Director of Employability & Entrepreneurships in Cambridge

The Perse School Cambridge is one of the country’s leading independent co-educational day schools for children aged 3-18. Our aim is to be a leading employer of choice. This means we strive to be a school where staff say they are proud and excited to work, and feel valued, respected and motivated. We are committed to providing a very competitive salary and benefits scheme at the same time as offering a wide range of opportunities for personal and professional development. We want our staff to feel engaged and purposeful so that they, in turn, help pupils to be happy and successful.

The Role

The Perse School has an exciting new opportunity for a well-connected, creative and adaptable careers guidance specialist to lead the strategic development and delivery of the school’s Employability and Entrepreneurship education agendas. The Director of Employability and Entrepreneurships will ensure that all pupils develop the competencies, literacies, entrepreneurial mindsets and skills needed to thrive in the next stage of their education and/or the world of work. The postholder will provide institution-wide leadership on employability and entrepreneurship, ensuring that skills development, innovation and enterprise are woven through academic, pastoral and co-curricular programmes. They will make a significant contribution to the school’s careers provision, taking the lead on building meaningful partnerships with employers, universities and alumni (in collaboration with the Development office), and champion innovative, future-facing initiatives that enhance pupils’ readiness for life beyond school.

Person Specification

• Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Further qualification in education, careers guidance, management or leadership desirable.

• Proven experience in areas such as employability, talent management, careers education, skills development, innovation, recruitment (including graduate) and/or HR. This could be gained from an educational setting such as higher-education or from a wider range of businesses and sectors.
• Demonstrated experience helping to develop entrepreneurial mindsets, guiding others through the process of developing entrepreneurial ideas including mentoring on business planning, innovation methods and early-stage venture execution.
• The network of contacts and ability to leverage connections with influential businesses and industry leaders to enhance opportunities for our pupils, mentoring, enterprise initiatives and wider external engagement.
• Proven ability to create and implement strategic frameworks that embed employability, entrepreneurship and external partnerships across a complex organisation such as a school, university or large employer. Experience leading cross-functional projects through influence rather than line management, securing engagement and commitment from colleagues across different teams.
• Experience working with young people or in an educational environment desirable but not essential.

• Comprehensive understanding of career development approaches in industry, job search strategies, job market trends, employer relations, contemporary recruitment methodologies and use of technology in recruitment. This includes an in-depth understanding of the skills and behaviours that organisations are seeking and understanding their capability needs and future skills gaps.
• Strong understanding of employability frameworks, entrepreneurship education, innovation methodologies (e.g., design thinking, lean start-up), and careers guidance best practice (e.g., Gatsby Benchmarks, CDI Framework).
• Awareness of the evolving higher education landscape.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into actionable plans.
• Highly organised, data-literate and outcomes-focused.
• Confidence working with senior stakeholders, including governors, SLT and external partners.

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for The Perse School, please click apply to be redirected to our website to complete your application. Closing date: Monday 18th May at midday but applications will be considered as they are received; The Perse School reserves the right to make an appointment before the closing date. The School actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

Safer Recruitment

The Perse School recognises that an important element in safeguarding our pupils is a robust recruitment process that incorporates measures to deter, reject or identify people who might abuse children, or who are otherwise unsuited to work with them. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including: references from previous employers, a Disclosure and Barring Service check at the enhanced level, as well as eligibility to work in the UK (in compliance with UK immigration regulations). All work carried out at the School on a regular basis amounts to regulated activity. This role is also exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone's responsibility. The School is committed to acting in the best interests of the child so as to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. The School requires everyone who comes into contact with children and their families to share this commitment. Interviews will be conducted in person, and they will explore candidates’ suitability to work with children.