Regional Programme Lead – TechFirst in Salford

IN4 Group is a leading international professional technology training and skills provider, with operations across the United Kingdom and the Middle East.

Delivered through a proven regional blueprint, the Group unlocks the potential of local talent to drive sustainable productivity and prosperity for industry, communities, and the local economy.

Its mission is to ensure fair access to technology futures, underpinned by its DNA: to humanise technology, create a connection to place, and maintain a culture of belonging.

The Group comprises award-winning specialist training divisions with a portfolio of bespoke programmes, professional qualifications, and apprenticeships.

It holds approved training provider status with Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and Google, is ISO 9001 accredited, and is rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted.

To date, IN4 has worked with over 500 employers, engaged more than 2,000 schools and colleges, and upskilled over 6,000 people into tech jobs - 59% of whom are women and 37% from underrepresented groups.

In the past three years alone, the Group has generated over £44m in social impact over the past three years, including £22.5m in 2025 - a return of £4.58 for every £1 invested.

This pedigree has enabled the Group to hold prestigious preferred provider status with regional and national government.

IN4 Group is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment; successful candidates will be subject to appropriate background checks and vetting procedures.

Purpose of the Role

The Regional Programme Lead will provide senior leadership for Tech First, supporting high-quality regional delivery, strategic partnerships and sustainable growth across the East Midlands and, where appropriate, wider regions.

This is a senior, externally facing role requiring strong stakeholder relationships, commercial awareness and the ability to position Tech First as a credible programme aligned to local skills, education and economic priorities.

The postholder will help strengthen regional engagement, identify opportunities for partnership and income growth, and ensure delivery is supported by clear planning, evidence and impact.

This role will require frequent travel across the Northwest and East Midlands with attendance at meetings and events across both regions as required.

Key Responsibilities

• Regional Strategy, Growth and Leadership
• Provide senior regional leadership for Tech First across strategic delivery, mobilisation, quality, risk, performance, growth and partnership development.
• Develop and maintain a clear regional approach that aligns programme delivery with local skills, education and economic priorities.
• Identify and progress opportunities that strengthen Tech First’s regional reach, impact and long-term sustainability.
• Work with internal teams and external partners to shape effective regional delivery arrangements as the programme develops.
• Commercial Development and Revenue Growth
• Develop regional funding, sponsorship and partnership opportunities across education, industry, local government and funders.
• Shape clear propositions that link Tech First to skills, inclusion, social value, employer need and regional growth priorities.
• Support sustainable programme growth through evidence-led renewals, partnership development, proposals and business cases.
• Maintain commercial awareness across regional delivery, ensuring opportunities are practical, credible and aligned to programme impact.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Regional Partnerships
• Develop and maintain senior relationships across schools, colleges, MATs, local and combined authorities, Careers Hubs, DSIT, employers, universities, STEM organisations, community partners and regional organisations that can strengthen delivery, market access and community reach.
• Represent IN4 at regional meetings, boards, employer forums, launch events and strategic growth discussions.
• Support appropriate regional governance, advisory or partnership arrangements that strengthen programme delivery and strategic alignment.
• Programme Delivery, Quality and Performance
• Work with the national senior leadership team to mobilise and oversee Tech First delivery, ensuring activity is well planned, high quality, safe, inclusive and contractually compliant.
• Take a hands‑on role during mobilisation, supporting delivery, engagement, planning and problem‑solving until the regional team is recruited, onboarded and deployed.
• Once the regional team is in place, provide senior oversight of programme delivery, school engagement, employer‑led activity, events, recognition support, platform engagement and reporting.
• Plan delivery around the academic year, school capacity, exam periods, local priorities and regional opportunities.
• Monitor KPIs, milestones, school engagement, participation data, feedback, risk and quality assurance, maintaining appropriate information to support effective programme management.
• Embed safeguarding, quality assurance, data protection and compliance across all activity.
• MEGA Hubs, Tech First Recognition and School Engagement
• Support the development of MEGA Hub opportunities and related regional activity, drawing on established learning and adapting approaches to local need.
• Work with regional partners to shape practical delivery approaches that reflect local priorities, capacity and opportunities.
• Work with MATs and school leaders to develop trust‑level programmes, curriculum‑linked enrichment and careers‑focused technology provision.
• Prioritise inclusion for girls, FSM/Pupil Premium students, SEND learners, rural and coastal communities, and groups underrepresented in technology pathways.
• Industry, Academia and Employer Engagement
• Develop employer and academic networks securing contributions through volunteering, sponsorship, workplace visits, mentoring, challenge projects and careers insight.
• Build relationships with technology, engineering, digital, manufacturing, logistics, space, cyber, AI, data and frontier technology employers.
• Work with universities, colleges and innovation assets to create experiences linked to regional strengths and future growth sectors.
• Reporting, Impact and Evidence
• Lead regional performance and impact reporting for internal and external stakeholders.
• Capture evidence from the outset, including participation, demographics, school engagement, employer contribution, progression, case studies, social value and feedback.
• Use data and insight to demonstrate impact to all funders, sponsors and stakeholders.
• Produce quarterly and annual impact narratives for renewals, sponsorship retention, business development and communications.
• Team Leadership and Cross‑Regional Working
• Provide senior direction to programme, delivery, engagement and administrative staff.
• Support recruitment, onboarding and development of regional delivery staff as the programme grows.
• Maintain focus on strategic leadership, stakeholder confidence, partnership development and programme sustainability.
• Act as a senior escalation point for regional issues, risks, stakeholder concerns and growth opportunities.

Essential

Skills and Experience Required

• Significant experience leading programmes, education partnerships, skills, youth engagement or technology‑related initiatives.
• Strong senior stakeholder engagement experience across education, industry, government, local authorities, funders or regional skills ecosystems.
• Commercial confidence, including funded proposals, sponsorship, commissioned activity, partnership agreements or income‑generating programmes.
• Experience working with schools, colleges, MATs, local authorities or education networks.
• Strong understanding of programme governance, delivery planning, risk, reporting and performance monitoring.
• Ability to turn strategic ambition into practical plans, funding propositions and measurable outcomes.
• Excellent communication, relationship management and senior external representation skills.
• Strong writing and presentation skills, including proposals, reports, business cases, briefings and impact narratives.
• Confident using data, evidence and stakeholder insight to inform decisions and demonstrate impact.
• Ability to balance delivery assurance with growth, partnerships and commercial development.
• Strong commitment to inclusion, social mobility and widening access to technology pathways.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly across the East Midlands and North West.

Desirable

• Knowledge of Cyber First, Tech First, MEGA Hubs, STEM enrichment, careers education or digital skills programmes.
• Existing networks across the East Midlands, North West, local authorities, MATs, Careers Hubs, employers, universities or skills bodies.
• Experience securing sponsorship, local authority investment, grant funding or multi‐partner delivery funding.
• Understanding of Gatsby Benchmarks, CEIAG, Local Skills Improvement Plans, regional strategies or education policy.
• Experience developing employer‑led education, work experience, mentoring, enrichment or progression pathways.
• Knowledge of frontier technologies including AI, cyber, robotics, data, cloud, digital creativity or advanced manufacturing.
• Personal Attributes
• Strategic, commercially minded and confident operating at senior level.
• Credible with education, government, industry and community stakeholders.
• Collaborative, practical and able to bring partners around a shared regional agenda.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and able to build structure around emerging opportunities.
• Committed to inclusion, social mobility and accessible routes into technology careers.
• Independent, resilient and able to drive progress without heavy supervision.
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