Head of Quality

Head of Quality – Apprenticeships
Salary: £60,000 – £70,000
Location: Remote / Hybrid with regular UK travel
Key locations: Peterborough, Derby & Wakefield
 
We’re recruiting for a Head of Quality & Compliance to take ownership of quality across a group of three established training providers operating within technical and vocational sectors.
 
This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced apprenticeship quality professional who wants a genuinely influential role – working directly with senior leadership to shape quality strategy, strengthen delivery and ensure the businesses remain continuously Ofsted-ready.
 
This isn’t a role for someone who wants to manage quality purely from behind a desk.We’re looking for somebody who understands both quality and apprenticeship operations, can get underneath what’s happening within delivery teams and has the credibility and confidence to challenge, coach and influence people across multiple businesses.
 
The role
You’ll have group-wide responsibility for quality and compliance across three separate training providers, supporting apprentices alongside significant commercial training provision.
 
Your remit will include:

• Leading the quality strategy across all three training businesses
• Owning and driving the SAR and QIP
• Leading organisational Ofsted readiness and inspection preparation
• Conducting deep dives, quality reviews and themed audits
• Monitoring achievement, retention, learner progress and other key quality measures
• Ensuring compliance with apprenticeship funding rules and regulatory requirements
• Maintaining robust IQA and EQA processes
• Developing and coaching trainers, assessors and delivery teams
• Driving observations of teaching, learning and assessment
• Improving standardisation and consistency across the group
• Supporting safeguarding, Prevent and wider compliance activity
• Providing quality and performance reporting to senior leadership and governance
• Helping integrate quality standards and processes across three historically separate businesses
• Managing and supporting a small quality/IQA team

Who we’re looking for
We’re particularly interested in somebody with:

• Strong quality leadership experience within apprenticeships
• A strong understanding of apprenticeship delivery and operations – not just quality assurance
• Significant experience preparing for and supporting Ofsted inspections
• Previous experience as an Ofsted nominee, deputy nominee or someone who has worked very closely alongside the nominee
• Strong knowledge of the EIF/inspection environment, SAR, QIP and quality improvement
• Good understanding of apprenticeship funding rules and compliance
• Experience of IQA, teaching and learning observations and quality improvement activity
• The confidence to challenge senior stakeholders and drive change
• A hands-on mentality – somebody comfortable getting into the detail rather than operating purely strategically
• The ability to work across multiple businesses and bring people together around a consistent quality approach

You might already be operating as a Head of Quality, Head of Quality & Compliance or Quality Director.
 
Equally, we’d be very interested in speaking with an ambitious Quality Manager, Senior Quality Manager or Deputy Head of Quality who has strong Ofsted exposure and feels ready to step into their first group-level leadership role.
 
Why consider it?
The three businesses are established within their respective technical sectors and have a strong platform from which to grow their apprenticeship provision.
You’ll work closely with an experienced and supportive senior leadership team, but you’ll also be given the autonomy to put your own stamp on quality across the group.
 
It’s a busy, hands-on role with plenty to get stuck into – and a genuine opportunity to shape how three businesses approach quality, compliance and apprenticeship delivery going forward.
 
Salary: £60,000 – £70,000 depending on experience.
 
The role offers significant flexibility around diary management and home working, but regular travel is an important part of the position, particularly to sites around Peterborough, Derby and Wakefield.