Head of Energy

Job Title: Head of Energy & Engineering Provision

Location: North East

Salary: Circa £60,000 per annum

Contract: Full-Time, Permanent

Start Date: ASAP

Role Overview

A prestigious Further Education group in the North East is appointing a Head of Energy & Engineering to lead their flagship Energy and Engineering provision. This senior leadership post is designed for an experienced engineering professional who began on the tools/shop floor-ideally through a formal apprenticeship-before transitioning into educational management.

Leading teams across Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Fabrication & Welding, you will oversee curriculum design, staff performance, workshop safety culture, and strategic employer partnerships to align technical training with regional industry demands.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across Electrical, Mechanical, Fabrication, and Welding departments.

• Line-manage, support, and mentor academic teaching staff, course leaders, and technical workshop teams.

• Drive curriculum evolution to ensure courses and apprenticeships reflect modern industrial techniques, green energy standards, and employer skills gaps.

• Build and sustain relationships with regional engineering, energy, and manufacturing employers.

• Spearhead improvements in pedagogy, learner outcomes, retention, and quality assurance (SAR / QIP).

• Enforce exemplary health, safety, and operational standards across all heavy engineering workshops and training bays.

• Drive a high-performance departmental culture with strong professional behaviours.

Requirements

• Essential Background: Practical engineering credibility-a time-served engineering apprenticeship (Electrical, Mechanical, Maintenance, or Fabrication) with hands-on shop-floor experience. (Not suitable for purely academic or office-based profiles).

• Essential FE Experience: 5 to 10 years of experience within Further Education or technical training providers, including demonstrable leadership/management experience.

• Essential Qualifications: Recognised teaching qualification (PGCE, Cert Ed, Level 5 DET, or equivalent).

• Proven track record of improving departmental standards, quality metrics, and staff engagement.

• Strong working knowledge of engineering health and safety legislation (COSHH, PUWER, HASAWA).

Package & Staff Benefits

• Salary circa £60,000

• Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) / Local Government Pension Scheme

• Executive annual leave entitlement + bank holidays + seasonal college closures

• Structured executive leadership development and regional networking opportunities

Important Notice

Dovetail and Slate is a specialist education recruitment company. If this role isn't quite right, we welcome your CV and a call to explore other opportunities.

We are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. All appointments are subject to satisfactory vetting, including a right to work check and, where relevant, an enhanced DBS, PVG (Scotland), or EWC (Wales) check, in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

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Because education matters.

Dovetail and Slate Limited.