DescriptionEmployerLocation
About Education Partnership North East (EPNE)
At EPNE our ‘purpose’ is our north star. It is what we expect of ourselves every single day and why we ask all staff to keep our purpose front and centre in all that they do.
Our Purpose is to “unlock potential, create opportunities, and transform lives through outstanding education, skills and training”. Rooted in our transformative power, it communicates our work in tackling inequalities, removing barriers, and improving the life chances of the people and communities we serve.
We nurture our very special culture. Our unifying values framework “The actions we take the choices we make - The actions I take the choices I make” represent the character of our college group, and are grounded in the belief that every action, by every individual, contributes to our success. This why we encourage empowered individuals, personal accountability and growth.
Building on our remarkable past, creativity and pioneering spirit, we are moving forward with courage into the future, improving what we do, remaining action-orientated, and innovating to make an exceptional difference for the world we live in. Shaping futures for a better tomorrow, join our changemaking community now.
About the Candidate
We’re looking for a courageous and authentic leader who puts students first and leads with empathy, integrity and purpose. Respectful and inclusive in their approach, they will build trust, listen to student and staff voice, and work collaboratively to remove barriers and strengthen belonging. Driven by excellence, they will inspire teams to innovate, take action and deliver real impact—acting as a visible changemaker who turns our values into improved experiences, outcomes and stronger communities for all students.
About the Role
This is a high‑impact leadership role, offering the opportunity to shape and deliver a consistently outstanding student experience across Sunderland College and Hartlepool Sixth Form. It’s a great opportunity for an ambitious leader to influence culture, lead meaningful change and make a visible difference to students’ lives at scale. The role offers significant professional growth through cross‑college leadership, sector engagement, safeguarding leadership and close working with senior leaders. You’ll also work with modern digital communication tools, data‑driven insight, and Microsoft 365 platforms to enhance engagement, collaboration and continuous improvement across the student journey.
Role Responsibilities
1. Provide visible, values‑led leadership for Student Services, ensuring a consistent, inclusive and high‑quality student experience across campuses.
2. Lead and support multidisciplinary teams, setting clear priorities, coaching staff and promoting a strong culture of wellbeing, safeguarding and accountability.
3. Work closely with senior leaders, curriculum teams, parents and external partners to remove barriers, strengthen belonging and improve student outcomes.
4. Champion student voice and engagement, using insight and data to shape initiatives, events and improvements across the student journey.
5. Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, ensuring robust practice, compliance and a safe, supportive environment for all students.
6. Monitor performance, manage resources and drive continuous improvement through effective planning, reporting and use of digital tools.
Qualifications
7. Educated to degree level or equivalent, or able to demonstrate significant relevant professional experience
8. Leadership and Management qualification at Level 3 or above, or a willingness to work towards this
9. GCSE English and Maths at Grade A–C* (or equivalent)
10. Evidence of ongoing continuous professional development (CPD)
11. Safeguarding qualification at Level 3, or a minimum of Level 2 with a commitment to achieve Level 3
Essential Skills & Experience
12. Proven leadership experience managing teams and services, with a track record of delivering improvement and developing staff performance.
13. Strong experience of student support and pastoral care in a post‑16 (or equivalent) education setting, with a clear student‑centred approach.
14. Demonstrable safeguarding experience, including the ability to manage complex, sensitive issues and promote a strong culture of student welfare and safety.
15. Ability to work collaboratively and influence effectively across departments and with external partners to achieve shared outcomes.
16. Experience using data and insight to drive improvement, inform decision‑making and evaluate impact on student outcomes.
17. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the emotional intelligence to build trust, lead change and engage confidently with students, staff and stakeholders
Safeguarding Statement
Education Partnership North East is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We particularly welcome applications from under represented groups including ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.