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- Tasks: Lead and enhance apprenticeship quality across a high-performing university.
- Company: Join a top UK university with an outstanding apprenticeship unit.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on apprenticeship quality and learner success.
- Qualifications: Senior leadership experience in apprenticeship quality and compliance required.
- Other info: Flexible working arrangements and commitment to safeguarding learners.
The predicted salary is between 58225 - 67468 £ per year.
Location: Manchester (Hybrid)
Salary: £58,225 – £67,468 (Grade 10)
Contract: Fixed-term / Contract
Hours: Full-time
About the Organisation
LT Selection is proud to be recruiting exclusively on behalf of our client. We believe that everyone we connect with an employer positively impacts the further education, skills, and employment sector. Our client is a large, high-performing UK university with a nationally recognised apprenticeship unit. The organisation has achieved Outstanding outcomes across all inspection categories and continues to demonstrate exceptional employer and apprentice satisfaction. Working with hundreds of employers across public, private, and SME sectors, the apprenticeship provision delivers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that are academically rigorous, employer-led, and impact-driven. This role sits within a senior leadership team responsible for sustaining excellence, managing risk, and future-proofing apprenticeship quality as provision continues to scale.
The Role
The Head of Apprenticeship Quality will provide strategic leadership across all apprenticeship programmes, ensuring outstanding quality, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement. This is a senior, trust-based leadership role with responsibility for safeguarding inspection outcomes, strengthening systems and processes, and enabling academic and professional services teams to deliver consistently high-performing provision. The post holder will act as a key point of assurance for apprenticeship quality, regulatory alignment, and employer confidence.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership for apprenticeship quality in line with the organisation’s Apprenticeship Strategy, Education Strategy, and long-term institutional plan
- Lead and maintain compliance with DfE, Ofsted, OfS, ESFA, and associated regulatory frameworks
- Oversee quality assurance, self-assessment, and continuous improvement planning across apprenticeship provision
- Support and challenge academic teams to deliver high-quality programmes with strong success rates and positive learner outcomes
- Build and sustain effective partnerships with employers, academic faculties, and professional services teams
- Embed robust systems and processes that reduce organisational risk and enhance the apprentice journey
- Prepare the organisation for inspection activity and ongoing regulatory scrutiny
- Lead, motivate, and develop teams responsible for quality, compliance, and assurance
About the Candidate
The successful candidate will bring senior-level experience in apprenticeship quality within a Higher Education or complex training environment. You will be confident operating at institutional level, influencing across faculties, and providing assurance to senior stakeholders. Experience of inspection frameworks and regulatory requirements is essential.
Essential experience includes:
- Senior leadership experience within apprenticeships, quality, or compliance
- In-depth knowledge of Ofsted, DfE, and OfS frameworks
- Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing teams
- Experience managing quality systems, self-assessment, and improvement planning
- Strong stakeholder management skills across academic, employer, and professional services settings
Desirable:
- Experience as an Ofsted Inspector or equivalent
- Recent, hands-on experience of HE apprenticeship provision
Working Arrangements
The organisation supports flexible and hybrid working arrangements, which can be discussed as part of the recruitment process. Reasonable adjustments are available throughout recruitment and employment.
Safeguarding Statement
This organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of learners and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The role is subject to appropriate pre-employment checks, including eligibility to work in the UK.
Requirements
- Apprenticeship quality leadership
- Higher education apprenticeships
- Ofsted frameworks
- OfS compliance
- DfE compliance
- ESFA funding rules
- Quality assurance systems
- Self-assessment report SAR
- Quality improvement plan QIP
- Inspection readiness
- Regulatory compliance
- Apprenticeship governance
- Employer engagement
- Academic stakeholder management
- Curriculum quality assurance
- Assessment and EPA oversight
- Learner journey improvement
- Risk management
- Safeguarding and prevent duty
- Continuous improvement
- Data-driven quality improvement
- Quality audits
- Programme assurance
- Staff performance management
- Leadership and team development
- HE quality frameworks
- Apprenticeship strategy delivery
Head of Apprenticeship Quality in Manchester employer: LT Selection
Contact Detail:
LT Selection Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Apprenticeship Quality in Manchester
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the organisation and its values. Tailor your answers to show how your experience aligns with their goals, especially around apprenticeship quality.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Do mock interviews with friends or use online platforms. The more comfortable you are speaking about your experience, the better you'll perform.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’ve got loads of resources to help you stand out, and applying directly shows your enthusiasm for the role.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Apprenticeship Quality in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your experience aligns with the key responsibilities and requirements of the Head of Apprenticeship Quality role. We want to see how you can bring your unique skills to our team!
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: Since this is a senior leadership position, don’t hold back on sharing examples of how you've successfully led teams in the past. We’re looking for someone who can inspire and motivate others, so let us know how you’ve done that!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so make sure your key achievements and experiences shine through without unnecessary fluff. We want to get to know the real you!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy – just follow the prompts!
How to prepare for a job interview at LT Selection
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you’re well-versed in the key responsibilities of the Head of Apprenticeship Quality role. Brush up on your knowledge of Ofsted, DfE, and OfS frameworks, as well as quality assurance systems. Being able to discuss these confidently will show that you’re serious about the position.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've led teams in the past, especially in high-pressure environments. Think about times when you’ve motivated a team or improved processes. This is a senior role, so demonstrating your leadership experience will be crucial.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Be ready to talk about your experience managing relationships with various stakeholders, including academic faculties and employers. Highlight specific instances where you’ve built effective partnerships or navigated complex stakeholder dynamics.
✨Prepare for Inspection Scenarios
Since this role involves preparing for inspections, think about how you would approach this task. Be prepared to discuss your strategies for ensuring compliance and quality assurance, and how you would handle any challenges that arise during the inspection process.
