Head of Department - Health, Early Years and Foundation Learning

Who we are?

Stockton Riverside College is a dynamic and ambitious college, recently awarded Outstanding by Ofsted, recongised for delivering exceptional standards of education and training. We offer a comprehensive range of academic, vocational and higher education courses for young people, adult learners, and apprentices. Proudly serving our local community, we are dedicated to helping individuals gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence to achieve their full potential.

As part of The Education Training Collective (Etc.), a group of colleges and training providers in the Tees Valley; Stockton Riverside College, Redcar and Cleveland College, Bede Sixth Form College, NETA Training and Innersummit - we are driven by a shared vision: ‘ONE Etc. – Fuelling ambition and driving success in a resurgent Teesside and beyond. Our dedicated and skilled staff are at the heart of our success, supporting learners and contributing to the wider community. We are seeking candidates who believe in the power of education to transform lives and who share our commitment to excellence, opportunity and achievement.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Head of Department (Health, Early Years and Foundation learning) to join our college leadership team reporting to our Campus Principal at Stockton Riverside College.

As a Head of Department with Etc. you will be responsible for providing leadership, co-ordination and planning in the growth, development and delivery of a high-quality curriculum.

The ideal candidate will be driven, organised, the ability to work to high levels or accuracy and attention to detail, be able to work collaboratively with others, communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders and be willing to learn and develop.

Previous experience of working within the FE sector in a curriculum leadership role (course leader or equivalent or above) is essential to this role, additional training will be provided. We can offer the successful candidate the opportunity to work and develop within a supportive and motivated team committed to continuous improvement.

Why Join Us?

We are proud that 91% of our staff tell us that Etc. is a Great Place to Work. At Etc. we reward and support our colleagues in many different ways, including remuneration, training and so much more – we’ve listed a few examples of what you can expect when you join our team:

Generous annual leave entitlement (43-50 days per annum, depending on role).
Up to 5 days additional leave at Christmas
Free on-site parking
Pro-Hybrid working employer
Teachers Pension Scheme with 23.68% Employer Contribution
Enhanced Occupational Sick Pay Scheme
Enhanced Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Scheme
Career development opportunities for progression
Comprehensive Health and Wellbeing programme
Employee Assistance Programme (free counselling support for staff, available 24/7 365 days per year)
Free gym memberships/discounted memberships (dependent on site)
Staff Discounts Package- Save on your weekly shop with discounts and savings at a number of retailers including groceries, electronics, clothing, homeware and much more
Better Health at Work Scheme – Etc. has achieved the Continuing Excellence Better Health at Work award
Wellbeing Days (in addition to annual leave)
Discounted Hair and Beauty treatments available
Bike2Work Scheme

Schedule

Monday-Friday
Flexible lunch breaks

If you believe you have the necessary skills, commitment and determination to succeed and would relish the opportunity to work with us, then we would LOVE to hear from you.

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is midnight Thursday 25 June 2026.

Shortlisted candidates will be required to provide details of all unspent convictions and those that would not be filtered, prior to the date of the interview. Successful applicants will be required to undertake an enhanced disclosure by the DBS.

If you are unsure whether you need to disclose criminal information, you should seek legal advice or you may wish to contact Nacro or Unlock for impartial advice. There is more information on filtering and protected offences on the Ministry of Justice website. Nacro - or email View email address on findajob.dwp.gov.uk or phone View phone number on findajob.dwp.gov.uk Unlock – phone View phone number on findajob.dwp.gov.uk text View phone number on findajob.dwp.gov.uk.

We are committed to being an inclusive and welcoming place to work, promoting equality of opportunity and access for all, irrespective of age, background, race, gender, religion, ability, disability or sexuality. We encourage applications from diverse candidates and make recruitment decisions based on skill and experience. We are a disability-confident committed employer.

Safeguarding is also priority for the group and we have key policies and systems which help to make the group a safe place for learners and staff. The purpose of these policies is to provide clear guidance regarding Safeguarding responsibilities throughout the group, including the Prevent Duty. To read more, please visit

*note we do not accept CVs or late applications, no agencies please

All applications must be completed via our website

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

Disability Confident

About Disability Confident

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident .