Please note we don't have a fixed closing date but instead will close the role when we have sufficient applicants to interview, so apply soon to not miss out!
Interviews will be held from the 19th August 2026.
The Role: Assistant Principal – Study Programmes
Location: Multi‑site (Bromley, Orpington and wider College Group)
Salary: Competitive, with excellent benefits
Contract: Full‑time, permanent
Are you an ambitious, forward‑thinking leader with a passion for transforming young people’s lives through high‑quality education? Do you thrive in a dynamic FE environment where innovation, collaboration and impact are at the heart of everything you do? If so, we want to hear from you.
We are seeking an exceptional Assistant Principal – Study Programmes to lead the strategic development, quality, and performance of our 16–19 provision across multiple campuses. This is a pivotal role within our leadership team, driving excellence in curriculum design, teaching, learning and assessment, and ensuring that every learner has an outstanding experience and progresses to a high‑quality destination.
About the Role
As Assistant Principal, you will:
- Provide strategic leadership for designated curriculum areas, shaping an innovative, future‑focused Study Programme offer aligned to local and regional labour market needs.
- Lead cross‑site teams to deliver high‑quality teaching, learning and assessment, ensuring consistently strong outcomes and exceptional student experiences.
- Drive curriculum growth, employer engagement and the development of new delivery models, including digital, blended and commercially focused provision.
- Lead on English, maths and tutorial compliance and improvement, ensuring all learners access high‑quality provision matched to their needs.
- Oversee quality improvement processes, ensuring robust performance management, inspection readiness and a relentless focus on raising standards.
- Manage budgets, resources and staffing effectively, ensuring value for money and high levels of operational efficiency.
- Champion student voice, inclusion, safeguarding and the College’s values, ensuring these are embedded across all aspects of the Study Programme.
About You
You will be an inspiring and credible FE leader with:
- A strong track record of successful management within FE or a similar educational setting.
- Experience leading curriculum planning, quality improvement and staff development.
- Deep understanding of funding methodologies, qualification frameworks and the FE regulatory landscape.
- The ability to lead teams through change, motivate others and build a culture of high expectations.
- Excellent communication, analytical and organisational skills, with the ability to use data to drive improvement.
- A commitment to innovation, continuous improvement and delivering outstanding outcomes for young people.
A teaching qualification, degree‑level study and evidence of ongoing professional development are essential. Experience of multi‑site leadership, employer engagement, digital curriculum development or English and maths improvement would be advantageous.
Why Join Us?
This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of our Study Programme provision at a time of significant sector reform and local growth. You will join a collaborative, ambitious leadership team committed to excellence, innovation and improving life chances for young people.
We offer:
- A supportive and forward‑thinking working environment
- Opportunities for professional growth and leadership development
- Competitive salary and benefits package
- The chance to make a genuine, lasting impact across multiple campuses
If you are driven, strategic and passionate about delivering exceptional education for young people, we would love to hear from you.
About Us
The College
London South East Colleges (LSEC) is one of London’s largest and most successful further education providers, with seven campuses across Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lambeth and around 1,000 staff. Each year, we support more than 13,000 students through a wide portfolio of vocational courses, apprenticeships and other programmes that are closely aligned to employer and industry need.
What brings people to work here, and keeps them here, is the sense of purpose. We exist to change lives through learning, and that ambition runs through everything we do. Our staff work with learners from all backgrounds, many of whom face significant barriers, and play a direct role in improving social mobility and life chances across south east London and beyond.
We are committed to developing our people. This includes high-quality professional development, leadership and management training, and clear opportunities for progression across the College and the wider Group. We encourage colleagues to develop their skills, share expertise and build long-term careers with us, supported by a culture that values collaboration, professionalism and continuous improvement.
We invest heavily in our learning environments, with modern facilities and strong partnerships with employers, universities and local communities. This enables our staff to focus on what matters most: delivering high-quality education and training that equips learners with the skills, confidence and resilience to succeed in work and in life.
LSEC is part of the Elevare Civic Education Group, which also sponsors London South East Academies Trust. The Trust is a growing and successful Multi-Academy Trust, currently comprising mainstream, special and alternative provision schools across Bromley, Bexley, Surrey, Sussex and Lambeth. This gives colleagues the opportunity to work within a genuinely joined-up education system, spanning schools, colleges and higher education.
The Group has also recently established the Elevare Education Foundation, a charity dedicated to supporting disadvantaged children and families across the region through targeted programmes and practical support. This reflects our wider civic mission and commitment to making a meaningful difference beyond our campuses.
With a combined turnover of around £130m and clear ambitions for growth and improvement, this is an organisation that is forward-looking, values expertise and encourages people to contribute ideas and shape the future. There has rarely been a more interesting time to join us.
Benefits
We offer a highly competitive benefits package, including excellent annual leave and a generous pension through the Teachers’ Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme depending on role.
Additional benefits include:
- Access to an Employee Assistance Programme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Annual season ticket loan
- Access to the Discounts for Teachers portal
- Free Wi-Fi access in over 10,000 locations worldwide through Eduroam
- Access to our on-site gym at Bromley campus and discount at other local gyms
- Discounts in our in-house restaurants and on hair and beauty treatments
Equal Opportunities
London South East Colleges is fully committed to equality of opportunity and to creating a diverse, inclusive and respectful working environment, free from discrimination and harassment. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, parental status or marital or partnership status.
As a Disability Confident Committed employer, we guarantee an interview to applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role.
If you require any reasonable adjustments to support you through the application or interview process, please contact People Services at [email protected].
In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE) guidance, we carry out social media checks on shortlisted candidates to assess suitability for working with children and young people. Our full Safeguarding policy can be found here.
Because we work with children and vulnerable adults, all roles are exempt from Section 4(2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Appointments are subject to an enhanced DBS check and, where relevant, a Children’s and/or Adult’s Barred List check. Any offer of employment may be withdrawn if these checks are unsatisfactory. Self-disclosure is required as part of the recruitment process, and failure to disclose relevant information or provide a DBS certificate is likely to result in withdrawal of an offer. Our DBS policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders is available on request.
All appointments are also subject to verification of the right to work in the UK, in line with Home Office requirements. Original documentation will be required prior to commencement of employment.
