NCG is an ambitious organisation with a unique proposition which straddles the Further and Higher Education sectors. Comprising seven colleges, located right across England, NCG works with thousands of learners and businesses every year, regionally and nationally, to help them reach their full potential and build a talented workforce through high-quality education and training. NCG is also one of the largest not-for-profit training groups in the UK. Its collaborations with business is key to its success in supporting employers who want to invest in their workforce. NCG is driven by a clear and compelling mission — "Enabling social mobility and economic prosperity through exceptional education".

NCG operates two colleges in London: Lewisham College and Southwark College. The two colleges initially joined NCG as a single college, but in 2020 they became distinct with their own separate boards and leadership teams. Each College has its own strategic plan, which aligns with NCG's overall organisational strategy. 

Lewisham College is a thriving, dynamic further education college based across two campuses in Lewisham and Deptford. It welcomes all students and has a track record of unlocking their potential through enjoyable learning to gain qualifications and personal and professional development, positioning them well to secure future employment. The College has a long-standing tradition of providing education and much more in the heart of Lewisham and works hard to offer exciting and relevant opportunities for young people and adults which support them on their learning journeys. The College has an income of around £24m, enrols c. 4,000 learners, and employs 327 staff. For more on Lewisham College's strategy to 2030, follow this link.

Like Lewisham, Southwark College is one of the top performing colleges in London. From its £42m state-of-the-art campus in Southwark, it offers a vast range of programmes, from vocational courses for 14-16 and 16-18 year olds, to apprenticeships and Access to Higher Education courses. Southwark College is an essential part of the community, and will play a key part in the Borough's 'Local Jobs for Local People' strategy, providing the essential 21st century skills and training required by the labour market. The College has an income of around £12m, enrols c. 2,700 learners, and employs 170 staff. Southwark's strategy to 2030 can be found here, however with a new Principal having joined the College in September 2022, a fresh strategic planning process is underway. 

As NCG looks to the future, it is focused on continuing to deliver an outstanding quality of education for all of its learners across its seven colleges; it will work with government and employers to ensure it is contributing to the government's skills agenda; and it will allow its colleges to carve out their own unique identities as they serve their particular communities. NCG as a whole was rated 'Good' by Ofsted in 2022, and it intends to be 'Outstanding' by the time of its next inspection.

Applicants will be considered for positions on the boards of either Southwark College or Lewisham College.

Fundamentally, NCG's College Boards exist to ensure that there is scrutiny and oversight of the curriculum and student experience at each of its seven colleges, as well as providing a vital bridge to the local community.

College Boards are responsible for:

• establishing, approving and monitoring the college’s strategic and operational plans
• ensuring that the College establishes and maintains appropriate relationships, and that knowledge and understanding obtained inform the operation and development of the college
• ensuring that the curriculum offered is carefully considered and researched to meet the needs and requirements of the community, national and regional skills priorities, and any specific requirements of local students, employers and stakeholders
• ensuring the academic quality of the curriculum offer
• ensuring that the college performs strongly in relationship to student experience, outcomes and future destinations
• ensuring appropriate and compliant procedures to ensure the Safeguarding of learners and staff, as well as monitoring the progress of Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging, in line with NCG’s policy and strategy

For more information, take a look at the NCG College Board Terms of Reference. 

Governors (Educational Leaders)

NCG is seeking Governors with expertise in educational leadership leadership to join the Boards of both Southwark College and Lewisham College.

One of the primary roles of the College Boards is to ensure the quality of the academic offering. Ideal candidates will be experienced senior leaders with expertise in teaching and learning, curriculum development, quality assurance or assessment. Given the range of the curriculum offer at both Colleges, applicants are welcome from the secondary, further and higher education sectors, as well as independent training providers, inspectorates, the DfE, and other education sector bodies. An understanding of the local education and employment contexts in either Southwark or Lewisham would be advantageous, and it is preferred that candidates have a direct link with these communities.

Governors (Civic or Business Leaders)

More than ever, colleges must ensure that their education and training offerings are responsive and closely aligned to local labour market needs. To support this, NCG is seeking Governors with significant understanding of the current and future skills needs of local and regional employers to join the Boards of both Southwark College and Lewisham College.

Applicants must have significant links within the communities these two Colleges serve, however they could come from a range of backgrounds, including but not limited to:

• Civic – Individuals who are engaged in local / regional government bodies who would be able to support in delivering the current skills agenda
• Employers – Individuals involved with local / regional employers and Employer Representative Bodies who could provide strategic and curriculum value, sector specific knowledge, as well as providing access to employers and markets
• Community – Individuals from local / regional community representative groups which focus on bringing those furthest away from employment and training into education

At Southwark College, there is a particular interest in individuals working in Life Sciences, Health Sciences, Digital, Green Skills and Business / Entrepreneurship.

Fundamentally, Governors must be aligned with NCG's broader mission and purpose, while demonstrating an understanding of the role of governance as opposed to management.

A current list of Southwark Governors can be found here; and Lewisham Governors can be found here.

Appointed candidates will join the board of either Southwark College or Lewisham College — not both. The Boards of both colleges meet six times per year — once every half term. Meetings take place on a Tuesday evening at 5:30pm for Lewisham College, and on a Wednesday evening at 4pm for Southwark College. Meetings tend to last for 2-3 hours and are held in person (virtual attendance is possible on occasion if absolutely necessary). Additionally, there is an annual strategy day for each college and ad hoc engagement. There are no board committees.

These are unremunerated positions, however certain pre-agreed expenses will be reimbursed. The appointment is for an initial term of four years, which can be renewed once at the discretion of the Board.

Both Colleges are located in south London, and meetings will mostly take place in-person. Candidates will therefore be London-based, with a strong preference for those who are based in, work in, or have a strong connection to the communities served by the two Colleges.

NCG is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, belief or disability. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process. In line with the Equality Act 2010, however, the organisation may employ positive action where candidates from underrepresented groups can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.