Role: Programme Manager – Transition and NEET Prevention
Location: Tresham College – Campus TBC
Salary/Benefits: Salary is between £41,400 and £47,971 per annum DOE and Qualifications, 35 days annual leave plus Bank holidays, Teacher’s Pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.
Hours/Weeks: 37 hours per week – 52 weeks per year
Contract Type: Permanent – Full Time
This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have the Right to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.
About the role:
We are currently seeking a Programme Manager in Transition and NEET Prevention to join our Specialist Provision department at The Bedford College Group.
As a Programme Manager, you play an important role in the success of our students through:
1. NEET Engagement & Transition Strategy – Lead the design and delivery of innovative programmes (including Reset) to re‑engage NEET and at‑risk learners, supporting successful transitions into education, training or employment.
2. Leadership, Management & Safeguarding – Manage multidisciplinary teams, oversee day‑to‑day operations across sites, and act as safeguarding lead to ensure a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment.
3. Curriculum Development & Learner Progression – Develop flexible, inclusive curriculum pathways, monitor attendance, progress and destinations, and adapt strategies to maximise engagement and positive outcomes.
4. Partnerships & Community Collaboration – Build strong relationships with external agencies, parents/carers and curriculum teams to support holistic learner development and effective transition planning.
5. Quality Assurance, Reporting & Compliance – Implement robust QA processes, contribute to self‑assessment and improvement plans, produce performance reports, and uphold safeguarding, EDI, health & safety and CPD standards.
About you:
6. Qualifications, Teaching & Leadership Expertise – Degree and Level 5/PGCE qualification with GCSE English and maths, supported by experience teaching and leading provision for NEET and vulnerable learners in specialist or inclusive settings.
7. NEET Engagement, Curriculum & Learner Progression – Proven ability to design and deliver inclusive curricula, engage hard‑to‑reach learners and improve outcomes through effective teaching, assessment and data‑led intervention.
8. Leadership, Coaching & Team Development – Strong leadership capability, able to manage teams, coach and mentor staff, raise standards of teaching and learning and support complex learner needs.
9. Communication, Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement – Excellent interpersonal skills, building strong relationships with families, staff and external agencies, while promoting the College’s reputation and inclusive ethos.
10. Professional Values, Safeguarding & Flexibility – Committed to safeguarding, inclusion and trauma‑informed practice, with high integrity, adaptability, and flexibility to travel across sites and respond to changing organisational needs.
For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.
Interviews to be held: 17 June 2026
Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisational VISION values:
11. Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
12. Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
13. Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
14. Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
15. Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
16. Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.
About The Bedford College Group
The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.
Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.
Safeguarding our Students
The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.
Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.