Job Description

Description

Job Title: Director of Student Progress and Development

Department: Student Progress

Salary: 64,058

Job Type: Permanent, full time role.

About the College

The City of Liverpool College is the largest further education provider in Liverpool and the wider City Region, serving as an anchor institution for skills development, career progression, and social mobility. With more than 600 members of staff, hundreds of courses, five campuses and over 10,000 students, we are a recognised leader in skills and education

Our commitment to inclusivity, excellence, and innovation ensures that we provide an unparalleled breadth and depth of educational opportunities--from entry-level courses to degree programmes, apprenticeships, and professional qualifications.

We proudly scored "Good" in our 2024 OFSTED inspection, with several areas graded outstanding. Ofsted described our student experience as "transformative and life-enhancing", highlighting our dedication to providing life-changing education that empowers learners at every stage of their journey.

We're committed to supporting every student to achieve and progress with the skills and expertise they need for their next step. We couldn't do this without the people who make this happen every day - our brilliant staff.

The Role

The Director of Student Progress and Development (multi-site) provides strategic leadership for student personal development and progression provision across the College, with a strong focus on equity, opportunity, and lifelong learning. In this role, you'll champion a holistic 'Careers Not Courses' model, designing progression pathways that respond to individual learner aspirations and regional economic needs.

You'll focus on raising achievement and narrowing gaps through evidence-informed practice, while embedding student voice, enrichment, and British values into the wider learner experience. You'll ensure that all student, regardless of background, have the support, opportunities and challenge they need to achieve outstanding academic outcome and make meaningful progress in life and work. A key part of the role involves strengthening partnerships across the Liverpool City Region to improve transitions, address under-representation, and contribute to the local education and skills ecosystem.

You'll also lead the College's approach to EDI within the personal development and progression agenda, SEND provision, and Additional Learning Support, ensuring inclusive and high-quality support services. With oversight of the Students' Union and relevant staff teams, you'll promote a culture of high performance that supports learners to progress, succeed, and thrive.

As a key member of the Strategic Leadership Team, you'll provide leadership for academic progress, personal development and progression across the College, providing appropriate support and challenge to SLT colleagues to ensure consistent and outstanding approaches to personal development and progression.

Key Responsibilities

Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership in Student Development and Inclusion

Provide strategic and operational leadership in the development and delivery of student personal development and progression initiatives. Prioritise equity by designing strategies that turn disadvantage into advantage, embed active equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) practices, and empower our learners to succeed holistically--beyond the attainment of qualifications.

Driving Progression through a 'Careers Not Courses' Model

Champion a strategic focus on long-term student progression under the 'Careers Not Courses' model, responding to economic and policy landscapes. Lead the design and implementation of progression pathways that span multiple levels of learning, with particular emphasis on Level 4 and 5 qualifications, transitions into employment or higher education, and personalised outcomes that reflect each learner's aspirations and potential.

Quality Assurance and Achievement for All

Work closely with the Senior Leadership Team to embed high expectations and raise student achievement through evidence-informed practice, rigorous monitoring, and targeted intervention, especially for learners with complex needs, ensuring accelerated progress and improved outcomes.

Enhancing the Student Voice and Experience

Lead the strengthening of the College's student voice programme by integrating behavioural insights and analytics from students, parents/guardians, employers, and community voice to drive short, medium and long-term outcomes for students and supporting continuous improvement of the overall student experience and the experience of the College's wider stakeholders.

Promoting Citizenship and Enrichment

Develop and promote inclusive opportunities for students to engage in a diverse range of experiences that foster active participation in society. Provide high quality opportunities for learners to develop their talents and interests and deepen students' understanding of the fundamental British values of democracy, individual liberty, the rule of law and mutual respect and tolerance.

Strengthening Regional Collaboration and Transition Pathways

Build and sustain strategic partnerships across the Liverpool City Region's education and skills ecosystem to co-develop and implement a cohesive transition strategy. Foster stronger relationships between the College and key institutions to support improved learner progression into further education, training, and employment. Promote collaborative data-sharing and joint development of best practice to enhance educational outcomes, addressing regional skills gaps and the under-representation of key learner groups across the City Region.

Leadership and Team Development

Provide inspirational and accountable leadership to learning support, student progress teams, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Support staff development and performance through clear expectations, coaching, and strategic direction.

Promotion of Inclusive Practices

Drive inclusive practices across SEND provision, Additional Learning Support, and the wider EDI agenda, so that all students, particularly the most disadvantaged, thrive academically and personally.

Oversight of Additional Learning Support Funding

Ensure the College secures all eligible funding streams related to learners with additional needs, ensuring effective oversight, monitoring, and reporting of ALS funding, in conjunction with the Head of ALS. Maintain accurate records to track the allocation and impact of funding, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and funding body requirements. Support the development of strategies to maximise funding opportunities while ensuring resources are effectively targeted to support students with additional learning needs

Oversee and Champion the Students' Union and Parliament

Provide strategic oversight and guidance to the Students' Union, ensuring it is a dynamic, inclusive, and student-led body that actively contributes to the wider personal development agenda. Support the Union to represent the diverse voices of the student body, promote leadership and civic engagement opportunities, and play a meaningful role in shaping College policy, culture, and the student experience.

Professional Practice and Values

To contribute fully to the mission and values statement of the College Group ensuring its effective implementation in all aspects of College life.

To take a proactive approach and responsibility for personal professional development, Health & Safety, and meeting other regulatory compliance (e.g. GDPR, Safeguarding), thereby enabling safe and professional working practices to be observed at all times.

To support cross college actives as required, particularly during key enrolment and invigilation periods.

Carry out any other relevant and appropriate duties as determined by the needs of the service and as appropriate to the grade.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Essential Criteria:

Demonstrated, sustained success in leading improvements to student outcomes over multiple years, with clear accountability as a senior leader within a curriculum area or cross-college function.

Qualifications and sector experience directly aligned to the role's responsibilities and strategic scope.

In-depth understanding of Ofsted expectations, self-assessment/reporting (SAR) processes, and quality assurance frameworks, with successful experience in leading a core aspect of an external inspection.

Strong, evidence-based understanding of strategies to close attainment gaps, support equity, and enable all learners to succeed--particularly those facing disadvantage.

Ability to lead use of diagnostic tools and effective strategies in identifying learners' starting points and needs to support personalised progression over the lifetime of the learner

Demonstrated success in designing and leading cross-institutional strategies, building trust and credibility across teams.

A strong developer of people--skilled in mentoring, coaching, and delivering constructive challenge to foster a high-performance culture and address underperformance effectively.

Ability to influence and collaborate with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to shape and lead employability and progression strategies that meet the diverse needs of learners

Resilient and comfortable with ambiguity - ability to operate under pressure in a fast-paced, evolving environment, and to support and inspire others to do the same

A creative, forward-thinking leader with a growth mindset--able to critically evaluate systems, propose innovative solutions, and drive continuous improvement across the student lifecycle

Committed to own continuous professional development - focused on the very best in pedagogy, a thorough understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion in action and an openness to critical and constructive feedback.

Desirable Criteria:

Recognised teaching and/or relevant professional qualification

Embraces and promotes the use of current and emerging technologies to enhance teaching, learning, and the overall student experience in a modern, dynamic educational environment.

Fluent speaking in any of the mentioned languages: Arabic, Persian, Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish), Sorani (Central Kurdish), Portuguese, Spanish, Tigrinya, Vietnamese, French.

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.

About The City of Liverpool College

About The City of Liverpool College

The City of Liverpool College is a leading education provider for almost 12,000 students across the Liverpool City Region, from ages 16 and up.

Our passion for nurturing talent and personal approach to teaching makes sure all our students are fully equipped to realise their potential and be empowered to live out their career ambitions.

We believe in opportunity for all and offer access to both academic and vocational courses. From GCSE to degree level, our students achieve some of the highest exam results in the region.

As a recognised leader in skills and education, we are proud to have been named the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce 2024 Skills Provider of the Year, a testament to our deep-rooted commitment to delivering outstanding education that meets the needs of our students and the regional economy. We are also a proud member of the Chartered Institution for Further Education, reinforcing our position as a centre of excellence within the sector. Our recent Ofsted inspection rated us 'Outstanding' for Adult Provision and Personal Development, highlighting our dedication to providing life-changing education that empowers learners at every stage of their journey.

Our Mission

To provide high quality skills and education by delivering opportunities for growth to all people and businesses of the Liverpool City Region.

Our Goals

Deliver world class skills in business Provide an outstanding learning and student experience Develop the talent for sustainable employment

Safeguarding Our Students

The City of Liverpool College is dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the welfare our learners, and all staff will require an Enhanced DBS check.

Ready to Take the Next Step in Your Career?

Join a dynamic team shaping the future of education in the Liverpool City Region. With over 600 dedicated staff, five campuses, hundreds of courses, and more than 10,000 students, we're proud to be a leader in learning and innovation. Ready to make an impact? Apply now and become part of our journey.