Welcome to Ada!

At Ada, the National College for Digital Skills, our mission is to educate and empower the next generation of diverse digital talent. Through the quality of education we deliver, the depth of our industry partnerships and focus on diversity, we are changing the face of the tech sector, expanding the talent pipeline and transforming lives. 

We are a specialist Further Education college, where every 16-19 student studies Computing and all of our diverse Higher Level and Degree Apprentices work in skills shortage disciplines in innovative, blue-chip companies.  

The digital skills gap is costing the UK economy an estimated £63 billion a year in lost GDP. Ada seeks to fill this skills gap by equipping young with the skills industry actually needs.

Join us at an exciting time of growth where you will get to shape the future of our programme delivery, building and leading a sector-leading teaching team. 

The Role

The National Head of Faculty provides strategic leadership and oversight for the academic team and delivery of modules within Ada's apprenticeship provision nationwide. This pivotal role is responsible for ensuring the quality and consistency of teaching, learning, and assessment across all regions, directly managing the teaching team (approx. 8 lecturers) and strategically managing the consultant lecturer pool (approx. 8 consultants).

This role requires significant Higher Education (HE) leadership experience and a strong background in teaching, learning, and assessment within an HE or Further Education (FE)/HE environment.

Main Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership for the academic delivery team across all Ada locations.
• Ensure the overall quality assurance of teaching, learning, and assessment within Ada's apprenticeship provision, aligning with relevant frameworks (including Ofsted).
• Line manage and foster the professional development of the full teaching team (approx. 8 direct reports).
• Strategically manage the pool of consultant lecturers, ensuring quality assurance and effective deployment.
• Lead resource planning, scheduling, and allocation for academic delivery nationwide, including managing the consultant budget. 
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and learning, implementing improvements as needed.
• Plan and manage Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for teaching staff to drive continuous improvement in practice.
• Collaborate effectively with other departments (e.g., Sixth Form, Operations, Partnerships) to ensure cohesive programme delivery.
• Champion and embed a "one college" approach, fostering collaboration and consistency across regions.

The Person

Essential:

• Substantial experience in an education leadership role.
• Significant experience and strong understanding of teaching, learning, and assessment practices in an HE or FE/HE environment, with a track record as an expert practitioner and ability to lead by example.
• Proven experience overseeing high-quality programme delivery, including supporting and developing lecturers/teaching staff, through effective line-management. 
• Demonstrable experience with Ofsted inspections and frameworks within an educational setting.
• A strong understanding of effective quality assurance and continuous improvement processes, ideally in an HE context.
• Experience of working effectively with service functions (e.g. finance, operations, HR) to ensure smooth programme delivery. 
• An inspiring communicator and facilitator with excellent leadership and team management skills.
• Strong collaborative working skills and the ability to build effective relationships across departments. 
• Excellent time management, organisational, and strategic planning skills.  
• A commitment to Ada's mission and values. 

Desirable:

• Experience working within a validated degree programme environment.
• Post-graduate qualification in a relevant academic or educational field, or equivalent experience.
• Experience working with degree apprenticeship standards.
• Experience in curriculum design and development.
• Experience teaching in a tech or related area. 

Why Join Us?

• Strategic Impact: Play a key national role in shaping the quality and delivery of Ada's transformative education programmes.
• Community Impact: Make a lasting difference in the lives of our apprentices and the broader tech community by joining a values-driven organisation with a strong mission at its heart.  
• Growth Environment: Be part of a growing and dynamic organisation at the forefront of digital skills education.
• Flexibility: Hybrid working arrangement with time split between the London campus and remote working, alongside national travel.
• Annual Leave: 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays.  
• Pension: Generous stakeholder pension scheme with up to 10% employer contribution.  

Safeguarding

Ada, the National College for Digital Skills, is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. The post holder will be subject to enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, and references will be sought from previous employers prior to commencing employment.  

Equal Opportunities

Ada, the National College for Digital Skills recognises that equality of opportunity and the recognition and promotion of diversity are integral to its strengths. We are committed to providing and promoting equality of opportunity, recognising diversity, ensuring fair treatment based on merit, and fostering a positive, inclusive environment free from prejudice or discrimination. We encourage applications from individuals with disabilities and are happy to discuss any special needs relating to your application.  

Right to Work in the UK

Ada is unable to offer sponsorship for this role. Please ensure that you already have the legal right to work and reside in the UK.  

How to Apply

To apply please send a CV and covering letter, outlining your interest in the position and addressing how you meet the person specification, to jobs@ada.ac.uk.