Apprenticeships Contracts and Compliance Manager - MATERNITY COVER in Bedford

Location: Bedford College – Cauldwell Street Campus with travel to our other campuses

Salary/Benefits: Salary is between £41,086 and £47,971 per annum DOE and Qualifications, 27 days annual leave plus Bank holidays, People’s pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.

Hours/Weeks: 37 hours per week – 52 weeks per year

Contract Type: Fixed Term – Full Time – Fixed until 31 March 2027

This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have the Right to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.

About the role: We are currently seeking an Apprenticeships Contracts and Compliance Manager to join our Apprenticeships department at The Bedford College Group. As an Apprenticeships Contracts and Compliance Manager, you play an important role in the success of our students through:

• Apprenticeship Compliance & Regulatory Leadership – Lead all aspects of apprenticeship compliance, ensuring delivery meets DfE funding rules, Ofsted expectations and internal quality standards to safeguard learner experience and financial integrity.
• Funding, Audit & Data Assurance – Interpret and embed ESFA rules, oversee ILR accuracy, manage audit preparation and maintain robust audit trails, ensuring full compliance and readiness for external inspection.
• Employer Contracts & Apprenticeship Operations – Manage employer agreements, subcontractor contracts and DAS processes, ensuring accurate enrolment, co‑investment compliance and effective sign‑up and onboarding processes.
• Systems, Reporting & Continuous Improvement – Develop process maps, KPIs and dashboards, deliver compliance training, analyse performance data and drive improvements across apprenticeship systems and processes.
• Leadership, Collaboration & Governance – Lead and develop compliance staff, work cross‑college with curriculum, MIS, finance and quality teams, and uphold safeguarding, EDI, health & safety and organisational standards.

About you:

• Apprenticeship Compliance & Funding Expertise – Extensive knowledge of DfE funding rules, with strong experience in ILR, audit preparation and compliance processes, supported by relevant Level 4 qualification (or willingness to achieve) and ongoing CPD.
• Enrolment, DAS & Operational Delivery – Proven experience leading apprenticeship enrolment and Apprenticeship Service (DAS) processes, including mismatch resolution, induction coordination and eligibility checks.
• Data Accuracy, Reporting & Analytical Skills – Highly analytical with strong attention to detail, ensuring accurate data validation, reporting and problem‑solving to meet compliance and performance requirements.
• Cross‑College Collaboration & Communication – Experience working with MIS, registry, curriculum, quality and business development teams, delivering clear communication, guidance and staff training.
• Professionalism, Resilience & Continuous Improvement – Proactive, solution‑focused and adaptable, able to manage competing deadlines, uphold safeguarding, EDI and health & safety standards, and drive continuous improvement across provision.

For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.

Interviews to be held: 08 June 2026

Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisational VISION values:

• Valuing Teamwork – We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
• Improving Continuously – We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
• Student Centred – At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
• Inclusive – We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
• Open and Caring – We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
• Nurturing Education Excellence – We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.

About The Bedford College Group: The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year. Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kelling which offer IT training.

Safeguarding our Students: The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to 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, provides 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. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy. Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.