Head of Apprenticeship Quality

About the team or project:

Manchester Met's Apprenticeships Unit leads the development, recruitment, and delivery of degree apprenticeships across the University. As Head of Apprenticeship Quality, you'll join a forward-thinking senior leadership team within a sector-leading unit. In 2022, we were awarded Outstanding by Ofsted in all categories—a testament to our commitment to excellence, which continues to be reflected in consistently high satisfaction ratings from both employers and apprentices.

Over the past decade, our programme has grown significantly. We now work with over 700 employers—from global corporate and public sector organisations to innovative SMEs—delivering high-quality, industry-relevant undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications to more than 3,000 apprentices. Our success is driven by a deep passion for delivering high-quality apprenticeships, underpinned by strong partnerships—with academic colleagues across all faculties and with our employer partners. This collaborative approach ensures our programmes remain responsive to industry needs, academically rigorous, and genuinely impactful.

About the role:

Are you passionate about leading quality and innovation in apprenticeships? Manchester Met is looking for a leader who is committed to excellence to help shape the future of apprenticeship quality at the university.

As Head of Quality, you'll play a pivotal role in ensuring our apprenticeship provision remains outstanding and fully compliant with regulatory requirements. You'll lead on quality assurance, regulatory alignment, and continuous improvement across all apprenticeship programmes, working closely with internal and external stakeholders to uphold the highest standards.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing strategic leadership on the quality of our apprenticeship training and assessment, aligned with the University's Apprenticeship Strategy, Education Strategy, and Road to 2030.
• Leading teams to ensure full compliance with DFE, Ofsted, OfS, and other regulatory frameworks.
• Building and sustaining strong partnerships with employers, academic colleagues, and professional services teams.
• Supporting academic teams to deliver high-performing, impactful apprenticeship programmes with excellent success rates.
• Collaborating across the University to embed systems and processes that reduce risk and enhance the apprentice journey.

About the candidate:

We particularly welcome applicants with experience as an Ofsted Inspector or equivalent, with up-to-date knowledge of apprenticeships in a Higher Education setting. You will have a strong track record of leading and motivating teams to deliver high-quality provision, and proven experience in managing educational projects or programmes, ensuring successful outcomes. You should be able to demonstrate you have a collaborative mindset, and the ability to influence and inspire across diverse teams.

To apply:

Applications must be made via our recruitment system and should include a full CV and a letter of application setting out your interest in the role and details of how your knowledge, skills and experience match the essential criteria being sought (no more than two pages of A4).

Closing Date – Wednesday 3 December 2025

Provisional Interview Date - Monday 5 January 2026

To make an initial informal enquiry, please contact James Walker, Apprenticeships Director at james.w.walker@mmu.ac.uk.

Manchester Metropolitan University fosters an inclusive culture of belonging that promotes equity and celebrates diversity. We value a diverse workforce for the innovation and diversity of thought it brings and welcome applications from all local and international communities, including Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, and LGBTQ+ individuals.

We support a range of flexible working arrangements, including hybrid and tailored schedules, which can be discussed with your line manager. If you require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process or in your role, please let us know so we can provide appropriate support.

Our commitment to inclusivity includes mentoring programmes, accessibility resources, and professional development opportunities to empower and support underrepresented groups.

Manchester Met is a Disability Confident Leader and, under this scheme, aims to offer an interview to disabled people who apply for the role and meet the essential criteria as listed in the Job Description (available on the university's website, accessed by the 'Apply' button) for that vacancy.