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.

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