Assistant Principal – Bridge College, Openshaw, Manchester

As one of the UK’s best employers, we believe in putting people at the heart of everything we do. We are recruiting for an Assistant Principal to join our senior leadership team at Bridge College. Bridge College is the Together Trust’s specialist education college for students aged 16 to 25 with disabilities, autism and complex needs. The college promotes a multidisciplinary approach to learning and has expertise in supporting students with a wide range of needs.

The ideal candidate will undertake a range of senior leadership responsibilities to ensure students receive an excellent learning experience and achieve positive outcomes. They will also provide strategic and operational leadership, business development, community engagement and college improvement, supporting the continued development of Bridge College as a high quality specialist further education provider.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Support the Principal in shaping, communicating and implementing the strategic vision, priorities and improvement agenda for the college and the wider Trust.
• Uphold and model the college’s and Trust’s principles, policies, aims and values.
• Sustain and develop Bridge College as an inclusive, student-focused organisation and an effective learning environment where learner voice is heard, valued and acted upon.
• Contribute to annual business and improvement planning, ensuring that priorities are informed by learner need, quality assurance evidence, operational performance and available resources.
• Promote high expectations and ensure effective multidisciplinary working to enable students to overcome barriers to learning and make strong and sustained progress.
• Monitor and evaluate the impact of teaching, learning, support and wider curriculum provision on learner outcomes, and use this analysis to inform improvement priorities and interventions.
• Work with the Principal and senior leaders to ensure the college remains accountable to students, families, governors, commissioners, local authorities, the Department for Education and other stakeholders.
• Work closely with the Governing Body and its committees, attending meetings and reporting on progress against agreed priorities, performance indicators and areas for development.
• Be a visible and positive role model, treating all colleagues and stakeholders fairly, equitably and with dignity and respect, and promoting a positive and inclusive culture.
• Lead, motivate, support and develop staff through effective supervision, appraisal, mentoring and continuing professional development.
• Build leadership capacity across the college by coaching current and aspiring leaders and supporting succession planning and talent development.
• Take responsibility for personal professional development and remain up to date with policy, legislation, guidance and best practice relevant to the role.
• Lead and manage business, community engagement and college improvement functions across the college, including line management of staff and teams within these areas.
• Contribute to strategic service planning and lead on the development, implementation and review of related improvement priorities, ensuring that activity is evidence‑based, outcome‑focused and aligned to the college and Trust strategic plans.
• Establish, implement and monitor short, medium and long‑term plans to improve learner achievement, retention, progression, quality of provision and operational effectiveness, including the annual Quality Improvement Plan.

What we are looking for:

Essentials:

• A degree or relevant professional qualification in education or a related field.
• Qualified teacher/lecturer status QTS/QTLS.
• Management or leadership qualification appropriate to a post operating at this level.
• Evidence of continuous professional development relevant to SEND, leadership, safeguarding and quality improvement.
• Teaching experience within SEND.
• Senior leadership or management experience within an education setting with SEND responsibilities.
• Experience of strategic planning, service development and leading quality improvement in an education or specialist provision setting.
• Experience of safeguarding and safe learner concepts and leading in complex or high‑risk situations.
• Experience of preparing evidence and documentation for inspection, audit or formal review processes.
• Experience of line management, supervision, appraisal and staff development.
• Experience of health and safety management ranging from operational practice to strategic oversight.
• Experience of community projects, partnership working and initiatives that lead to whole‑college development.
• Experience of writing reports to support funding applications.

Desirables:

• Postgraduate qualification in leadership, management, SEND, disability studies, education or a related discipline.
• Experience of successfully leading the implementation of a new development or strategic initiative.
• Experience of leading whole‑college initiatives.
• Experience of working with external agencies to enhance provision.
• Understanding of the DFE funding model and practical experience working with LA’s.

Why Join Together Trust?

• Generous pension scheme and death in service benefit, up to 7% company pension contributions initially rising with length of service and up to 6 × basic salary death in service benefit.
• Occupational sick pay and family‑friendly policies including enhanced maternity, paternity and adoptive leave.
• Reward and discount platform offering discounts at high‑street shops, travel, insurances etc.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Eligibility to apply for Blue Light card.
• Proud to be a real living wage employer.
• Refer a friend scheme, be rewarded for recommending a friend to work with us.
• Comprehensive training and development opportunities, including apprenticeship qualifications.
• Long service awards including cash gifts and extra holiday.
• Promotion of wellbeing across the organisation including Mental Health First Aiders offering wellbeing support from trained colleague and free weekly yoga session in person or online.
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme for you and adults at your home.
• Inclusive networks for colleagues to join if they would like to (Disability & Neurodiversity Action group, Race Equality Network, Proud Together (LGBTQ+ group), Together for Men, Women Together).

Together we make a difference, develop and learn, and support each other. Every day with us is different, but our mission remains the same: to champion the rights, needs and ambitions of the people we support – they are at the heart of everything we do. We stand by them and we work together for change. The Together Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the people we support and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This role will involve regulated activity. We welcome applications from individuals who have the right to work in the UK. Currently, we are not providing sponsorship for overseas staff. Applications are welcome from all regardless of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, race, sex, sexual orientation, trans status or socio‑economic background. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments for disabled people and positively encourage applications from those with lived experience.

Vacancy status: We may remove this vacancy prior to the expiry date if a suitable candidate is found so early applications are encouraged. If there is any part of your lived experience you would prefer to keep confidential, please speak to the Recruitment or HR Shared Services teams and we will do what we can to support you.