Academy Director for ESOL and International English

Position: Academy Director for ESOL and International English (Permanent)
Academy Director for ESOL and International English

Salary £51,950 - £60,224 per annum

About us

We are a further and higher education institution dedicated to providing academic, vocational, and professional qualifications to approximately 13,000 young people and adults annually. Our mission is to transform lives through learning, advocating for inclusivity and diversity at every stage.

Our Academy model enables focused, sector-specific curriculum leadership. We are now recruiting for a new Academy Director to lead our English for Speakers of Other Languages provision. This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of education and skills in Sheffield and the wider region.

About the role

As Academy Director for ESOL, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across curriculum for both programmes for young people and for adults. You will be responsible for driving quality, leading curriculum innovation and ensuring students develop the technical and employability skills to succeed in a rapidly evolving industry.

This is a permanent role.

This is a critical leadership role at a time of national reform and opportunity. You will lead on how the Academy supports the achievement of the college’s five-year strategic plan, including our response to priorities such as the green skills and the sustainability agenda, supporting the region’s transition to a low-carbon future. From employer collaboration and curriculum reform to local labour market alignment and progression planning, your leadership will ensure the Academy remains agile, ambitious and responsive.

The Academy delivers a wide range of full-time and adult provision, including new technical qualifications, employer-led initiatives and high-quality work experience. You will also play a key role in preparing our young people aged 16 to 18 for exciting and rewarding future careers within the sector, helping them build the knowledge, confidence and skills to progress into apprenticeships, employment or higher study.

The role will involve close collaboration with our Apprenticeship+ lead, ensuring clear pathways into skilled trades and sustainable employment through well-aligned programmes and employer partnerships.

With a dedicated team of curriculum managers and teaching staff, and strong external partnerships, the Academy is well positioned for its next stage of growth and development.

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for a confident and committed leader who shares our values and vision for technical education. You will bring:

A strong track record of curriculum and quality leadership in Further Education or a similar setting

Experience of leading and managing diverse teams to deliver high-quality provision and student outcomes

An understanding of the construction and building technologies sector, including its challenges, skills gaps and sustainability priorities

A commitment to inclusive practice, student voice and raising aspirations

Excellent planning, communication and stakeholder engagement skills

The ability to balance strategic priorities with operational delivery, using data to inform decisions and drive improvement.
You will be an experienced teacher and / or manager, confident in navigating change and leading innovation in line with qualification reform and employer needs.

Main Responsibilities

As a member of the College Leadership Team, you will contribute to shared strategic goals while leading your Academy to achieve excellence.

Key responsibilities include:

Leading on the delivery of a high-quality student experience, resulting in strong achievement, progression and employability outcomes

Developing a relevant and innovative curriculum offer that reflects student needs, local skills priorities and qualification reforms

Driving improvements in teaching, learning and assessment across the Academy

Leading curriculum development and business planning processes to achieve growth, quality and financial targets

Managing performance, budgets and resources effectively, ensuring value for money

Building and maintaining strong employer, university and community partnerships

Promoting environmental sustainability across curriculum and…