Director of the Centre for Engineering Education and Skills

Overview

In September 2026, the University of Sheffield will launch its new Centre for Engineering Education and Skills in the Faculty of Engineering and is seeking an exceptional leader to take up the role of Director. Reporting to the Faculty Vice President, and as a member of the Faculty Executive Board, the Centre’s Director will be its strategic lead, responsible for the delivery and further development of the University’s apprenticeship portfolio across engineering disciplines, high‑quality CPD provision and practical engineering education on the faculty’s standard degree programmes.

At its inception, the Centre will manage and govern the nationally recognised Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre Training Centre (AMRC‑TC) based at the Advanced Manufacturing Park and the Multidisciplinary Engineering Education (MEE) team based on the main University campus. As Director, you will provide strong academic leadership for these teams and work closely with colleagues across the faculty and Central Apprentice Hub to ensure the highest quality of educational provision in line with all regulatory and institutional requirements.

Alongside delivery and oversight of the existing portfolio, you will also work closely with colleagues, and with a wide range of employers and stakeholders, regionally and nationally, to develop a new and innovative portfolio of apprenticeships, up to degree level, across all engineering disciplines.

To support this ambition, we are seeking a leader with a strong background in apprenticeship delivery who has the skillset and credibility needed to build successful partnerships with employers, industrial partners and key regional stakeholders. The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of how the University can build on existing strengths to expand its apprenticeship provision and be excited about where the future could take us.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Provide strategic vision, direction and inspirational leadership for the establishment and future development of the Centre for Engineering Education and Skills.
• Oversee delivery of the Centre’s existing apprenticeship and CPD offer at the AMRC Training Centre and support the University’s ambition of achieving a consistently excellent education and student experience for apprentices, at all levels.
• Lead engagement with key external stakeholders, including key regional and national partners and employers and work collaboratively with them to understand their priorities and identify opportunities to work together for mutual benefit.
• Work with schools across the Faculty and with the University’s Central Apprenticeships Hub to develop a new portfolio of apprenticeship and CPD programmes, up to degree level.
• Work in close partnership with the University’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and, through them, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult to ensure that all requirements in current and future funding agreements are met in full.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the Faculty of Engineering, including Heads of School and Directors of Education, to ensure the Centre’s development strategy is aligned to broader educational aims and that any new apprenticeship and CPD programmes can be effectively supported by staff in the Centre and across other schools.
• Provide strong and effective line management for academic members of the Centre’s Executive Team and drive an agenda of excellence, innovation and growth.
• Liaise closely with the Central Apprenticeships Hub and with the Faculty’s Education Team to ensure the Centre is continually compliant with all relevant regulatory frameworks and is Ofsted‑ready, implementing continuous improvements as necessary.
• Build and maintain positive relationships across the University, encouraging the development of effective and collaborative partnership working.
• Be accountable for the effective safeguarding of apprentices who are under 18 and ensure that the Centre has all necessary safeguarding practices in place.
• Reporting into the Faculty Vice‑President and as a member of the Faculty Executive Board, contribute to the overall leadership and management of the Faculty: it is expected that the Director will carry functional responsibility for specific agreed cross‑cutting activities as required.
• Assume responsibility for devolved budgets, ensuring that income and expenditure are managed to achieve financial sustainability.
• Put in place appropriate management systems in line with University policies, procedures and processes within the Centre.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and are respected. Even if your past experience doesn’t match perfectly with this role’s criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Essential Criteria

• An outstanding track record of senior leadership and management, within the Further Education and/or Higher Education Sectors.
• An effective communicator, able to influence and inspire a wide variety of stakeholders, both internal and external.
• Familiarity with regional policy priorities and the national skills agenda.
• Experience of working strategically with a range of external stakeholders and/or employers preferably in a relevant area of work (education, innovation, industry etc).
• Strong understanding of the regulatory framework for apprenticeship delivery in the UK and direct experience of supporting strong compliance with these frameworks.
• Significant knowledge and experience in educational governance and quality assurance.
• Experience of working innovatively and in partnership with others to successfully develop new educational products (apprenticeships, CPD products, modules, programmes, CPD etc).
• Ability to build effective working relationships across organisational boundaries.
• Ability to lead, engage and, where appropriate, constructively challenge a team in the pursuit of the Centre’s long‑term plans and in line with the University’s strategy.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of bid writing in order to respond to funding opportunities in skills provision.

Further Information

• Grade: Professorial
• Salary: £71,566-£111,391
• Work arrangement: Full‑time

Criminal record

An enhanced DBS check will be needed for this role. More details on the checks can be found on the Government website: gov.uk/criminal-record-checks-apply-role.

Possession of a criminal record is not an automatic bar to employment at the University of Sheffield. We recognise the value of steady employment in the rehabilitation process and examine each case in its own right. More information can be found on our Information for candidates page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/candidates.

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