Vacancies

Head of Department - Creative Media and Digital Arts

Please Note: The application deadline for this job has now passed.

About the Role

Leeds City College are recruiting for a Head of Creative Media and Digital Arts to join our team based at our Quarry Hill Campus.

We are seeking an inspirational and visionary leader to take Creative Media and Digital Arts to the next level. You will bring passion, creativity, and strategic direction to a thriving department, building on its outstanding achievements and leading it into an exciting new phase of growth and innovation.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced and confident leader with a strong background in Further Education and a proven record of driving high-quality outcomes. You will be outcomes-focused, ensuring that every learner benefits from exceptional teaching, learning, and progression opportunities.

The Department of Creative Media and Digital Arts (CMDA) was assessed as Outstanding for 2024/25 through the college’s quality processes, with particular strengths in achievement, industry engagement, and progression to higher education. Recruitment has exceeded target this year, and plans are already underway to expand capacity for September 2026 an exciting time to lead and shape the department’s future.

Home to more than 600 learners, primarily aged 16–18, CMDA offers an ambitious and diverse curriculum including TV & Film Production, Animation, Games Design and Development, Journalism, and Esports across Levels 1, 2 and 3, alongside T Levels, Access, and Adult provision.

Based at our state-of-the-art Quarry Hill Campus, in the heart of Leeds’ SOYO Cultural Quarter, the department benefits from exceptional facilities and an aspirational, creative environment for both staff and students.

CMDA is equipped with an industry-standard TV Studio and Gallery, screening room, Mac and high-spec computer suites, and cutting-edge media equipment to support professional, hands-on learning.

Click here for a video tour of the Quarry Hill campus facilities.

What You Will Do

Lead, inspire and empower a team of highly experienced, committed and talented professionals who share a passion for teaching, learning and creative excellence.
Your leadership will drive the department’s success, fostering a culture where staff and students alike can thrive and achieve their full potential.
Be a visible and outstanding role model, demonstrating the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and collaboration across all areas of work.
With a relentless focus on excellence, you will lead the drive for the highest standards of education, ensuring exceptional achievement, retention and attendance.
Shape and deliver a strategic business plan that balances financial sustainability with enriching, high-quality learning experiences for all students.
Champion continuous improvement across every aspect of the department, leading the journey towards a Grade 1 standard of excellence.
Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure that our curriculum meets industry needs and provides exciting opportunities for learners.
Model and promote positive behaviours, embedding restorative approaches that support a respectful and inclusive learning community.
Be an integral part of our Quarry Hill family, a visible, supportive and inspiring leader for staff and students alike.

About You

A proven leader, ideally with a background in a relevant Creative Arts/ digital discipline.
Extensive experience in further education, with a strong track record of driving quality and improvement.
Demonstrated success in achieving excellence in the quality of education.
A natural people leader with the ability to motivate, develop and empower high-performing teams.
Provides strategic leadership to ensure students have the opportunities, support and inspiration they need to grow, develop and succeed.
A creative and strategic thinker with a keen interest in developing new courses and initiatives within the Creative Arts sector.
Experienced in building strong partnerships with external stakeholders such as qualification boards, arts organisations and funding bodies.

Benefits

The group offers a range of excellent benefits, including:

Annual leave:
Curriculum and Management: 44 days plus bank holidays
Curriculum support and business support: 39 days plus bank holidays

Pension schemes with generous employer contributions:
Teachers’ Pension Scheme
Local Government Pension Scheme
People’s Pension Scheme

CPD opportunities:
Annual staff conference plus 2 additional staff development days.
Qualifications including PGCE, Apprenticeships, Leadership and Management courses.

Employee wellbeing initiatives: Family Friendly Policies, discounted onsite spa (Printworks) and gym (Park Lane).

Travel and commuting: Discounted travel available through Metro card, Northern Rail, First Bus, Arriva Bus and Cycle to work schemes.

Flexible and hybrid working opportunities: Please speak to the recruiting manager regarding flexible opportunities as these differ between roles.

About Us

Leeds City College is one of the largest further education institutions in the country and is one of the biggest providers of apprenticeships regionally.

We provide a vibrant and diverse learning environment, delivering excellent and innovative education which is supportive, inspiring and life changing. Leeds City College’s values put students first and are at the heart of everything the college does.

We are committed to lifelong learning and investing in our staff. You’ll have access to a broad variety of training and professional development designed to help you continually develop and grow. We offer a wide range of job vacancies, and our large size means there are always exciting opportunities to progress.

Join us on the journey to being the best that we can collectively be for our students, apprentices, staff and our stakeholders.

SAFEGUARDING

At Luminate Education Group we are committed to the safeguarding and welfare of all our students. We expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful applicants will be required to complete mandatory pre-employment checks which include an enhanced DBS check, online checks and must have two satisfactory references. Please be aware that it is a criminal offence to apply for this post if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity in connection to children.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in recruitment is key to our Group’s values. We are dedicated to fostering a workplace that embraces equality, diversity and inclusion in all its forms, where every candidate is treated with fairness, respect, and equity.

Our recruitment processes are designed to ensure equal opportunities, remove bias, and promote a diverse talent pool. To find out more about what our commitment to EDI means to us please Click here to learn more about our EDI objectives.

RECRUITMENT AGENCIES

We do not accept unsolicited CV’s and applications from agencies and will not be liable for any fee in connection with a candidate that has been submitted speculatively through any agency that has not been expressly instructed for a particular vacancy as part of our Preferred Supplier List.