Head of Department - Travel, Food and Drink

About the Role

Leeds City College are seeking an exceptional and commercially driven Head of Department for Travel, Food & Drink to lead a vibrant and high-profile curriculum area at our Printworks Campus.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a curriculum that not only delivers outstanding education and student outcomes, but also operates with a strong commercial mindset, maximising income generation, employer partnerships and real-world learning environments.

You will drive a high-quality, industry-led curriculum across Travel & Tourism, Catering, Hospitality and Food & Drink, ensuring provision is responsive to market demand, employer needs and regional growth priorities.

Printworks Campus is a flagship environment for service industries and technical education, offering industry-standard facilities including professional kitchens, restaurant spaces and commercial learning environments.

The Travel, Food & Drink provision is uniquely positioned to deliver authentic, revenue-generating student experiences in partnership with leading employers across Leeds and beyond.

What You Will Do

As Head of Department for Travel Food and Drink, you will:

• Lead a Strong, employer-led curriculum across Travel, Food & Drink, ensuring it is ambitious, relevant and aligned to industry standards
• Drive high achievement, retention and progression outcomes, using data to identify gaps and implement rapid improvements
• Create and deliver a clear commercial strategy for the area, increasing income through full-cost courses, apprenticeships and commercial activity
• Oversee and grow commercial learning environments (e.g. student restaurant, butchers block), ensuring they deliver both high-quality student experience and revenue
• Build strong partnerships with employers and industry, securing placements, live projects and progression opportunities
• Lead and develop staff through performance management, coaching and CPD, creating a culture of accountability and excellence
• Ensure consistently high standards in teaching, learning and assessment, aligned to Ofsted expectations
• Take ownership of SAR, QIP and inspection readiness, ensuring a clear line of sight on impact
• Manage budgets, staffing and resources to ensure efficiency, sustainability and growth
• Contribute to wider college priorities including curriculum growth, innovation and skills development

About You

We are looking for a Head of department who:

• Has proven experience in leading teams within FE, hospitality, travel or a related sector
• Brings strong understanding of Food, Hospitality or Travel industries, with current or recent sector knowledge
• Has a track record of improving quality and delivering strong student outcomes
• Demonstrates commercial acumen, with experience of income generation and employer engagement
• Is confident using data and KPIs to drive performance and decision-making
• Is an inspiring leader who can motivate, challenge and develop staff to perform at their best
• Is passionate about delivering an exceptional student experience and preparing learners for industry
• Has a teaching qualification and relevant professional qualifications

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Lee Pryor, Principal, or Donna Feeny, Deputy Principal, via the PA to the Principal Catherine.OBrien@leedscitycollege.ac.uk