Head of Alternative Provision

Are you passionate about helping young people who are struggling to thrive in mainstream education? We re looking for an experienced, dynamic leader to become our first Head of Alternative Provision and build this exciting new service from the ground up.

Our Charity

No Limits is the leading youth services charity in Southampton, supporting children and young people in the city and across Hampshire.

At No Limits, it is important our staff and volunteers reflect, represent, and have experience of the challenges faced by the children and young people we support. We are proud of and appreciate our many staff and volunteers who use their own lived experience to support the children and young people they work with.

With this in mind, we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in all aspects of our work and organisational culture and when recruiting, it s important to us that we continue diversifying our staff and volunteer teams, with children and young people at the centre of everything we do. You can learn more about our DEI approach here.

When we talk about talent, we value the transferrable skills and experiences you can bring to No Limits, whether through work (in the same or a different sector), volunteering, or personal experiences. To make sure we get the best talent on our team, we are open to and actively encourage applications from all backgrounds and sections of the community, including diverse ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and neurodiverse individuals.

Your Role

As our Head of Alternative Provision, you ll lead the development and delivery of our new Alternative Provision service, supporting young people who are struggling to thrive in mainstream education. This is a hands-on role at the start, shaping the model, refining plans, and directly managing delivery. As the service grows, your focus will shift to leading its further development, maintaining quality, and expanding provision across sites.

You ll be part of our Senior Management Team and play a key role in building strong partnerships with schools, commissioners and families, ensuring we provide outstanding, therapeutic and accredited learning opportunities. Through these relationships, you ll also help identify new ways for No Limits to support schools and families to meet young people s needs.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Leading the development, delivery and quality assurance of our Alternative Provision service
• Overseeing service design, safeguarding, risk management and outcomes for young people
• Building and maintaining strong partnerships with schools, local authorities and commissioners
• Acting as subject expert on Alternative Provision, SEMH and EBSA (Emotionally Based School Avoidance)
• Managing teams, budgets, quality assurance, and resources effectively

We are committed to making a difference in the lives of the children and young people we work with, and as such, you must show a willingness to demonstrate commitment to the values and behaviours which flow from the No Limits ethos. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people is paramount.

We particularly welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and those who have had experiences similar to the young people we aim to support. We are committed to creating a diverse environment where people can be their authentic selves, where their experiences and opinions are valued, and we are all open to learning from each other.

As part of our team, you ll receive a comprehensive induction and access to learning and development opportunities relevant to your role, supporting your ongoing growth.

You ll have the essentials of:

• Proven experience of developing and managing Alternative Provision, SEMH, or education-focused services
• Strong understanding of safeguarding and risk management within education/youth settings
• Experience of building partnerships with schools, commissioners, and external agencies
• Leadership experience, including managing and supporting teams
• Knowledge of EBSA, SEMH and attendance challenges affecting young people
• Ability to plan, deliver and monitor services that achieve measurable outcomes

Please let us know if we can support you with any reasonable adjustments at any point prior to, during or after the selection process, such as access arrangements, flexible working, or a suitable place to pray.

Interested? We d love to hear from you

We d be happy to have an informal discussion and answer any immediate questions you might have.

Role Terms

Salary: Band G £40,270 to £47,828 per annum, full time equivalent (based on 37.5 hours per week all year)
Hours: 30 to 37.5 hours per week - happy to talk flexible working. We are happy to consider all year or term-time only plus 2-4 weeks, please let us know your interest.
Place of Work: Hybrid Southampton base with opportunity for remote working
Contract: Initial 12-month fixed term (reviewed at the end of term linked to role success)
Essential Car User: No - The postholder must be able to travel across Southampton and Hampshire services

Our recruitment timeline:

• Applications close: 9am on Monday 6th October 2025
• Final stage selection and interview: Week commencing 13th October 2025

To apply for this role, please refer to the Head of Alternative Provision Applicant Pack and submit your CV and cover letter, outlining your motivation for applying and your relevant experience, qualifications and achievements.