Apprenticeship Support Manager

The full-time starting salary is normally £44,131.00 per annum, with progression available in post to £51,182.00 per annum. 

Full-time, permanent position.

Grade: G

BCU are seeking an Apprenticeship Support Manager to join The Directorate of Student and Academic Services to manager the day-to-day operations for an exceptional apprenticeship support service and take a lead in inspection readiness. The Directorate of Student and Academic Services (SAAS) leads on the development and provision of outstanding student facing services. The Directorate is responsible for ensuring that students have an excellent experience and provides services across the student and academic lifecycle from enrolment to graduation, covering everything from wellbeing services to ensuring new courses are set up correctly. The Directorate is at the centre of a transformation programme as we seek to make services which underpin our student experience more efficient and effective. 

The Apprenticeship Support Manager will lead and manage the teams of School-aligned Skills Coaches and the central apprenticeship support team, ensuring high-quality, consistent, and learner-centred support for apprentices. They will oversee the effective delivery of pastoral and academic support, employer engagement, and progression monitoring across all apprenticeship cohorts. They will ensure the administration of the apprenticeship journey is efficient and timely. They will lead on the SAR, QIP, and monitor individual action plans. They will work closely with academic Schools, Academic Leads for Partnerships and Apprenticeships, business development, compliance, and quality teams to embed a coherent, integrated apprenticeship support framework aligned with university strategy and regulatory requirements.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading, managing, and developing teams of Skills Coaches and central support staff to deliver an exceptional apprenticeship support service.
• Managing and developing the Apprenticeship Quality Compliance Officer to plan and monitor inspection readiness.
• Ensuring Skills Coaches provide effective coaching mentoring, and pastoral support to apprentices, including regular progress reviews and early identification of risks to achievement or progression.
• Coordinating support for apprentices' learning activities, including guidance on training plans, portfolio development ,gateway preparation, and apprenticeship assessment readiness. 
• Developing and implementing support policies, procedures, and quality standards to ensure compliance with apprenticeship regulatory frameworks and university expectations. 
• Managing communications and queries from apprentices and employers to maintain high satisfaction and resolve issues promptly. 

The Apprenticeship Support Manager will:

• Have experience managing high performing teams delivering student or apprentice support services.
• Be able to demonstrate proven ability to develop and maintain positive employer and apprentice relationships.
• Possess strong knowledge of apprenticeship support and delivery, including coaching, mentoring, and learner progression monitoring.
• Have experience preparing for Ofsted inspections or equivalent regulatory audits.
• Be able to work collaboratively with academic, business development, and compliance teams.
• Have strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities.

Birmingham City University is deeply committed to equality, diversity, and inclusivity at all levels in the organisation, and to addressing underrepresentation in our workforce to ensure we are truly representative of the community we serve. We welcome applications from applicants from all backgrounds and communities for this role, and particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic applicants. 

Please click the below link to download the Job Description:

Download Job Description

The appointed candidate will normally be employed through our subsidiary company BCU Support Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Birmingham City University. Appointees with prior LGPS membership who wish to enter the LGPS scheme will be able to do so and will be employed by Birmingham City University directly.