Head of AI and Digital Innovation
Hours: Full time (37 hours each week, all year round)
Duration: Permanent
Salary: £52,129 a year + benefits
Location: Cross college role (Rotherham, Dearne Valley and North Notts College’s including University Centre Rotherham)
About the Role
The Head of AI and Digital Innovation will play a key role in delivering our ambitious digital strategy. Working with the Director of IT and Digital, you will help lead digital growth and innovation, providing inspirational leadership to ensure the College meets the needs of staff, students, employers, and partners in a rapidly changing digital landscape.
As a proud Google Reference College, you will be the architect of an ecosystem. You will leverage the full power of the Google Workspace for Education Plus suite and Gemini AI to reduce staff workload, dismantle barriers to learning, and provide our students with the high-level digital fluency required for the 21st‑century workforce.
You will promote excellence in teaching, learning, and assessment through blended and digital approaches, supporting teaching staff to develop a high‑quality, future‑ready curriculum. By setting a bold vision and challenging traditional methods, you will inspire staff development and drive strategic aims.
You will also drive the adoption of immersive classroom technologies and support staff in developing digital literacy skills to enhance educational delivery.
While the wider IT department maintains the network and hardware, this role "owns" the digital transformation of the user experience. The successful candidate will navigate the ethical implications of AI while ensuring digital inclusion across a diverse community.
Responsibilities
* Lead digital transformation and AI integration within an educational or corporate setting.
* Manage and develop high‑performing technical or pedagogical teams, such as TEL Specialists.
* Drive the adoption of immersive classroom technologies and support staff in developing digital literacy skills.
* Promote excellence in teaching, learning, and assessment through blended and digital approaches, supporting teaching staff to develop a high‑quality, future‑ready curriculum.
* Own the digital transformation of the user experience, navigating the ethical implications of AI and ensuring digital inclusion.
* Act as a high‑level consultant to Curriculum Leads, translating complex technological advancements into practical classroom applications that align with the Director’s overarching digital vision.
Requirements
* Proven experience in leading digital transformation or AI integration within an educational or corporate setting.
* Experience managing and developing high‑performing technical or pedagogical teams, such as TEL Specialists.
* Experience in curriculum design or modernising teaching through blended and immersive learning (VR/AR).
* Professional experience in AI, Project Management, or Educational Technology.
* Level 2 (or equivalent) qualification in English and Maths (or willingness to undertake).
* A master’s degree in Educational Technology, AI for Business Leadership, or a similar field.
* Teaching/Training qualification (e.g. PGCE, CertEd or Level 3 AET) or willingness to work towards.
Benefits
* Access to a local government pension scheme (employer contributions from 17.7% to 23.68%).
* Up to 44 days annual leave per year, including closure during Christmas period.
* Access to gyms, restaurants and salons.
* Staff health & wellbeing and benefits schemes, including an in‑house Occupational Health service.
* Extensive wellbeing support through a digital Wellbeing Hub that offers a broad range of support for physical, mental, and financial wellbeing.
* Full, part‑time and flexible working hours available in many roles.
* Free parking available at all of our sites.
* Excellent career development opportunities, including funding for teacher training, apprenticeships and other industry‑recognised qualifications.
* New FE teachers can apply for grants up to £6,000 in STEM subjects (conditions apply) through the teacher retention initiative.
* Recruitment referral scheme for all employees, worth £200 per referral made.
Department Info
The Head of AI and Digital Innovation serves as a vital strategic bridge between technical infrastructure and academic excellence, reporting directly to the Director of IT and Digital who sits within the Senior Leadership Team (SLT). This reporting line ensures that digital innovation is at the heart of the Group’s executive decision‑making.
Operating within the IT and Digital leadership tier, the postholder moves beyond traditional IT support to lead a specialised team of Digital & Technology specialists.
About RNN Group
RNN Group’s main goal is to be an ‘outstanding’ education and training provider and this is at the heart of everything that we do. To help us achieve this we are looking to recruit highly motivated, innovative and dynamic individuals to join our existing teams. We are committed to our values:
* We are Inclusive.
* We have Integrity.
* We Deliver.
* We are One Team.
We are OFSTED ‘Good’ (November 2022) and celebrate diversity, being proud to have been recognised as Investors in Diversity for our commitment to the FREDIE (Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement) Model. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, faith or disability. We are also proud to be part of the Disability Confidence Scheme and offer reasonable adjustments to all applicants throughout the recruitment process.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, vulnerable adults and young people. All new employees will be required to undertake a DBS check and other associated checks in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education Guidance.
The Group’s core operating hours are 8.30 am – 5.00 pm (9 pm on a Tuesday and Thursday during term time). You may be expected to work at any time during these hours to ensure business needs are met.
All candidates must have the legal right to work in the UK.
Closing date: Monday 30 March 2026 – if you are shortlisted for this post, you will be contacted within a week of the closing date.
Provisional interview date: 13 April 2026
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