Head of Skills and Programmes in Brighton

Contract type: Fixed term 1st Sept 2026 to 31 March 2027. We expect the role to extend and grow: we are actively bidding for Skills Bootcamp contracts in further regions and building a commercial training portfolio where this role leads curriculum and quality.

Hours: 0.6 FTE (21 hours per week), worked flexibly across the week by agreement. The shape of the week flexes with delivery: heavier around launch, observations and inspection points, lighter in between.

Salary: £60,000 to £65,000 FTE (£36,000 to £39,000 at 0.6 FTE), depending on experience.

Location: Hybrid, with regular in-person days in Brighton and at our Sussex delivery venues.

Reports to: Founder Director.

Responsible for: Bootcamp delivery team: tutors, facilitators, Learner Success Managers and careers/mindset specialists.

Deadline: Monday 27 July, 9am. Interviews: Thursday 30 July (please hold the date; shortlisted candidates will be sent our Wave 6 SAR and QIP to assess ahead of interview).

THE ROLE

As Head of Skills and Programmes, you will lead the quality, curriculum and learner experience across TechNative's portfolio of government-funded Skills Bootcamps, and hold curriculum and quality standards across our growing commercial training line. You will bring a deep understanding of Ofsted's Education Inspection Framework (EIF) and public funding requirements, ensuring our provision not only meets compliance standards but sets the benchmark for excellence in delivery and learner progression.

The role is ideal for an experienced professional from an independent training provider (ITP) or adult skills organisation who understands how to combine funding compliance, quality assurance and innovation in teaching, and who wants genuine breadth: hands-on in running rigorous quality systems, leading the delivery team, and quality-assuring commercial programmes from curriculum through to delivery.

You will line-manage the delivery and support team, act (or train to act) as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), and work closely with the Founder Director and Operations Manager. This is a role designed to grow. We are open that the contracted term is fixed to March 2027: the trajectory is expansion, and we are looking for someone who sees the opportunity in building that with us.

TechNative Digital delivers employer-led Skills Bootcamps and innovation programmes that connect people, education and industry to close the digital skills gap across Sussex and beyond. Our last wave exceeded its targets for completion and progression. Our relationship with learners does not end at the completion of their training. Alongside every bootcamp runs a shared careers programme, our Tech Talent Network connecting graduates to employers for roles and paid project work, and a shared end-of-programme showcase where learners present real work to employers. Progression is not just a KPI; it is our purpose.

WHAT THIS YEAR LOOKS LIKE

This autumn we deliver Wave 7: five Skills Bootcamps, around 128 learners, launching in a single September to November block for Brighton & Hove City Council and East Sussex County Council: AI and Digital Analytics for Business (ESCC, 22 learners), Business Management (ESCC, 14), Microsoft 365 Essentials and Beyond (BHCC, 34 across two cohorts), Software Development (BHCC, 24), and Leadership and Management with Be More Pirate (BHCC, 34 across two cohorts). All programmes are 10-week, project-based courses built around real work: live briefs, employer panels and portfolio outputs. Every cohort feeds into one shared Christmas showcase with employers in the room. Teaching runs September to November; from January the focus shifts to progression and outcome evidence, careers clinics for our graduates, and employer-facing CPD work through our Tech Talent Champions programme, helping businesses establish CPD routes and assess how they train and develop their teams.

You will walk into strong foundations built over summer 2026: curriculum frameworks and schemes of work for all five programmes, a lesson-plan approval process, safeguarding induction, and an Ofsted readiness plan. Your job is to run them, improve them and be accountable for them through delivery and an expected early Ofsted monitoring visit. Your team includes two Learner Success Managers, a bench of practitioner tutors, and specialist careers and mindset coaches, with central operations, compliance and data held by our Operations Manager.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Strategic and delivery leadership. Lead delivery and growth across all five Wave 7 programmes, from September launch through to progression outcomes.
• Monitor KPIs across teaching, learning, completion and progression against commissioner contract requirements, implementing improvement actions where performance falls below target.
• Use learner, employer and staff feedback, performance data and observations to drive continuous quality improvement.
• Maintain inspection readiness throughout, with staff, evidence and documentation inspection-ready at all times.
• Contribute to strategic planning for new subject areas, regional bids and partnerships.

Curriculum, teaching and quality assurance.

• Own the quality cycle: self-assessment (SAR), the Quality Improvement Plan, lesson-plan approval, and teaching observations with feedback and action planning.
• Chair the monthly quality review; ensure intent, implementation and impact are clearly evidenced.
• Embed RARPA and the Ofsted EIF across delivery, and oversee curriculum iteration with tutors to maintain industry relevance and employability focus.
• Provide oversight of the safe, ethical and effective use of AI within curriculum, teaching and assessment.

Learner outcomes and progression.

• Lead the use of Individual Learning Plans with early-warning monitoring and timely intervention.
• Own milestone achievement across the funding model, ensuring progression evidence is robust and auditable.
• Hold the careers spine, Tech Talent Network and shared showcase to standard.
• From January, run careers clinics and lead employer CPD assessments through the Tech Talent Champions programme.

Safeguarding and compliance.

• Act (or train to act) as DSL, ensuring all statutory safeguarding and Prevent duties are met and leading safeguarding culture and training across the delivery team.
• Guarantee compliance with Ofsted, DfE and local authority requirements.
• Lead quality and performance reporting to commissioners, prepare staff to speak confidently at inspection, and maintain the delivery risk register.

Team leadership.

• Line-manage tutors, facilitators and Learner Success Managers with clear objectives and accountability.
• Run the weekly teaching and curriculum planning rhythm; provide coaching, mentoring and CPD.
• Represent TechNative at showcases, employer panels and sector forums.

Commercial programmes and growth.

• Own commercial curriculum quality and delivery standards across our AI training courses and partnerships, quality-assuring partner-delivered provision against the TechNative standard.
• Support bids and tenders for new bootcamp contracts.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Essential: demonstrable experience managing funded training provision, Skills Bootcamps or adult learning programmes in an ITP, college or adult skills setting; a proven track record through Ofsted inspection with in-depth understanding of quality frameworks (RARPA, Ofsted EIF, public funding rules); experience leading and developing teaching teams; experience embedding careers and employability into curriculum; confidence applying safeguarding, Prevent and inclusive learning principles; and excellent project management and communication skills with a right-first-time mentality.

Desirable: commercial instinct for shaping and quality-assuring paid training; curriculum design for adult learners with measurable outcomes; familiarity with digital skills funding streams; a recognised teaching qualification and Level 3 DSL certificate (or willingness to complete); employer engagement experience.

You are hands-on and versatile, comfortable moving between strategic planning and direct engagement in delivery; exceptional on detail, accuracy and compliance; enthusiastic about using digital and AI tools to improve teaching and organisational efficiency; and an inspirational leader who builds trust. Strong working chemistry with a creative, driven and ambitious Founder Director will be important, as will a growth mindset.

WORKING CULTURE AND BENEFITS

Hybrid working with regular collaboration days in Brighton; flexible hours and an outcome-focused, supportive culture; structured CPD, mentoring and progression opportunities; and genuine influence in shaping a fast-growing training provider where progression and quality are at the heart of everything we do.

WE WELCOME DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES

We actively encourage applications from people underrepresented in leadership in further education and the digital sector, including women, Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ professionals and disabled people. Great leaders come from many routes: if you have the essential experience but don't meet every single requirement, we'd still love to hear from you.

SAFEGUARDING

TechNative is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of learners. All staff are expected to share this commitment. Appointments are subject to pre-employment checks including enhanced DBS (where appropriate), right to work in the UK, verification of identity and qualifications, and satisfactory references.