Join Colchester Institute – Where Your Career Makes a Difference
At Colchester Institute, we believe in the power of education to transform lives and communities. As one of the region's leading providers of education and training, we are proud to offer a dynamic, supportive and forward-thinking working environment where staff can thrive and make meaningful change.
Our values: Inclusive, Collaborative, Respectful, Ambitious, Honest, and Safe are more than words; they define who we are and guide every decision we make. As we continue to grow in scale, reach, and reputation, we are proud to be expanding our Senior Leadership Team.
This is a pivotal senior leadership role with the opportunity to shape the future of the Braintree Campus and lead the College's Advanced Technology provision. The Assistant Principal will drive high quality, employer responsive education that delivers strong learner outcomes, supports progression, and meets the skills needs of local and regional economies.
As a visible and values led leader, you will build an ambitious, inclusive campus culture and develop a future focused technical curriculum aligned to employer demand, apprenticeships and major growth priorities. Working closely with employers, partners and internal teams, you will strengthen industry engagement, grow provision and ensure learners are equipped with the skills needed to succeed in a rapidly changing workforce.
This role offers the chance to make a lasting impact on learners, staff and communities, while contributing at a senior level to the strategic direction and success of the College.
Job Title: Assistant Principal: Braintree Campus and Advanced Technology
About the role:
The Assistant Principal will provide senior strategic leadership for the Braintree Campus and for the College's Advanced Technology provision. The role will ensure the delivery of high-quality, employer-responsive education that enables learners to achieve strong outcomes, progress successfully, and contribute to local and regional economic growth. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the postholder will champion an ambitious, inclusive and aspirational culture focused on excellence, growth and an outstanding student experience.
Key Responsibilities Include:
Provide strategic leadership for the Braintree Campus, delivering targets for growth, quality, achievement and progression through visible, inclusive and aspirational leadership.
Ensure the curriculum across all provision types (including 16–19, Adult, Apprenticeships, Bootcamps and Full Cost) is responsive to local skills needs, employer demand and community priorities, underpinned by strong employer and stakeholder partnerships.
Lead the College's Advanced Technology provision, shaping a future-focused technical curriculum aligned to employer demand, skills priorities and growth infrastructure.
Work collaboratively with internal teams and external partners to ensure high-quality, sustainable programmes with appropriate specialist resources and industry engagement.
In conjunction with the Assistant Principal for Adults and Community Projects ensure targets for adult participation, skills development and lifelong learning outcomes are met or exceeded.
Act as an effective member of the Senior Leadership Team, promoting continuous improvement, inclusion, compliance and strong external representation.
Essential Experience:
Extensive experience of curriculum leadership in an FE environment, with a strong record of delivering high performance and improvement.
Proven ability to plan and deliver responsive curricula aligned to learner, employer and stakeholder needs, informed by LMI and performance data.
Strong understanding of post-16 education, including Study Programmes, apprenticeships, funding and quality requirements, with the ability to lead effective change.
Experience of line managing and developing teams, including the effective use of HR policies to address performance and conduct.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders and partners.
Clear commitment to inclusion, safeguarding and creating a safe, high quality learning environment.
This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in the future of Colchester Institute as Assistant Principal for Braintree Campus and Advanced Technology. If you are a passionate and inspiring leader who shares our commitment to inclusion, wellbeing and transformational education, we would welcome your application. All applications must be completed before Sunday 8th February 2026 when the advert closes.
Applications should include a CV and a personal statement outlining how you meet the requirements of the person specification and job description. Following the review of applications, shortlisted candidates will be invited to a video screening, with face-to-face interviews scheduled for Monday 23rd February and Tuesday 24th February 2026.
Additional Information
Colchester Institute is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunities employer. All successful applicants will be required to complete an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Please note: We do not work with recruitment or search agencies unless formally contracted in line with our PSL.
TPBN1_UKTJ