Principal & Chief Executive Vacancy

Welcome

Thank you for your interest in the post of Principal and Chief Executive at Craven College. 

The College is seeking to appoint an exceptional individual who will provide value-driven leadership so that the College achieves its vision to be a first-class provider of education and training, one of the best in the north of England.

We believe that Craven College is a great place to study and work; our Ofsted inspection from January 2018 rated our College as Good and our Apprenticeship provision Outstanding. 

We want an individual with a track record of motivating and developing the workforce, who can also build and maintain effective external relationships and partnerships to safeguard the College’s ongoing sustainability and promote our reputation in the local community and beyond.

Craven College has a diverse portfolio of provision serving Craven, the Aire Valley, North Yorkshire, and the travel to work area for Leeds and Bradford as well as East Lancashire. With an annual turnover of around £15m and 400 staff the College delivers apprenticeships, 16-18 provision, adult skills, higher education, high needs, and a wide portfolio of project work with employers and the unemployed.  

As the primary ambassador for the college, you will need to be able to build and develop productive partnerships and collaborative working, ensuring that the College is effectively positioned to make the most of future opportunities at local, regional, and national levels.  The provision of outstanding teaching, learning, and support is our top priority, and you will need to demonstrate that commitment to excellence to enable our learners to achieve their full potential. 

The successful candidate should demonstrate a strong track record of achievement within the Education Sector (ideally, but not necessarily, in a Further Education College) and possess an in-depth knowledge of curriculum and quality alongside robust financial acumen and experience of managing budgets. You will have the ability to motivate at all levels and foster a culture of high aspiration and collaborative working. Our mission of “enriching lives through learning” is at the heart of what we do and we are committed to creating a stimulating, supportive learning environment for our students based on mutual respect and trust.

We hope this site gives you a good overview of this exciting opportunity – if you have the vision, expertise and appetite to contribute to our ongoing and future success, we very much hope that you will apply for this role.  

If you would like an informal discussion with the Chair, please contact Jean Tracy, Interim Director of Governance on jtracy@craven-college.ac.uk.

Dr. Alison Birkinshaw, 
Chair of the Board of Governors