About the Role
This is a fantastic opportunity to join Luminate Education Group's Executive Leadership Team as we look to recruit a new Executive Principal for Leeds City College.
With overall responsibility for the strategic leadership of the college, its performance and continuous improvement you will lead on stakeholder engagement for the city of Leeds and will represent Leeds City College on all relevant forums.
You will be accountable for ensuring the delivery of outstanding education, training and learner outcomes across all provision types and levels while contributing to the wider strategic direction of the group. In addition, you will work collaboratively with other senior leaders to align Leeds City College’s vision, culture and operations with the city and region’s ambitions and growth plans, as well as the group's objectives.
What You Will Do
- Engage internal and external stakeholders in Leeds and the region to develop and implement a strategic vision for Leeds City College.
- Act as the public face for Leeds City College with key stakeholders including mayoral combined authorities, local authorities, employers, sector bodies, employer representative organisations, community groups and regulatory agencies.
- Inspire and empower the Leeds City College campus principals and other senior leaders so individual and team performance excels and leads to outstanding outcomes for students and apprentices.
- Oversee the design and delivery of a high quality, inclusive curriculum that meets national and regional skills needs.
- Drive exceptional teaching, learning and assessment.
- Foster a culture of engagement, accountability, inclusivity, wellbeing and excellence at all levels.
- Support campus principals to lead effective and efficient operations and, through the business planning and performance review process, drive growth and improved outcomes in line with stretching targets.
- Monitor and manage key performance indicators, including student recruitment, retention, achievement, progression, and financial targets.
- Develop strategic partnerships to support curriculum innovation, employer engagement and regional skills development.
- Seek to create frameworks that enable employers to contribute to the design and delivery of the curriculum.
- Embody the Leeds City College and group values and Executive Leadership Team core responsibilities.
About You
- Educated to degree level, including a PGCE or similar teaching qualification, with a core understanding of effective teaching and learning strategies.
- An experienced people manager with the capacity to innovate and drive commercial thought across a diverse organisation.
- A values driven and inspirational leader, able to motivate others to deliver exceptional results in a collaborative, people centric context.
- A successful track record of personally leading and managing significant change in a complex organisation.
- Evidence of influencing boards and senior management in a change orientated environment.
- Experience of successfully partnering with a range of key stakeholders from employer partners, funding bodies, local authorities and academic organisations.
- Ability to make sense of complex issues, identify and solve problems. To be able to effectively evaluate challenging situations and to make well-judged decisions, and to see them through to completion.
- A proven track record of successful outcomes from inspections and audits.
- Strong collaborator and relationship builder who is a natural influencer and makes clear decisions based on data and sound commercial judgements.
- Outstanding communication skills with the ability to influence and inspire at all levels.
- Ability to create and appreciate new ideas and perspectives, see possibilities, and challenge established practices in constructive ways.
- Ability to support and promote equality, diversity and inclusion in every day decision making.
How to Apply:
The recruitment process is being undertaken by Dodd Partners on behalf of Luminate Education Group. If you wish to apply for the vacancy of Executive Principal, Leeds City College please submit your application to John Dodd at johndodd@doddpartners.com no later than 9am on Monday 20 October 2025 quoting reference number DP3143. Application details are included in the attached candidate brief.
Benefits
The group offers a range of excellent benefits, including:
Annual leave:
Curriculum and Management: 44 days plus bank holidays
Curriculum support and business support: 39 days plus bank holidays
Pension schemes with generous employer contributions:
Teachers’ Pension Scheme
Local Government Pension Scheme
People’s Pension Scheme
CPD opportunities:
Annual staff conference plus 2 additional staff development days.
Qualifications including PGCE, Apprenticeships, Leadership and Management courses.
Employee wellbeing initiatives:Family Friendly Policies, discounted onsite spa (Printworks) and gym (Park Lane).
Travel and commuting: Discounted travel available through Metro card, Northern Rail, First Bus, Arriva Bus and Cycle to work schemes.
Flexible and hybrid working opportunities: Please speak to the recruiting manager regarding flexible opportunities as these differ between roles.
About Us
Leeds City College is one of the largest further education institutions in the country and is one of the biggest providers of apprenticeships regionally.
We provide a vibrant and diverse learning environment, delivering excellent and innovative education which is supportive, inspiring and life changing. Leeds City College’s values put students first and are at the heart of everything the college does.
We are committed to lifelong learning and investing in our staff. You’ll have access to a broad variety of training and professional development designed to help you continually develop and grow. We offer a wide range of job vacancies, and our large size means there are always exciting opportunities to progress.
Join us on the journey to being the best that we can collectively be for our students, apprentices, staff and our stakeholders.
SAFEGUARDING
At Luminate Education Group we are committed to the safeguarding and welfare of all our students. We expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful applicants will be required to complete mandatory pre-employment checks which include an enhanced DBS check, online checks and must have two satisfactory references. Please be aware that it is a criminal offence to apply for this post if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity in connection to children.
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in recruitment is key to our Group’s values. We are dedicated to fostering a workplace that embraces equality, diversity and inclusion in all its forms, where every candidate is treated with fairness, respect, and equity.
Our recruitment processes are designed to ensure equal opportunities, remove bias, and promote a diverse talent pool.
RECRUITMENT AGENCIES
We do not accept unsolicited CVs and applications from agencies and will not be liable for any fee in connection with a candidate that has been submitted speculatively through any agency that has not been expressly instructed for a particular vacancy as part of our Preferred Supplier List.
Highly Competitive
