Head of Apprenticeship Quality and Compliance

Weekly Working Hours: 37

Fixed Term Contract: End Date: 18 months from start date

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About the Role

The Head of Apprenticeship Quality & Compliance has accountability for ensuring that OU’s apprenticeship provision consistently meets the highest standards of quality, is fully compliant with regulatory and funding requirements and is auditable, robust and future proof. This senior leadership role will deliver the governance, institutional assurance and external accountability frameworks that underpin the apprenticeship portfolio, working closely with key stakeholders (Academic Faculties, Academic Services, funding bodies, regulatory agencies, end-point assessment organisations, employers). 

The role is responsible for the overarching assurance frameworks, policy, risk management and regulatory alignment that ensure the OU’s apprenticeship provision is credible, fully compliant and sustainable.

The role reports directly to the Director of Strategy, Insight & Operations in the Business Development Unit and works closely with the Director of Academic Quality and Standards who has institution wide leadership for academic quality, standards and enhancement across all provision. 

Key Responsibilities

• Provide senior leadership for apprenticeship quality, compliance and regulatory assurance, aligned to internal standards and external requirements
• Own and maintain the University’s apprenticeship compliance framework, including funding and quality compliance, audit readiness, regulatory horizon-scanning and institutional response planning
• Act as institutional lead for all external inspections, audits and assurance activity (including Ofsted, DfE, OfS, Skills England, awarding bodies)
• Oversee and maintain all apprenticeship registrations and accreditations, including APAR and awarding body/EPAO approvals
• Lead the development and implementation of apprenticeship policy, governance and assurance processes to ensure regulatory integrity on an ongoing basis to react to external policy, regulatory and funding changes
• Advise senior leadership on policy, regulatory and funding changes, with clear analysis of impact, risk and required actions
• Monitor apprenticeship performance (including retention and achievement) to implement quality improvement priorities strategically
• Lead continuous improvement across apprenticeship provision, including self-assessment, internal audit and enhancement activity
• Identify, escalate and mitigate risks relating to apprenticeship quality, funding, regulation and compliance
• Ensure employer and apprentice feedback informs quality assurance and continuous improvement

About You

Essential criteria:

Knowledge and Experience

• Up-to-date knowledge of the apprenticeship regulatory landscape, including funding rules, inspection, quality and audit requirements
• Senior experience leading apprenticeship quality, compliance or regulatory functions within FE, HE or the wider skills sector
• Direct experience as institutional lead or nominee for external inspections or audits (e.g. Ofsted, DfE)
• Proven ability to design, embed and operate quality assurance, compliance and governance frameworks in complex organisational environments
• Experience managing regulatory and funding risk in complex organisational environments
• Experience working collaboratively with regulators and external bodies to maintain strong institutional relationships
• Experience producing high-quality policies, audit reports, self-assessment evidence and regulatory submissions
• Knowledge of APAR (formerly RoATP) requirements and processes
• Desired experience operating within multiple regulatory frameworks alongside apprenticeships (e.g. relevant professional, statutory and regulatory bodies such as the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC))

Skills

• Ability to interpret complex regulations and funding rules and translate them into clear institutional requirements
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to assess and manage risk
• Excellent communication skills, particularly engaging senior leaders and regulators
• Highly effective stakeholder management and influencing skills
• Strategic thinking, with the ability to anticipate regulatory change and prepare the organisation accordingly
• High levels of integrity and resilience under regulatory scrutiny
• Ability to build alignment across multiple internal functions to support quality and compliance
• Strong organisational skills, able to manage multiple priorities and deadlines

Support with your application

If you have any questions, or need support or adjustments relating to your application, the recruitment process, or the role, please contact us on 01908 541111 or email careers@open.ac.uk quoting the advert reference number.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).

Flexible working

We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.

Working Location: It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where the successful candidate can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes Office, it is expected that some attendance in the office will be required when necessary and in response to business needs. We’d expect this to be 1 -2 days per week, but this could be more often if business needs dictate. Full-time working based from our Milton Keynes site is also supported if this is preferred by the candidate. Expenses associated with travel to our Milton Keynes site are not reimbursable. 

Next steps in the Recruitment process

Interview dates are still to be confirmed.

Early closing date notification

While most roles will remain open until the advertised closing date, applications may be reviewed on an ongoing basis. In some cases, vacancies may close earlier if a sufficient number of suitable applications have been received and equality impacts have been appropriately considered. All roles will remain advertised for a minimum of one week before any early closure is implemented.

If you have started an application or were in the process of applying when the advert closed, we encourage you to get in touch. We are committed to understanding individual circumstances and can offer further support where needed, including reasonable adjustments for applicants with protected characteristics.

How to apply

To apply for this role please submit the following documents:

• A Supporting Statement of up to 1000 words. You should set out in your statement why you are interested in the role and provide examples of where your skills and experience meet the essential criteria for this role as detailed above.
• CV 

You can view your progress and application communications when you are logged into our recruitment system.  Please check your spam/junk folders if you do not receive associated email updates.

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength. We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.