Job Description
Director of Employability & Entrepreneurship
Location: Cambridge
Working Pattern: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week (Term-time only)
Salary: £47,308 per annum (FTE £60,000)
The Opportunity
We are partnering with a prestigious, future-thinking independent school to appoint a Director of Employability & Entrepreneurship. This is a newly created, strategic leadership role designed for a high-calibre professional who can bridge the gap between elite education and the rapidly evolving global economy.
Rather than a traditional careers role, this is an invitation to design and deliver a whole-school agenda that weaves entrepreneurial mindsets and "real-world" competencies into the very fabric of the curriculum. You will empower pupils to not only navigate the next stage of their education but to thrive as innovators in the world of work.
About the Setting
Located in the heart of Cambridge, this historic co-educational day school balances a 400-year legacy with state-of-the-art innovation. The setting is academic and ambitious, yet deeply committed to holistic pastoral care. With world-class facilities - including a brand-new performing arts centre and elite sports complex - the school provides an industrious and fun environment where staff are valued as the institution's greatest asset.
Day-to-Day Responsibilities
* Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement a whole-school strategy to embed employability and enterprise across academic and pastoral programmes.
* Partnership Building: Create and leverage a high-level network of alumni and industry leaders to secure internships, mentoring, and "real-world" challenges for pupils.
* Entrepreneurship Education: Design initiatives that allow students to explore business planning, social enterprise, and innovation methodologies like Design Thinking.
* Careers Guidance: Ensure compliance with Gatsby Benchmarks while providing professional guidance on modern recruitment trends and graduate market shifts.
* Reporting: Produce data-driven impact reports for the Senior Leadership Team and Governors to measure student outcomes and engagement.
What We Are Looking For
* Qualifications: Educated to degree level; a further qualification in careers guidance or management is desirable.
* Expertise: Proven experience in talent management, recruitment (especially graduate level), or HR. You do not need to have worked in a school, but you must understand the skills gaps employers are facing today.
* Characteristics: An innovative, "future-facing" thinker with the emotional intelligence to lead through influence rather than just line management.
* Transport: The site offers free parking and is a 25-minute walk from Cambridge train station.
Safeguarding & Compliance
The successful candidate will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check and provide a full, gap-free CV history. This role involves regulated activity and is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.