Head of Learning & Engagement

Priority Candidates will be considered in the first instance

Salary: Grade 12, £53,460 - £57,379 per annum.

Haigh Hall

37 hours per week

Permanent

We're on a journey to build a workforce reflective of our Borough.

We are committed to fostering diverse teams where everybody can bring their authentic selves to work and feel that they belong. If you want to work for a Council where everybody is encouraged to meet their full potential and make a difference in our neighbourhoods, we would love to hear from you!

Your role :

The Head of Learning & Engagement is a new key role in the Haigh Senior Management Team, working alongside education partners to deliver a dynamic, innovative learning and engagement strategy. This role will position Haigh Hall as a nationally recognised centre for creative, cultural, environmental and heritage learning, while ensuring connectivity and growth of the wider service and sector offer. The Head of Learning & Engagement will provide strategic and operational leadership, working collaboratively with internal teams, external partners, and community stakeholders to co-create inclusive, impactful programmes.

About you :

The Head of Learning & Engagement will be educated to degree level or possess substantial equivalent professional experience. The successful candidate will demonstrate significant experience in creative education, heritage management, community engagement, or a closely related field.

You will have a proven track record in the development and delivery of high-quality learning, participation, and community engagement programmes, alongside a strong understanding of national and regional education priorities and strategies. The role requires excellent interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills, with the ability to engage effectively with a wide range of stakeholders.

The postholder must demonstrate outstanding leadership, organisational, and decision-making capabilities, with the ability to inspire and manage teams effectively.

As a member of the Haigh Senior Management Team, you will work collaboratively across the organisation, consistently demonstrating the Team Wigan behaviours and contributing to strategic objectives.

About us:

Wigan Council has been voted ‘Overall Council of the Year’ at the APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) Awards. We are signed up to the Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment ensuring that your service will be continuous or 'unbroken' between the supporting organisations.

The Progress with Unity plan is a place movement for change for the next decade, bringing a new era for Wigan Borough. It draws on the strengths of our individual organisations, recognising that together we can achieve much more for our communities by delivering on our 2 place missions; create fair opportunities for all children, families, residents and businesses and make our towns and neighbourhoods flourish for those who live and work in them.

Following successful £20m Levelling Up and £4.6m National Lottery Heritage Fund bids, underpinned by Wigan Council committing £25m capital expenditure, this is an incredibly exciting time to join a growing, transformational team. Leading on the Learning and Engagement programme for Haigh at a time when an unprecedented level of public funding has been secured to bring the vision to life, this is a truly exciting opportunity.

For an informal discussion please contact Peter Hughes (Operations Director) to make arrangements: View email address on findajob.dwp.gov.uk

Here at Wigan, we are proud to support flexible working patterns, when the service can accommodate this. We also take a blended approach to where we work, depending on the work we do. This may include working from home, the office, or the community. We like to thank our employees for their hard work and commitment by giving them the opportunity to access a range of exclusive rewards and benefits click here to find out more about working for #TeamWigan.

To be appointed to this role you must be able to prove your right to work in the UK. Please visit the link below to check you qualify to apply. Please note, at present we are not a licenced sponsor. Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK (

Prove your right to work to an employer

Interview dates:

Priority candidates 5th August 2026

All other candidates 7th August 2026

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application.

To view the details relating to this position, please click the links below:

Supporting Documents