Job Description

Job details

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Responsible to


Operations Manager - Learner Journey


Location


Buxton Campus


Closing date


Sunday 3 August 2025


Salary


37,756 to 40,920 per annum (for exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to 51,878 per annum)


Job grade


MPS 1


Reference


0074-25


Contract type


Permanent


Post type


Full-time


Adaptive working type


Onsite

This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location.



About the University
We have one simple promise - to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.



The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.



We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 - making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.



Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.


About the College/Department
Buxton and Leek College, part of the University of Derby, is graded as a "Good" college by OFSTED and has a team of dedicated staff who take pride in supporting learners towards their study and career goals. This is a fantastic opportunity to join our team on our journey to becoming an outstanding provider.



This is an exciting opportunity for a professional who is interested in making a difference to students in the University's further education (FE) division within Buxton and Leek College. We are looking to appoint a leader who can work effectively alongside the Senior Leadership and Curriculum Leader Teams, to facilitate high quality tutorial and pastoral care for our students and apprentices



Line managed by the Operations Manager Learner Journey, you will join an established wider college Learner Journey Team. The team includes a range of student support services such as the Progress Coach Team, Behaviour Management, Safeguarding, Student Finance and Careers. With a strong student-centred ethos, this team works closely together to ensure barriers to learning are removed and students can progress to positive outcomes and destinations.


About the role
As a member of the College Management Team, you will have cross college responsibilities for behaviour, attendance, values and personal development. You will lead a team of Progress Coaches to deliver an outstanding pastoral / tutorial programme that supports learners to develop their character, resilience, confidence and independence in preparation for further study and employment. You will ensure that all learners including young people, apprentices, learners with high needs and adults are prepared for their next steps.



You will work with Curriculum Leaders and the Learner Journey Team to set high expectations for learner performance and attendance, promoting improvements in behaviour, retention, engagement and achievement. This is a student focussed role and you will work closely with curriculum and pastoral teams to deliver the College's strategic objectives and ensure a positive experience for our students.


About You
You will be an inspirational leader and excellent role model who is highly visible and has a "can do" attitude. You will have a proven track record for improving standards and providing an exciting, challenging and empowering Personal Development programme for all our students and apprentices.


Principal accountabilities
Lead on developing, implementing and reviewing a strategic approach to effective behaviour management and attendance through the Learner Performance process. These strategies will be compliant with all related policies and procedures and reflect current legislation and best practice.

Lead on the development and implementation of a comprehensive group and 1:1 tutorial / pastoral programme which is differentiated by level and provision type, that supports students' personal development, participation and positive behaviours for success as independent learners or employees. Ensure that all stages of delivery are relevant, up to date and reflect local contextualised and national priorities, supporting learners to become contributing citizens to society.

Lead, resource and monitor the delivery of outstanding pastoral provision for learners on all provision types including Education Programmes for Young People, Apprentices, Learners with High Needs and adults.

Identify policy / procedural development areas related to the students' personal development, conduct, attendance and participation within FE, and work with the Operations Manager to author and disseminate relevant documentation across the College.

Lead on raising staff and student awareness of behaviour / learner performance and attendance policies / procedures that support students to make the best of their college experience, including bullying, punctuality and attendance, codes of conduct and learner performance procedures, aligning with and informing broader University equivalent services where relevant.

Provide a key liaison point for parents, carers, wider support teams (WEx, ESW's etc) and external agencies for the specific benefit of student behaviour, attendance, participation and personal development both academic and pastoral.

Ensure that policies and procedures relating to personal development, participation and learner conduct / performance are shaped by and are responsive to the Learner Voice. Ensure the student voice is at the heart of each stage of the learner journey and leads to positive impact within the college.

Attend Curriculum and Learner Journey Team meetings to identify "at risk" learners with poor attendance/punctuality/behaviour and support the development of student action plans in collaboration with tutors, Instructor Mentors, support staff and other key stakeholders.

Support the Curriculum Leaders to develop and implement effective strategies to improve attendance, retention and achievement. Analyse and report on the effectiveness of these strategies.

Prepare for, support and record Stage 3 Cause for Concern Meetings, working with senior and curriculum leaders.

Lead and manage a team of Progress Coaches, managing, reviewing and evaluating their performance, through staff development, performance target-setting, reviews (DPR) and TLA observations. This will also require more informal reviews of incidental teaching, instruction, and facilitation activities.

Participate in the quality improvement and self-assessment activities organised by the Operations Manager Quality, to support systematic quality assurance processes, continuous improvement and inspection readiness within the areas of Behaviour and Attitudes, Personal Development, participation and attendance.

Represent the College externally in activities linked to personal development, participation, behaviour / performance and attendance areas as required.

Proactively seek examples of best practice and innovative solutions in managing learner behaviours / performance and attendance, from other Further Education colleges, to support students to achieve their full potential.

Support Curriculum Leaders, tutors, Instructor Mentors, Progress Coaches and security staff to implement and record the learner performance process in a timely and consistent way using appropriate online systems (e Trackr, Smart Assessor, My Concern, Pro Solution etc).

Engage in external professional networks as appropriate, keeping up to date with knowledge and developments in the further education (FE) sector and beyond.

Identify provision of suitable staff development opportunities relating to student conduct, behaviours, attitudes, attendance and Personal Development.

Contribute to the management of the College as an active member of the leadership team, promoting and modelling a culture where responsibility and accountability are open, accepted and solutions focussed and where blame or retribution are not tolerated.

Establish and maintain a vibrant and productive learning community, where staff and students operate in a safe, supportive and diverse environment.


For a full list of the Principal accountabilities please refer to the job description.


Person specification

Essential Criteria

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Qualifications

Degree or demonstrable experience in education, guidance or support services. Safeguarding qualification at Level 4 or willingness to work towards.
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Experience

Demonstrable student behaviour management, attendance and personal development experience, preferably in a schools/ FE setting. Experience and knowledge of safeguarding relevant to the needs of children and vulnerable adults. Demonstrable success in tracking and monitoring learner achievement and behaviour. Experience of the development and planning of pastoral programmes and/or activities. Experience of supporting and contributing to Ofsted inspections with regard to Personal Development Behaviour and Welfare and effectiveness of safeguarding. Demonstrable experience of successful collaboration to ensure a customer focused, 'can do' culture of teamwork.
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Skills, knowledge & abilities

Knowledge of the work practices, processes, and procedures relevant to the role, including legislative, regulatory and broader sector awareness. Team management with an innovative approach to problem solving. Effective utilisation of systems and IT to analyse and evaluate impact of support services. Proven communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to influence and negotiate at all levels both internally and externally. Ability to use general and specialist ICT applications to a high level of competence. Ability to operate effective systems and procedures for quality management and measurement.
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Business requirements

Completed DBS check with child barred list. Willingness to work outside of normal hours at times as relevant to achieving targets and meeting the needs of Buxton and Leek College. Ability to work regularly at each location where College activity is delivered. Evidence of continuous professional development. Willingness and flexibility to travel and work between University and external sites in a cost effective and timely manner.

Desirable Criteria

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Qualifications

Coaching qualification. CPD or accredited qualification in managing challenging behaviour or similar.
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Skills, knowledge and abilities

Knowledge of current issues affecting further education, training, and employment. Benefits
Generous annual leave entitlement of 38 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata) Local Government Pension Scheme Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers Discounted onsite gym Holiday purchase Cycle to Work scheme A flexible working environment A commitment to personal and professional development

Find out more about rewards and benefitsFind out more about rewards and benefits


Key contact
For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Angela Bradley, Operations Manager Learner Journey via a.bradley@blc.ac.uk


For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk.


Important information#

Visa Sponsorship Eligibility

The University is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers under the Skilled Worker route for this role; however, applications are welcome from candidates who are able to demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.



Please visit visit our website for more information.


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DBS check

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 and is therefore subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.



Any information you provide will be treated in confidence and only used when considering your suitability for the post.



To enable us to process your DBS check please ensure you are able to supply the documentation listed on the DBS website at interview stage.




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Equity, diversity and inclusion

The University of Derby is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion, regardless of age, disability, trans status, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief (or none), sex and sexual orientation.



We are Disability Confident Employers, demonstrating our commitment to disability inclusion, and invite applicants to highlight adjustments they may require to ensure equitable participation in our recruitment processes.



Further, we are committed to ensuring an environment which is trans and non-binary-inclusive for all our staff, students, partners, and visitors, and continuously review our policies, guidance and training.



When applying to join the University, you can choose your preferred title, including the gender-neutral title 'Mx'. We also ask our candidates if they would like to share their preferred pronouns. This is voluntary but demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity for trans and non-binary candidates. Once employed, you can add pronouns and preferred names onto our system.



The University of Derby undertakes anonymised shortlisting during the staff recruitment process. This means that, when shortlisting, panel members will not be able to see an applicant's name and will see an applicant number instead. This demonstrates the practical steps we are taking to remove barriers to recruitment by minimising the possible impact of our unconscious bias.



However you identify, we actively celebrate the knowledge, experience and talents each person brings. Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds; therefore we are particularly interested to hear from applicants who will help our leaders and teams be more reflective of our student population.



For more information on equity, diversity and inclusion at the University of Derby, please visit our website.





A university that celebrates you

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Environmental Sustainability

At the University of Derby, we are passionate about embedding sustainability into everything that we do. We aim to bring environmental sustainability into all aspects of the University, including teaching, research and operational activities. In line with the University's strategic framework, we expect all our staff to embed sustainability into their working practices and support the University's objective to reach net zero carbon by 2050.





Environment and sustainability


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