Apprentice and Stakeholder Experience Operations Manager

The Institute of Education and Skills (IoES) at the University of Derby is a vibrant, values-driven community with a strong national reputation for excellence in education and skills development.

About the Role

The Apprentice and Stakeholder Experience Operations Manager provides strategic and operational leadership for apprenticeship and skills delivery.

Core responsibilities include overseeing quality assurance, performance monitoring and continuous improvement across FE and HE apprenticeship provision; embedding robust and auditable processes in line with ESFA, OfS, QAA and Ofsted requirements; and ensuring effective coordination of end-point assessment activity in partnership with Registry teams.

The role also includes responsibility for stakeholder and employer engagement, working collaboratively with internal teams to strengthen partnerships, support business development and contribute to income generation. The role has line management responsibility for Apprenticeship and Stakeholder Experience Coordinators and administrative staff, providing leadership, direction and performance management to support high-quality service delivery.

The primary location for this role can be flexible with the post holder based at either our Kedleston Road or Nuclear Skills Academy (NSA) sites in Derby, or our Buxton site. The role will require regular travel to Buxton and the NSA.

About You

You will be an experienced leader in apprenticeships, with a strong track record of delivering high-quality, compliant provision within Further and/or Higher Education.

You will have a sound understanding of the regulatory landscape, including ESFA funding rules, OfS, QAA and Ofsted requirements, with proven experience of quality assurance, self-assessment, inspection or audit activity.

You will have experience of managing and developing teams, working collaboratively across complex organisations, and influencing a wide range of stakeholders, including employers and external partners.

Key Contact

For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Liam Tobin-Ward, Subject Lead: FE and Skills via l.tobinward@derby.ac.uk 

For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk

Important Information

This role is eligible for sponsorship by the University, however, your individual circumstances must meet the criteria set out by UKVI; this includes meeting the English Language requirement and earning a salary that meets the highest of either the going rate for the SOC code or the minimum salary threshold for the Skilled Worker route (£41,700 per annum, as of 22^nd July 2025).

If the role is eligible, but the offered salary is less that the going rate for the role, you may still be able to apply for a Skilled Worker visa if:

• Your job is on the Immigration Skills List
• You’re under 26, studying or a recent graduate, or in professional training
• You have a PhD level qualification that’s relevant to your job
• You have a postdoctoral position in science or higher education

Please note that the University cannot confirm your eligibility for sponsorship until an offer is made and your individual circumstances have been considered.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 and is therefore subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Any information you provide will be treated in confidence and only used when considering your suitability for the post.

To enable us to process your DBS check please ensure you are able to supply the documentation listed on the DBS website at interview stage.

For more information and to apply on-line, please click the “Apply” button above.

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