Quality Manager (Apprenticeship Services)

Location: Manchester

We're looking for an experienced Quality Manager to lead quality assurance and continuous improvement across our apprenticeship provision. This is a key role with responsibility for driving learner success, enhancing the quality of teaching and delivery, and ensuring the organisation remains fully compliant with Ofsted and apprenticeship quality standards.

Acting as the lead for self-assessment, quality improvement, safeguarding, inclusion and careers guidance, you'll work closely with programme, coaching, compliance and data teams to deliver outstanding learner experiences, strong employer satisfaction and a culture of continuous improvement.

You'll work closely with a broad range of internal stakeholders, including programme leadership, skills coaches and compliance teams, while building effective relationships with employers, learners, awarding bodies, education partners and regulatory organisations

Key Responsibilities

• Lead quality assurance and continuous improvement across apprenticeship programmes, ensuring high standards in teaching, learning, assessment and learner outcomes.
• Manage the Self-Assessment Report (SAR) and Quality Improvement Plan (QIP), using observations, quality reviews, data analysis and standardisation activities to drive measurable improvements.
• Monitor learner progress, achievement, retention and satisfaction, working closely with Programme Leads and Skills Coaches to enhance performance and support positive outcomes.
• Gather, analyse and act on learner, employer and partner feedback, resolving concerns and identifying opportunities to improve the overall apprenticeship experience.
• Act as the lead for safeguarding, Prevent, inclusion, equality, diversity and learner wellbeing, ensuring effective policies, practices and staff development are in place.
• Support and develop coaching excellence through observations, feedback, best practice sharing, CPD activities and the promotion of consistent standards across delivery.

Lead quality governance activities, producing reports and recommendations for senior leaders and coordinating quality review meetings.

Ensure ongoing compliance with ESFA, Ofsted and awarding body requirements, maintaining robust quality processes, oversight of partner provision and inspection readiness.

You'll take ownership of the organisation's quality framework, including the Self-Assessment Report (SAR), Quality Improvement Plan (QIP), quality assurance activities, safeguarding and inclusion strategies, stakeholder feedback processes, subcontractor quality reviews and Ofsted inspection readiness, driving continuous improvement across apprenticeship provision.

What Success Looks Like

In this role, success will be demonstrated through strong learner achievement, progression and satisfaction outcomes, alongside high levels of employer engagement and feedback. You'll deliver an effective SAR and QIP cycle, maintain robust quality assurance, safeguarding and compliance standards, and ensure the organisation remains inspection-ready at all times. Success will also be reflected in positive audit outcomes and continuous improvement across key quality and performance measures.

Essential

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Proven experience in a quality assurance, quality improvement or quality management role within apprenticeships, further education or work-based learning.
• Strong understanding of the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework, apprenticeship standards, gateway requirements and End-Point Assessment (EPA) processes.
• Experience leading quality assurance and improvement activities, including SAR, QIP, observations, audits, sampling and quality reviews.
• Sound knowledge of safeguarding, Prevent, equality, diversity and inclusion requirements within an education or training environment.
• Excellent analytical, reporting and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret data and drive continuous improvement.