For the first time in many years, there is an opportunity to raise the leadership capability and capacity of the Further Education sector through prestigious and high impact programmes built around what leaders have stated they want. The New to Senior Leadership programme has been commissioned by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF), the sector owned, government-backed workforce development body for the Further Education and Training sector. The programme is funded and subsidised by the Department for Education for eligible organisations funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). This high profile New to Senior Leadership Programme is designed and delivered in partnership with the Birmingham Leadership Institute at the University of Birmingham.
Programme overview
This innovative New to Senior Leadership Programme has been designed for leaders who have recently taken up a senior leadership role or would like the opportunity to take part in leadership development for their role.
Aligned to ETF’s leadership pipeline, it will enable newly appointed senior leaders to take up their roles more effectively and forge a cross-sector cadre of leaders. It will support leaders in several ways: a blend of theory ‘bursts’, leadership skills development, exploring knowledge and evidence, debate and facilitated group discussions, and learning from leaders, from the FE sector and the wider system. Importantly, the approach is underpinned by an emphasis on practical application to the real challenges faced by new senior leaders.
Those who are new to senior leadership are faced with the challenge of stepping up to their first major leadership role in a turbulent environment, building relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders and developing their understanding of what it means to be an effective FE leader in the 21 century.
To meet those challenges, leaders must be capable of combining a host of skills and attributes as influential systems leaders. Therefore, this programme has been designed and delivered by a highly-skilled and experienced team based at the University of Birmingham to meet these requirements. They have a track record of running successful award-winning leadership programmes over 30 years, for leaders at all levels, across all sectors of the economy and they bring a particular understanding of the needs of senior leaders.
Benefits for participants will include being taught by thought leaders and experts in leadership development, as well as learning with peers in a supportive and stretching environment.
Places on the programme are limited, to ensure every participant has a high quality experience.
Key themes:
- Self-management, self-awareness and resilience
- Clarity on the expectations of the senior leadership role
- Relationship management and developing impactful networks
- Negotiation, influencing and delegation
- Governance and strategic decision making
- Effective stakeholder management and relationships
- Operating in a cross-college role and wider systems leadership
- Corporate responsibility and being a member of the senior leadership team.
The programme is underpinned by the FE Leadership Excellence Framework and the ETF Model for Professional Learning and Development.
As participants on the programme, you will benefit from:
- Acquiring the skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours to succeed and operate successfully at senior level
- Being able to move beyond organisational leadership, into system leadership roles that span organisational boundaries
- Tackling real workplace issues, reflecting what is needed to promote confident high-performing, and continuously-improving organisations
- Building your personal resilience, confidence, influence, and capabilities to prepare for the challenges and demands of senior leadership
- Being critically aware of your personal approach to leadership – biases, blind spots, attitude to diversity – and how to continue to develop your leadership after the programme
- Building a powerful, regional and national support network of like-minded, influential leaders that impact the organisation and system
- Working more strategically with greater collaboration across organisations
How to reserve your place
Details about how to apply and an application form are included in the application pack, which can be accessed here.
All applicants must complete the detailed application form, obtain support from an organisational sponsor (usually your CEO or a director-level sponsor) and have identified a work-based project or focus for application of the learning.