Dear Applicant,

If you wish to join a College that is positive about its future, places high value on the student experience, our people and culture, and you are passionate about excellence in further education, then this exciting new role could be just right for you.  

We are looking for an experienced and ambitious leader to play a key role in the next phase of our transformation which is already well underway.  You must already be a senior leader and place high value on the view that “culture and quality are two sides of the same coin”.

Applicants must have a demonstrable track record as a senior leader in curriculum and/or quality, and be dynamic, credible and able command confidence with our staff.

The successful applicant will be a key member of a highly cohesive senior leadership team and report directly to the Chief Executive.

Because we are a College that believes in making a positive difference to the lives of others, and because we enjoy what we do, you will join a College that values hard work and positive ways of working with each other. We believe that complacency is not an option and in responding to continuous change, we must continue to become more flexible and innovative.

City of Sunderland College is an excellent place to work and has a long-standing high reputation. We have a strong Governing Body who value a balanced approach to support and challenge in order to ensure the College achieves its vision. Along with our senior leadership team, they continue to navigate the complexities and challenges that FE brings, not least in ensuring best value approaches to the use of public money, a quality student experience and working to minimise administration and bureaucracy for our staff and students.

It follows that we are intent on harnessing the power of our significant IT platforms to innovate in every classroom and workshop and to support our business functions; applicants should be able to demonstrate how they have utilised quality approaches to drive improvements particularly in teaching and learning through the use of technology.

Actively shaping our strategic direction within an environment that is rapidly changing, financially challenging and increasingly competitive, Sunderland College merged with Hartlepool Sixth Form in 2017 and Northumberland College in 2019 to create a new group of Colleges called Education Partnership North East. This has led to our transformation into a College with significant scale and breadth across our exciting learning portfolio.

We are determined to remain a progressive organisation, to embrace change and to seek new opportunities to position the College as a leading organisation, nationally, regionally and locally. If you would like to be a part of this journey and think you will fit with our culture, please do not hesitate to get in touch before submitting your application.

I look forward to meeting you.

Ellen Thinnesen
Chief Executive