Curriculum Development Manager (Adult Education)

Location: Primarily based at Upminster Creative Centre, Romford, United Kingdom, with hybrid working, regular on-site presence, travel across College and community venues, and occasional travel beyond Havering.

Salary: £50,676–£54,927 per annum.

Company

Havering Adult College, part of the hirify.global, delivers adult education and skills opportunities across the borough.

What you will do

• Lead a curriculum portfolio covering Creative Industries, Arts & Crafts, Languages including British Sign Language, and the College’s new discrete SEND provision.
• Develop and deliver curriculum plans aligned with the Adult Learning Strategy, including accredited, Tailored Learning, fee-paying, flexible, and stackable provision.
• Identify learner, employer, community, and market needs and turn them into viable new courses and sustainable learning opportunities.
• Own learner recruitment, participation, quality, progression, curriculum viability, and financial performance targets, using data to forecast and intervene.
• Line manage Specialist Teacher/Assessors and sessional teachers, developing teaching quality and workforce performance.
• Build partnerships and funding propositions to secure grants, commissioned activity, employer investment, partnership funding, and sustainable fee income.

Requirements

• Extensive curriculum development experience, with evidence of developing and growing provision rather than only maintaining established programmes.
• Track record of achieving quality, curriculum, and financial KPIs; improving underperforming provision; and taking decisive action when targets are not met.
• Experience leading and developing teaching staff, managing multiple priorities autonomously, and maintaining personal accountability.
• Ability to use performance, financial, and market information to make evidence-led decisions and manage curriculum budgets and viability.
• Experience identifying learner or customer demand, developing viable programmes, and building relationships with employers, community organisations, and other stakeholders.
• Entrepreneurial, commercially aware, highly motivated by growth and improvement, and able to operate within local-authority governance and quality requirements.
• Relevant subject-specific full Level 4 or Level 5 qualification, as required by national standards.
• Recognised teaching qualification at a minimum of Level 4, an appropriate assessor qualification, and Level 2 or equivalent literacy and numeracy.
• Willingness to undertake additional specialist qualifications or professional development where required, particularly for SEND provision.
• Full driving licence and access to a car, or suitable alternative travel arrangements.

Nice to have

• Direct SEND curriculum development or delivery experience, which will be weighted strongly within the desirable criteria.
• Experience in Creative Industries, Arts & Crafts, Languages, British Sign Language, or SEND.
• Internal Verification or Internal Quality Assurance qualification.

Culture & Benefits

• Full-time, 36-hour working week with a 24-month fixed-term contract and strong potential for continuation or permanency, subject to funding, organisational requirements, performance, and Council approval.
• Flexible and hybrid working is supported, with regular on-site presence required for this leadership role.
• Occasional evening or weekend work may be required for College events, curriculum delivery, or service requirements.
• Substantial autonomy within the curriculum portfolio, supported by teaching, quality, marketing, MIS, and operational teams.
• Primary focus on strengthening long-term sustainability through participation growth, quality outcomes, commercially viable provision, and diversified funding.

Hiring process

• Submit an online application with a supporting statement of no more than two A4 pages demonstrating curriculum development and growth, teaching-staff leadership, quality improvement, performance and financial results, new provision, and additional income or funding experience.
• Explain relevant Creative Industries, Arts & Crafts, Languages/BSL, and/or SEND experience where applicable.
• Do not attach a CV; anonymise all uploaded documents by removing personal information.