Group Head - Wellbeing and Student Mental Health Support in Bedford

Location: Multi-Site – Role will be based across all campuses

Salary/Benefits: Salary is between £47,972 and £62,099 per annum DOE and Qualifications, 35 days annual leave plus Bank holidays, Local Government Pension Scheme, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.

Hours/Weeks: 37 hours per week – 52 weeks per year

Contract Type: Permanent – Full Time

This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have the Right to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.

About The Role

We are currently seeking a Group Head in Wellbeing and Student Mental Health Support to join our Student Services department at The Bedford College Group. As a Group Head, you play an important role in the success of our students through the following responsibilities:

• Strategic Mental Health Leadership – Lead the development, implementation and continual enhancement of a whole‑college mental health and wellbeing strategy, ensuring a proactive, trauma‑informed and inclusive approach across all campuses.
• Operational Oversight & Service Management – Oversee wellbeing services, early help and intervention pathways, crisis response, risk assessments and case management systems, ensuring safe, timely and compliant support for vulnerable students.
• Collaboration, Partnerships & External Liaison – Build strong relationships with CAMHS, mental health services, social care, local authorities and external organisations, representing the College at multi‑agency meetings and coordinating holistic support.
• Training, Staff Development & Wellbeing Culture – Design and deliver mental health and trauma‑informed training for staff, support curriculum teams, provide reflective practice opportunities and embed wellbeing within the learning environment.
• Quality, Governance & Compliance – Monitor wellbeing data, drive continuous improvement, lead quality assurance, maintain policies, ensure regulatory compliance (KCSIE, Prevent, GDPR) and uphold safeguarding, EDI, health & safety and training responsibilities.

About You

• Qualifications & Professional Expertise – Level 5 (or equivalent) in mental health, wellbeing or a related field, or substantial managerial experience, supported by a solid general education including English and Maths.
• Mental Health & Wellbeing Experience – At least three years’ experience delivering mental health/wellbeing support, working with children, young people and vulnerable adults, and handling sensitive or confidential information.
• Leadership, Partnership Working & Multi‑Agency Practice – Experienced in managing peripatetic or multi‑site teams, collaborating with external agencies, completing referrals and supporting directorate‑wide wellbeing objectives.
• Interpersonal, Creative & Professional Skills – Excellent people skills, strong relationship‑building ability, calm and professional handling of sensitive issues, and a creative approach to developing life skills and wellbeing provision.
• IT, Record‑Keeping & Mobility – Strong IT capability (Word, Excel, databases, CPOMS), excellent record‑keeping and willingness to travel across sites weekly as required.

For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.

Interviews & Selection

Interviews to be held: TBC

Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisational VISION values:

• Valuing Teamwork – We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
• Improving Continuously – We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
• Student Centred – At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
• Inclusive – We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
• Open and Caring – We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
• Nurturing Education Excellence – We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.

About The Bedford College Group

The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year. Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community‑based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.

Safeguarding our Students

The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy. Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.