Head of Quality and Compliance in Newcastle upon Tyne

Head of Quality and Compliance Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Ever felt like your experience in quality, compliance and apprenticeship accountability could make a real difference, not just by maintaining regulatory standards but by helping shape high quality training and outcomes for learners? Here is your opportunity to take on a key senior leadership role within a growing training organisation. At Able Personnel, we are recruiting on behalf of a respected and growing training provider for a passionate Head of Quality and Compliance to join their expanding team based in Newcastle upon Tyne. This is a senior leadership position with strategic responsibility for regulatory compliance, quality assurance and apprenticeship accountability. You will play a key role in ensuring the organisation meets the requirements of DWP, the Department for Education, Ofsted and other relevant regulatory and contractual requirements, while maintaining high standards of apprenticeship delivery, learner outcomes and employer experience. The successful candidate will bring a proven history of successful Ofsted outcomes within a private training provider, further education college, apprenticeship organisation or similar education and skills environment, together with strong knowledge of apprenticeship funding, accountability and quality requirements. What you will be doing: • Lead the organisation’s compliance and quality assurance framework across apprenticeship provision • Maintain strategic oversight of apprenticeship accountability, ensuring learner progress, achievement, retention, timely completion, funding and performance are effectively monitored • Ensure compliance with current DWP and DfE apprenticeship funding, accountability and contractual requirements • Lead organisational readiness for Ofsted inspection, including self assessment, quality reviews, evidence preparation and improvement planning • Monitor the quality and impact of teaching, learning, assessment and learner support • Lead internal audits, compliance reviews and quality assurance activity, ensuring identified actions are implemented and evidenced • Provide clear reporting and constructive challenge to senior leaders on compliance, quality, performance and risk • Ensure safeguarding, Prevent and learner protection arrangements meet regulatory requirements • Keep the organisation informed of changes to DWP, DfE and Ofsted requirements and translate these into effective operational practice • Develop a strong culture of accountability, continuous improvement and inspection readiness across the organisation What we are looking for: • Significant senior leadership experience within an independent training provider, apprenticeship provider, FE college or similar education and skills environment • A demonstrable history of successful Ofsted outcomes and experience leading or significantly contributing to Ofsted inspections • Strong knowledge of the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework and apprenticeship provision • Excellent understanding of DWP and DfE requirements, apprenticeship funding rules and accountability arrangements • Experience leading compliance, quality assurance and improvement programmes • Strong knowledge of the apprenticeship learner journey, performance measures and funding requirements • The ability to interpret regulatory and contractual requirements and translate them into practical systems and processes • Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills • The confidence to provide constructive challenge and hold senior colleagues and teams accountable for quality and compliance Salary and benefits: • £60,000 per annum • Salary review following successful completion of probation • Full time permanent position • Supportive and collaborative working environment • Company pension This is an opportunity for an experienced quality and compliance professional to play a critical role in protecting the organisation’s regulatory position, strengthening apprenticeship accountability and ensuring consistently high quality provision