and New College Stamford, the Group also includes University Centre Peterborough and a suite of award-winning commercial training enterprises.

Our provision spans:

• Full‑time study programmes for school leavers
• Apprenticeships at all levels
• Adult and community learning
• Higher education delivered through University Centre Peterborough

Safeguarding Statement

IEG is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people and any vulnerable groups within the college community and expects all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to a thorough vetting process which includes an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975 provide information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide.

Candidates are reminded that if they are barred from working with children it is a criminal offence to apply for this position.