Head of Learning and Teaching

Join the academic team shaping the future of higher education.

NMITE is a pioneering new higher education provider with a mission to change how engineers are made and how education itself is delivered. Our students learn through immersive, challenge-led, and hands-on experiences. Our academic teams work without silos, across disciplines, and in close collaboration with industry. Our model is ambitious, bold, and already turning heads across the sector.

We are now seeking a Head of Learning and Teaching - a senior academic leadership role with real influence and responsibility. This is a rare opportunity for an academic who loves the practice of teaching, thrives in operational complexity, and wants to help build something extraordinary. In this role, we value leadership strength over disciplinary expertise alone—you will be empowered to lead a high-performing academic operation, grounded in student-centred innovation and collaborative working.

Who are we?

NMITE is an innovative new UK Higher Education provider, founded to rethink engineering and technology education and positively impact the region: educationally, economically, and socially. Our approach is progressive and connected – with contextualised admissions, active learning, interdisciplinarity, social awareness, and deep integration of employers and community in teaching and learning.

About the Role

This role is about making academic delivery work—not just efficiently, but meaningfully. You will lead the operational implementation of all academic programmes at NMITE, ensuring they are delivered to the highest possible standards, within tight resource constraints, and in a way that reflects our distinct pedagogical approach.

You will teach and lead. You will inspire academic colleagues, embracing their sense of adventure and distinctiveness; and you will oversee the systems and resources that make it all work effectively.  You will ensure that timetabling, staffing, learner support, and assessment processes run smoothly, and that they evolve as we grow. Most importantly, you will lead and motivate a talented academic delivery team, fostering a culture of shared ownership, accountability, and excellence in everything we do for our students.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for a full-time, permanent Head of Learning and Teaching with a background in mechanical engineering, and experience in academic programme design, delivery and leadership.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a credible, committed academic leader—someone who still enjoys the learning studio, but who also sees the bigger picture and wants to help shape it.

You will:

• Bring strong academic credentials and a passion for learning and teaching.
• Lead the end-to-end operational delivery of our academic programmes, ensuring coherence, efficiency, and excellence in curriculum, assessment, and learner support.
• Drive academic delivery that is sustainable, innovative, and tightly aligned to NMITE’s hands-on, challenge-based educational model.
• Demonstrate leadership skills that unite and empower teams, especially in complex or constrained environments.
• Be willing to make thoughtful but sometimes tough decisions to ensure high standards and operational efficiency.
• Understand how to coordinate people, curriculum, and infrastructure to deliver an outstanding student experience.
• Have a mindset of continuous improvement, underpinned by data, feedback, and reflection.
• Develop and support academic staff to build resilient, fulfilling, and high-impact careers.
• And most of all, share our belief that education can, and should, be done differently.

This role is central to NMITE’s future. It sits at the heart of our academic delivery and will work closely with other academic leaders, professional services, and the executive team.

Role requirements:

Essential:

• Either a PhD in an Engineering discipline, ideally Mechanical Engineering, or demonstrable similar experience in independent thought and leadership
• Professorial title or a profile commensurate with appointment at that grade.
• Strong track record of leadership in academic operations or higher education environments (formal or informal leadership roles considered).
• Ability to make tough decisions with integrity, and to earn trust through resilience, empathy, and credibility.
• Proven skill in leading teams and achieving results in resource-constrained environments.

Desirable:

• Experience with challenge-based, experiential, or innovative teaching models.
• Familiarity with UK higher education regulatory and quality assurance frameworks.
• Evidence of initiatives that improved academic delivery, efficiency, or student outcomes.

You Bring:

• Calm, decisive leadership—respected by peers and trusted by your team.
• Operational expertise—strong organisational and planning skills.
• Emotional intelligence—excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• A deep commitment to NMITE’s mission of inclusive, transformative, employer-informed education.

Why NMITE?

NMITE is not just another university. We are a mission-led, industry-connected, and values-driven institution. We treat our students as individuals. We break down traditional barriers to learning. And we aim to show that a small institution, rooted in a rural city, can have a national impact.

You’ll be joining us at an exciting time. We’ve held our first graduation. We’re growing our student body. We’ve made the front pages, and we’re gaining the trust of funders, employers, and regulators. Now we need the right leaders to help us deliver on our promise.

Our Values & Behaviours

We’re here to do something different. NMITE staff must be comfortable working in a dynamic, evolving environment where innovation and quality go hand-in-hand. We are values-led and expect our leaders to model those values every day:

• Grit and determination – seeing things through.
• Inclusive – building a diverse and respectful community.
• Creative and learning – always experimenting, reflecting, and adapting.
• Honest – open, clear communication is the norm.
• Curious – we ask questions, challenge assumptions, and seek improvement.
• Aligned – everything we do serves the mission.

Our Benefits

NMITE offers a rewarding and dynamic environment with small-group teaching, cross-functional collaboration, and opportunities for genuine institutional impact. We offer:

• A salary of £60,177 – £73,016 depending on experience
• Life assurance
• 30 days holiday plus Bank Holidays and closure days
• Additional day off for your Birthday
• Flexible working arrangements
• Westfield Health & Rewards with optional Private Medical Insurance
• Personal development budget and promotion pathways

How to Apply

Please email a covering letter (or a short video, max 4 minutes) explaining your interest and fit for the role, along with a full CV, to vacancies@nmite.ac.uk (via the 'Apply' button above) by 18/07/25.

Informal queries can be directed to Samantha Lewis, Director of People & Operations at samantha.lewis@nmite.ac.uk 

Be part of something bold. Be part of NMITE.

We particularly welcome applications from candidates from groups traditionally underrepresented in engineering education.