Director of Student Support & Inclusion

About the Role

HSDC is seeking an experienced, strategic and values-driven leader to join the College as our new Director of Student Support & Inclusion.

This is a pivotal College Leadership Team (CLT) role, responsible for leading and shaping the College's whole student support ecosystem, ensuring every learner has the opportunity, support and confidence to thrive throughout their educational journey.

Reporting to the Deputy Principal - Curriculum & Quality, the role represents a significant step beyond the operational management of individual support services. You will provide strategic leadership across Student Progress Mentors, Tutorial, Careers, SEND, Additional Learning Support, Teaching Assistants, Student Services, Safeguarding, Enrichment, Inclusion, Student Union, Wellbeing and Learner Voice, bringing these functions together into a coherent, integrated model that improves student outcomes.

Working collaboratively across curriculum and professional services, you will ensure that support is proactive, inclusive and evidence-informed, helping students overcome barriers to learning while improving attendance, engagement, achievement, progression and positive destinations.

This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious and forward-thinking leader to shape the future of student support within one of the South's largest Further Education colleges, making a lasting difference to the lives of thousands of learners.

Responsibilities

As Director of Student Support & Inclusion, you will:

• Provide strategic leadership for the College's student support, inclusion and pastoral services, ensuring they deliver outstanding outcomes for learners across all campuses.
• Lead the continued development of an integrated student support model, bringing together Tutorial, Student Progress Mentors, Careers, SEND, Additional Learning Support, Teaching Assistants, Student Services, Student Union, Enrichment, Inclusion, Safeguarding and Wellbeing into a cohesive and high-performing service.
• Lead the strategic development and quality assurance of the College's Tutorial Model, ensuring it supports attendance, personal development, employability, learner wellbeing and progression.
• Provide strategic leadership for SEND and Additional Learning Support, ensuring statutory compliance, inclusive practice and high-quality support that enables every learner to achieve their potential.
• Lead the Student Progress Mentor function, ensuring data-led interventions improve attendance, engagement, retention, achievement and student success.
• Oversee the effective deployment and development of Teaching Assistants and Learning Support Assistants, ensuring support resources are targeted where they have greatest impact.
• Provide strategic leadership for safeguarding, wellbeing and student welfare, ensuring a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment for every learner.
• Champion learner voice, student engagement and an outstanding student experience, ensuring student feedback directly informs service improvement and organisational decision-making.
• Use performance data, insight and evidence to evaluate impact, identify emerging risks and drive continuous improvement across all areas of responsibility.
• Lead and develop high-performing multidisciplinary teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Contribute as a member of the College Leadership Team, providing strategic leadership that supports the College's wider ambitions for excellence, inclusion, sustainability and student success.

Requirements

We are seeking an inspirational and credible senior leader with a passion for student success, inclusion and educational excellence.

You will need:

• Degree or equivalent professional qualification in Education, Student Services, Leadership or a related discipline.
• Significant senior leadership experience within student support, inclusion, safeguarding, education or related services.
• Proven experience of leading organisational change, service transformation and multidisciplinary teams within a complex organisation.
• Extensive knowledge of safeguarding, SEND legislation, inclusive practice and Equality Act responsibilities.
• Experience of developing and delivering strategic initiatives that improve attendance, engagement, retention, learner experience and educational outcomes.
• Strong understanding of performance management, quality improvement and the use of data to inform strategic decision-making.
• Experience of leading, influencing and collaborating with senior leaders, governors and external partners.
• Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to inspire confidence, build relationships and influence at all levels.
• A strategic, resilient and values-led approach, with the ability to lead through complexity while maintaining a relentless focus on improving the learner experience.
• Experience within Further Education, or another regulated education environment, together with experience of Ofsted inspection and organisational improvement, would be advantageous.

How to apply

We strive in offering an inclusive and accessible recruitment and interview process to all candidates.

Please note, we appreciate the value of each applicant but kindly ask that you complete an application form as we do not accept CV's.

Closing Date for Applications: 5th August

Interview Dates: Monday 17th August