Job Title: Vice Principal – Curriculum
Reporting to: Deputy Principal / CEO – Curriculum and Students
Salary: £96,000 per annum (spot salary)
Annual Leave: 36 days per annum plus statutory bank holidays
Hours: 37 hours per week
Contract: Full Time, Permanent
Pension: Teachers’ Pension Scheme
Location: Middlesbrough College Main Campus, TS2 1AD
About the Role
We are seeking an exceptional and visionary Vice Principal – Curriculum to join our Senior Leadership Team and play a pivotal role in delivering the College’s Mission.
You will lead the strategic development of a high quality, evidence informed, future focused curriculum that aligns with national policy, FE qualifications reform, funding frameworks, and evolving local economic needs. Your leadership will ensure that our students receive excellent evidence informed teaching and learning, alongside programs that develop their character, resilience, behaviours, and aspirations.
As Vice Principal, you will drive high performance, champion digital transformation, promote a culture of continuous improvement, and ensure exceptional outcomes across the whole student journey. You will also deputise for the Principal / Deputy Principal / CEO when required. If you are a collaborative, strategic and values driven leader with a passion for transforming lives through education, we encourage you to apply.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the strategic planning and development of a high-quality, future focused curriculum, meeting national reforms, FE qualifications reform, and regional labour market needs.
- Ensure consistently high-quality, evidence informed teaching, learning and assessment, with unwavering expectations and a culture of continuous improvement.
- Champion the College’s digital transformation strategy, modelling high digital competency and embedding technology enhanced learning across all provision.
- Drive excellent learner outcomes from enrolment to progression, ensuring student satisfaction, qualification achievement, personal development, and positive destinations.
- Prepare the College for Ofsted inspections and quality assurance processes, acting as nominee when required.
- Develop and implement efficient curriculum models, including class sizes, staffing utilisation, independent learning, and innovative delivery approaches.
- Provide inspirational leadership, strong communication and clear strategic direction across all curriculum areas.
- Build and maintain strong external partnerships, influencing policy, sharing best practice, and contributing to collaborative initiatives and bids.
Skills, Knowledge & Expertise
- Degree (or equivalent), qualified teacher status, and extensive FE related training including safeguarding.
- A strong passion for pedagogy and an up to date understanding of evidence informed practice.
- Knowledge of FE qualifications reform, funding, accountability frameworks and national policy.
- Understanding of local economic needs and their implications for curriculum planning.
- Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence and lead staff at all levels.
- High level of digital competency and the ability to lead on technology enhanced learning.
- Ability to analyse and use data to support informed decision making.
- Highly effective prioritisation skills in a fast paced and complex organisation.
Experience
- Successful leadership of a large, complex curriculum department, faculty, or small college.
- Experience managing all provision types, including Study Programmes, SEN, Adult, Apprenticeships and Higher Education
- Demonstrable experience of Ofsted inspections and associated quality assurance activity.
- Confident public speaking and presenting to audiences, committees and external stakeholders
- Experience designing effective curriculum models, developing staff CPD programmes, and implementing impactful business strategies.
- Proven track record of effective staff performance management and building high performing teams.
Why Join Us?
- Substantial annual leave entitlement plus holiday purchase scheme
- Health & Wellbeing package including free gym access and 24/7 counselling support
- Family-friendly policies including flexible working options
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for confidential legal, financial, and emotional support
- Extensive professional development, mentoring, training, and funded CPD
- Paid volunteering days
- Discounts on hair and beauty at our onsite salon
- College Extras benefit scheme:
- Up to 15% cashback at popular retailers
- Discounted gift cards
- Salary-sacrifice tech and home schemes
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Discounted onsite parking
To learn more about working at Middlesbrough College, please visit our Work For Us page.
For further details and to discuss the role in more detail, please contact Claire Harrison, Executive Assistant on principalshipsupport@mbro.ac.uk
About Middlesbrough College
Middlesbrough College is a leading provider of education and training in the North East, offering A-levels, vocational courses, apprenticeships, and degree-level qualifications. With state-of-the-art facilities and a commitment to staff development, we’re proud to create opportunities for learners and colleagues alike, fostering an environment where everyone can grow, thrive, and make a real difference.
Our Vision, Mission and Values
Across our campus and community, Middlesbrough College is driven by a clear vision, mission, and values that not only shape what we do for students—but also make us a great place to work, grow, and thrive. Find out more here.
Right to work
Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.
Safeguarding Our Students
Middlesbrough College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all students. All staff are expected to share this commitment. If you’re successful, you’ll be required to complete thorough pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references. All roles within the College carry safeguarding responsibilities, including promoting student welfare, reporting any concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), and modelling safe and appropriate conduct in line with College policies.
All posts at Middlesbrough College involve regulated activity and are therefore exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. The amendments to the ROA 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975, (amended 2013 and 2020)) mean that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected’, so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. The MOJ’s guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications, related exceptions and further information.
Please view the job description here - Job Description
