Programme Manager - Additional Learning Support in Bedford

Location: Bedford College – Cauldwell Street Campus

Salary: Salary is between £41,086 and £47,971 per annum DOE and Qualifications, 27 days annual leave plus Bank holidays, People’s pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.

Hours: 37 hours per week – 52 weeks per year

Contract Type: Permanent – Full Time

Note: 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 an Additional Learning Support Programme Manager to join our Foundation Learning and Additional Learning Support department at The Bedford College Group.

As a Programme Manager, you play an important role in the success of our students through:

• EHCP Provision & Learner Outcomes: Lead the planning, delivery and review of EHCP support, ensuring Section F compliance and driving strong progress, independence, achievement and positive destinations.
• Quality Assurance & Compliance: Ensure ALS provision meets SEND Code of Practice and Ofsted expectations through robust QA processes, accurate record‑keeping, data‑led evaluation and continuous improvement.
• Leadership & Performance Management: Lead, manage and develop ALS staff, setting clear expectations, monitoring performance, addressing underperformance and promoting consistent high‑quality practice.
• Resources, Funding & Deployment: Oversee effective deployment of staff and High Needs funding, ensuring provision is accurately costed, financially compliant and delivers value for money.
• Partnership Working & College Impact: Work collaboratively with curriculum teams, Local Authorities and external agencies to embed inclusive practice, support SEND reforms and contribute to college‑wide priorities and events.

About You

• Qualifications & Professional Credibility: Degree or equivalent professional/industry experience with a recognised teaching qualification, GCSE English and maths, and a strong record of high performance.
• Leadership & Team Management: Proven experience leading and managing teams in Further Education, setting targets, monitoring performance and fostering a welcoming, high‑quality learning environment.
• Teaching Excellence & Quality Assurance: Successful teaching across multiple levels, with strong knowledge of FE quality assurance systems, curriculum improvement and the use of data and IT to enhance provision.
• Strategic Thinking & Collaboration: Quality‑focused and risk‑aware leader, able to align programmes to organisational goals, respond creatively to challenges and work collaboratively across departments.
• Professional Conduct & Compliance: Committed to safeguarding, equality, health & safety and professional standards, flexible to attend events, able to travel independently and represent the College positively at all times.

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

Interviews to be held: 01 June 2026

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 along side 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

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.