FE Business and Leadership Instructor/Mentor

derby.ac.uk; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Part time

Job summary

A reputable higher education institution in East Midlands seeks an experienced Instructor Mentor to support level 5 Operations/Digital Manager Apprenticeships. The role involves planning, delivering lessons, coaching apprentices, and maintaining high standards of mentoring. This part-time position requires adaptability, communication skills, and a strong commitment to educational excellence, providing a chance to impact future business leaders profoundly. Regular travel and teaching on campus are part of the responsibilities, along with contributing to team objectives.

Benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement

Employee Assistance Programme

Access to staff discounts

Discounted onsite gym

Cycle to Work scheme

Flexible working environment

Qualifications

• Significant industrial experience in an operational management role.
• Experience teaching business management or leadership at level 5 is a plus.
• Holder of or working towards a level 5 teaching qualification.

Responsibilities

• Planning and delivering engaging lessons for apprentices.
• Providing instruction to high standards.
• Mentoring apprentices to ensure alignment with employer needs.

Skills

Highly developed communication skills

Ability to use own initiative

Ability to work flexibly within a team

Well-developed administrative and organisational skills

Education

Level 4 or above Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) qualification

Level 3 or above Assessor qualification

Level 5 Business / Leadership qualification or demonstrable industry experience

Job description

Onsite
This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location.

We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.

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.

At the University of Derby, our Institute of Education and Skills is at the heart of shaping the educators, trainers, and leaders of tomorrow. We are dedicated to inspiring, developing, and empowering professionals across education, training, and lifelong learning to transform lives and communities.

We deliver high-quality programmes that span teacher training, post-16 education, early years, educational leadership, and workforce development. By combining academic expertise with real-world application, we prepare our students to make an impact in diverse educational settings.

Our staff are committed to innovation, inclusion, and excellence; engaging learners with cutting-edge research, sector-leading practice, and a supportive environment where everyone can thrive. We are proud to work with schools, colleges, training providers, and employers across the region and beyond, ensuring that our teaching is grounded in the needs of society and industry.

Whether through developing the next generation of teachers, enhancing workforce skills, or advancing educational research, the Institute of Education and Skills plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of education.

University of Derby Buxton is a vibrant and unique campus set in the heart of the Peak District, combining a rich history with a forward-looking approach to education. Based in the iconic Devonshire Dome, the Buxton campus is home to specialist programmes such as hospitality, culinary arts, events, tourism, and hair and beauty.

The campus is designed to provide students with hands-on, real-world learning experiences, supported by industry-standard facilities and strong links to local, national, and international employers. With its blend of practical training, academic expertise, and professional partnerships, Buxton offers an environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to excel in dynamic and competitive industries.

Set within the stunning natural landscape of Derbyshire, the campus also offers an inspiring backdrop for study and personal growth. At Buxton, students are encouraged to explore, innovate, and thrive, making it an exceptional place to learn and build a successful future.

University of Derby Buxton is rated ‘Good’ by OFSTED in all inspection areas, including teaching, learning & assessment, outcomes for learners, personal development, behaviour & welfare; and has a team of dedicated staff who take pride in supporting learners towards their study and career goals. This is a fantastic opportunity to join our team on our journey to becoming an outstanding provider.

We are seeking an experienced Instructor Mentor to join our Business and Leadership team, supporting the planning and delivery of the level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager Apprenticeship and a suite of ILM-accredited short courses.

You will be responsible for planning and delivering engaging lessons, coaching apprentices in both on- and off-the-job learning, and ensuring high standards of progress tracking and mentoring. Whether in the classroom, online, or in the workplace, your role will be pivotal in helping learners succeed and grow into confident, skilled professionals.

This is a part-time, 0.4 FTE opportunity that includes regular travel to visit apprentices in their workplaces, alongside scheduled teaching on Mondays at our Derby Campus. The other working day is negotiable.

Potential Interview date - 16th January 2025

We are looking for an industry-informed professional who can develop others through high-quality education and training. You will bring a blend of business acumen, leadership experience, and a commitment to delivering learner-focused, apprenticeship education.

This role requires someone who is adaptable, solution-focused, and confident working independently as well as collaboratively within a supportive team.

If you are excited about inspiring the next generation of business leaders and supporting organisational growth through skills development, we’d love to hear from you.

• To plan and deliver practical, technical vocational and associated theoretical learning activities for apprentices including training, support for learning and assessment using a variety of methods both on and off the job.
• Prepare suitable learning materials for a range of activities to develop the students’ knowledge, skills and behaviours linked to relevant apprenticeship standards or frameworks.
• Demonstrate tasks and processes to individuals and groups.
• Provide instruction to the specified standards and provide feedback to students on progress through written and online methods, coaching for high expectations of progress and attainment.
• Provide individual and group mentoring for apprentices to ensure that apprenticeship candidates are selected appropriately and are matched to the needs of the employer.
• Supervise groups of apprentices undertaking knowledge and skill acquisition through scheduled off the job learning activities, project work or while on work placement.
• Assess knowledge and skills acquisition using a variety of assessment methods including individual coaching techniques to accelerate the learning of knowledge, skills and behaviours.
• Provide specific learning support to apprentices as required and ensure that learning support records are kept up to date.
• Work with groups of apprentices or individuals to prepare them for external qualification and end-point assessment according to the requirements of the relevant apprenticeship.
• Complete all associated internal, employer and external documentation and track the students’ progress, including recording apprentice data on attendance and achievement using prescribed records systems, both manual and online.
• Ensure that any assessment carried out is completed to the standards laid down by the awarding body and the College Quality Assurance systems.
• Integrate the development of English and Mathematics skills, including their integration into broader learning activities linked to both on and off the job activities.
• Monitor attendance of apprentices at prescribed off the job learning activities, ensuring that records systems are updated as required and employers are kept informed.
• Ensure that apprentices are coached to behave in a professional manner at all times to a high standard of safety in the workplace and during off the job activities.
• Work with liaison and business development teams and independently to develop new business opportunities to increase employer engagement and apprentice uptake and progression.
• To undertake any other duties which may, from time to time, reasonably be required within the general level of responsibility.

General Duties

• Achieve personal and team targets for recruitment, progress, completion and achievement or apprentices within designated durations.
• To take an active role in the mentoring and progress of apprentices, providing a liaison between the apprentice, their employer and the off the job training provider.
• Take an active part in the College and University’s Staff Development Programmes.
• Take an active role, when required, in all curriculum management activities, including open days, recruitment events and external moderation activities.
• To understand and comply with the University’s Equality and Diversity Policy.
• To comply with copyright, software licensing legislation and related University procedures.
• To ensure that the College’s quality assurance procedures are adhered to and additional action taken where necessary.
• To comply with the requirements of Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults, Health and Safety, Quality and other University policies including Risk Management.
• Hold or be working towards a level 5 teaching Qualification or equivalent
• Level 2 Qualifications (either in Functional Skills or GCSE A-C) in both English and maths or a willingness to achieve within an agreed timescale
• Hold a level 5 Business / Leadership qualification or have demonstrable industry experience

Experience

• Significant industrial experience in an operational management role
• Demonstrable evidence of experience and ability to engage with learners to support high quality learning outcomes
• Experience teaching business management or leadership at level 5

Skills, knowledge & abilities

• Highly developed communication skills
• Ability to use own initiative
• Ability to work effectively on your own and with a small team
• Well-developed administrative and organisational skills
• Ability to work flexibly within a team

Business requirements

• Completed DBS check with child barred list
• Prohibited from Teaching check
• A commitment to the principle of widening participation
• A commitment to continued professional development
• A commitment to the College’s values and behaviours
• Willingness and flexibility to travel and work between College and external sites in a cost effective and timely manner

Qualifications

• Level 4 or above Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) qualification
• Level 3 or above Assessor qualification

Experience

• Experience with internal and external verification processes
• Practical experience promoting equality and diversity

Skills, knowledge and abilities

• Familiarity with the Operations/Departmental Manager Apprenticeship Standard and EPA requirements
• Knowledge of ILM qualifications in business and leadership
• Generous annual leave entitlement of 47 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)
• 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

For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Stephanie Traynor, Apprenticeship Operations Manager via [e-mail]

For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact recruitment team via [e-mail] .

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.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 and is therefore 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.

Equity, diversity and inclusion

The University of Derby is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion, regardless of age, disability, trans status, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief (or none), sex and sexual orientation.

We are Disability Confident Employers, demonstrating our commitment to disability inclusion, and invite applicants to highlight adjustments they may require to ensure equitable participation in our recruitment processes.

Further, we are committed to ensuring an environment which is trans and non-binary-inclusive for all our staff, students, partners, and visitors, and continuously review our policies, guidance and training.

When applying to join the University, you can choose your preferred title, including the gender-neutral title ‘Mx’. We also ask our candidates if they would like to share their preferred pronouns.This is voluntary but demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity for trans and non-binary candidates.Once employed, you can add pronouns and preferred names onto our system.

The University of Derby undertakes anonymised shortlisting during the staff recruitment process. This means that, when shortlisting, panel members will not be able to see an applicant’s name and will see an applicant number instead. This demonstrates the practical steps we are taking to remove barriers to recruitment by minimising the possible impact of our unconscious bias.

However you identify, we actively celebrate the knowledge, experience and talents each person brings. Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds; therefore we are particularly interested to hear from applicants who will help our leaders and teams be more reflective of our student population.

At the University of Derby, we are passionate about embedding sustainability into everything that we do. We aim to bring environmental sustainability into all aspects of the University, including teaching, research and operational activities. In line with the University's strategic framework, we expect all our staff to embed sustainability into their working practices and support the University's objective to reach net zero carbon by 2050.

Seize the opportunity to shape the future, apply now.

How to apply

You can apply by submitting an online application. Once you have signed in or registered with us you will be able to begin your application. If you are creating an account for the first time, please ensure you provide an email address that you access regularly as this will be our main means of contacting you regarding your application.

The University reserves the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

If you require any assistance, including the provision of any documentation in an alternative format, please contact the Recruitment team at [e-mail] .

Please note all applications must be submitted online by Midnight GMT on the closing date of the vacancy.

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.