At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and inspire a team to transform educational outcomes for learners across multiple college sites.
- Company: Salutem Care and Education, a top employer dedicated to specialist education and care.
- Benefits: Influential leadership role, professional development, and the chance to make a real impact.
- Other info: Flexible multi-site role with opportunities for collaboration and innovation.
- Why this job: Shape futures and empower learners to achieve their full potential in a supportive environment.
- Qualifications: Senior leadership experience in further education and a commitment to educational excellence.
The predicted salary is between 75000 - 100000 £ per year.
About The Company
At Salutem Care and Education, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to live the life they choose. As one of the UK's leading providers of specialist care, education, and support services, we deliver life-changing outcomes for children, young people, and adults across England and Wales. From residential care and supported living services to schools and colleges, our teams work every day to help individuals achieve their ambitions, maximise their independence, and realise their potential.
We are proud to be recognised as a Top Employer United Kingdom 2026 and one of the Top 10 Global Inspiring Workplaces 2026—a reflection of our commitment to creating an environment where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive.
About The Role
We are seeking an exceptional educational leader to join our Education Senior Leadership Team as Director of Colleges, providing strategic leadership across our growing group of six specialist college sites. This is a rare opportunity to influence the lives of hundreds of young people and adults, lead talented College Principals, and shape an ambitious further education strategy that delivers outstanding outcomes, exceptional learner experiences, and sector-leading practice.
As Director of Colleges, you will be at the forefront of driving quality, innovation, and continuous improvement across our college provision. Working closely with the Director of Schools, Director of Safeguarding, Director of Care, and wider Executive Team, you will ensure a seamless learner journey from school through to further education, creating meaningful pathways that empower learners to achieve their full potential.
Why This Role Matters
Our colleges play a vital role in preparing learners for adulthood, employment, independence, and lifelong success. We are ambitious about what our learners can achieve and equally ambitious about the quality of education we provide. As Director of Colleges, you will lead that ambition. You will inspire and develop a team of College Principals, drive exceptional educational standards, and create a culture where excellence, inclusion, and learner success are at the heart of every decision.
This is more than an operational leadership role. It is an opportunity to shape strategy, influence organisational direction, and leave a lasting legacy across multiple sites.
What You'll Be Responsible For
- Strategic Leadership
- Developing and delivering an ambitious vision for our college provision.
- Contributing to organisational strategy as a key member of the Education Senior Leadership Team.
- Creating strong alignment between schools and colleges to ensure clear progression pathways for learners.
- Quality and Improvement
- Driving excellence in teaching, learning, assessment, and learner outcomes.
- Leading quality assurance, self-assessment, and improvement planning across all college sites.
- Ensuring outstanding preparation for Ofsted inspections and embedding a culture of continuous improvement.
- Using performance data to drive measurable improvements in achievement, retention, attendance, and progression.
- Leadership and Culture
- Providing inspirational leadership, support, and challenge to College Principals and senior leaders.
- Building leadership capacity, succession planning, and talent development across the college group.
- Fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and high performance.
- Partnership Working
- Working closely with colleagues across education, care, safeguarding, and support services.
- Building strong relationships with employers, local authorities, external partners, and regulatory bodies.
- Representing the organisation confidently within the wider education sector.
About You
You are an accomplished senior leader with significant experience in further education or multi-site educational provision. You have a proven track record of improving educational outcomes, leading successful quality improvement programmes, and navigating organisations through Ofsted inspections with confidence and credibility.
You will bring:
- Significant senior leadership experience within further education.
- Deep knowledge of the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework.
- Experience leading quality improvement and driving measurable outcomes.
- Strong strategic thinking combined with operational excellence.
- Outstanding leadership, influencing, and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Experience managing senior leaders within complex organisations.
- A commitment to inclusion, learner success, and educational excellence.
Essential Qualifications
- PGCE or equivalent teaching qualification.
Desirable Qualifications
- SENCO qualification.
- NPQH or equivalent leadership qualification.
What We Offer
- A highly influential leadership role with genuine organisational impact.
- The opportunity to shape and develop a growing college provision.
- A collaborative and values-driven Executive and Senior Leadership Team.
- The chance to improve life outcomes for learners every day.
- Professional autonomy alongside strong organisational support.
- Ongoing leadership development opportunities.
Location
This is a multi-site leadership role requiring regular travel across our six college locations. Flexibility is essential, including occasional early morning, evening, and off-site meetings.
Join Us
If you are an ambitious and inspirational education leader who believes every learner deserves the opportunity to thrive, we would love to hear from you. Together, we can create exceptional educational experiences and life-changing opportunities for the learners we serve.
Safeguarding Commitment
At Salutem Care and Education, safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to protecting and promoting the welfare of the children, young people, and adults we support, and we expect all colleagues to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to robust safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (including relevant barred list checks where applicable), satisfactory references, and any other pre-employment checks required for the role. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates who share our values and commitment to making a positive difference.
Director of Colleges in London employer: Salutem LD Bidco Ltd/ Salutem LD Bidco II Ltd/ Sal
At Salutem Care and Education, we pride ourselves on being a Top Employer in the UK, fostering a supportive and empowering work culture that prioritises employee growth and development. As a Director of Colleges, you will have the unique opportunity to lead and inspire a dedicated team across multiple sites, driving excellence in education while making a meaningful impact on the lives of learners. Our commitment to inclusion and continuous improvement ensures that every employee feels valued and has the chance to thrive in their career.
Contact Details:
Salutem LD Bidco Ltd/ Salutem LD Bidco II Ltd/ Sal Recruitment Team
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