University of Derby
Skills and Apprenticeships Systems Lead
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The University of Derby
The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.
We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.
Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.
About the College/Department
The Registry support all aspects of the student journey, right from initial enquiry and application, all the way through to final award and student completion. We strive to provide an outstanding service to all our users and to be thought leaders in our fields of expertise, developing research informed practise. Registry teams work collaboratively with stakeholders to deliver a high-performance culture that promotes wellbeing, diversity and opportunity for all, supporting excellent student experience.
About the Skills and Apprenticeships team
The Skills and Apprenticeships team plays a critical role in supporting the delivery of the University's Further Education, Skills and Apprenticeship provision. The team is responsible for ensuring the integrity of learner records, compliance with funding and regulatory requirements, management information reporting, and the effective operation of specialist FE and Skills systems.
Working closely with academic departments, curriculum teams, employers, external agencies and Digital Solutions & Services (DS&S), the team supports the University's commitment to delivering a high-quality, compliant and data-driven apprenticeship and skills service. As the University continues to grow and transform its Skills and Apprenticeship provision, the team is increasingly focused on improving systems, enhancing data quality, streamlining processes and maximising the value of digital technologies.
About the Role
This is an exciting opportunity to take a leading role in the management and development of the University's FE and Skills systems landscape.
As Skills and Apprenticeships Systems Lead, you will act as the a business owner for FE and Skills systems, providing oversight of systems, processes, data quality and compliance. You will work closely with Digital Solutions & Services (DS&S) and key stakeholders across the University to ensure systems are fit for purpose, support regulatory and funding requirements and deliver high-quality management information.
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Key responsibilities in this role include:
- Leading the strategic development, enhancement and continuous improvement of the University's FE and Skills systems to ensure they remain effective, efficient and aligned with organisational priorities.
- Overseeing data integrity, quality assurance and compliance, ensuring that systems support accurate reporting and meet all regulatory and funding requirements.
- Acting as the key business lead for system changes, integrations and developments, working closely with stakeholders to identify opportunities for improvement and deliver impactful solutions.
- Leading business impact assessments and supporting the successful implementation of change initiatives, helping teams adapt to new processes and technologies.
- Driving process improvement, standardisation and automation to enhance operational efficiency and service delivery, while coordinating activities linked to critical regulatory and operational cycles.
- Providing functional leadership and direction across FE and Skills systems support activities, ensuring a high-quality, responsive and customer-focused systems environment.
This role offers an excellent opportunity to influence the future direction of a critical area of University operations, helping to deliver transformation, improve efficiency and ensure the continued success of Skills and Apprenticeships provision.
Anticipated interview date: Wednesday 2nd September 2026
This role can be primarily based at either our Buxton campus or Derby campus.
If you are successful, you will be required to undertake a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. However, should you choose to be based at our Buxton site, the role will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Any information you provide will be treated in confidence and only used when considering your suitability for the post.
To enable us to process your DBS check please ensure you are able to supply the documentation listed on the DBS website at interview stage.
About You
We are seeking an experienced systems, data or service professional with a strong understanding of FE, Skills or Apprenticeship administration and a proven appreciation of the importance of regulatory compliance, data integrity and effective business processes. You will be confident working with complex systems and datasets, translating operational requirements into practical solutions and driving continuous service improvement.
You will be an effective collaborator, able to build strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, providing expert advice, influencing decision making and constructively challenging existing ways of working to deliver positive change. With significant experience of FE, Skills or student record systems, you will bring a strong understanding of data quality, governance and compliance requirements, alongside experience of developing and improving processes, reporting and management information.
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The successful candidate will possess excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to assess risk, balance priorities and understand wider business impacts. You will be confident working independently, taking the initiative to lead service enhancements and support organisational transformation. A degree, or equivalent relevant professional experience, is essential.
Benefits
- Generous annual leave entitlement of 38 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)
- Local Government Pension Scheme
- Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
- Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers
- Discounted onsite gym
- Cycle to Work scheme
- A flexible working environment
- A commitment to personal and professional development
Key Contact
For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Paul Grocott, Operational Compliance Manager (Skills & Apprenticeships) via p.grocott@derby.ac.uk
For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk
Important Information
The University is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers under the Skilled Worker route for this role; however, applications are welcome from candidates who are able to demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK. Please visit our website for more information.
If you are successful, you will be required to undertake a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. However, should you choose to be based at our Buxton site, the role will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Any information you provide will be treated in confidence and only used when considering your suitability for the post. To enable us to process your DBS check please ensure you are able to supply the documentation listed on the DBS website at interview stage.
The University of Derby is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our staff, students and children. At the University of Derby, safeguarding is everybody's concern. Please find our Safeguarding pages including our Safeguarding Policy here.
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