Colleges and Further Education Recruitment
Colleges and further education providers equip people with the skills, confidence and qualifications to shape their future. We recruit transformational leaders who believe in lifelong learning and deliver lasting impact for students, staff and communities.
Further education recruitment across colleges, sixth forms and specialist providers, tailored to your needs with expertise and care.
Email us to find out more!We support colleges in recruiting the ambitious leaders and governors they need.
We work with forward-thinking colleges, sixth form and specialist providers across the UK to recruit executive and non-executive leaders who improve outcomes and navigate complex change.
You’re under pressure to deliver results in an uncertain environment: funding is unpredictable, policy keeps shifting, and learner needs are growing.
Post-16 education is central to the country’s skills agenda, but you’re often asked to do more with less. The push for adult reskilling is urgent, but capacity is stretched with declining enrolment, structural reform or leadership turnover. Some colleges face mergers, regulatory scrutiny or direct intervention.
We understand these challenges because we’ve supported clients through them. We know what strong leadership looks like in challenging circumstances, and we understand the consequences when it’s missing.
We work with the further education sector to find decisive, collaborative, and credible people who can lead change, support staff, and earn the trust of students, boards, and regulators.
We’re plain-talking and direct. You’ll know where you stand. We work with clients who value partnership, trust and real expertise. Our support spans from campaign design through to onboarding.
View our open roles here“I just wanted to say how impressed I was with the applicants you selected and presented for interview. When we first did the initial call to identify what we were looking for, I thought the questions you asked were spot on. You got a grasp of the essential points very quickly. It is difficult for me leaving after 8 years, but the quality of the candidates were excellent, and I feel that I can leave knowing that the College committees are going to be in very capable hands. I would certainly recommend you and Peridot if other organisations were looking for trustees.”
Outgoing Vice Chair of New College Worcester on the appointment of seven governors
Leadership and management recruitment for colleges and the further education sector.
We understand how to engage candidates with sector knowledge, commercial acumen, and the leadership qualities to drive your college forward.
We recruit permanent and interim senior leaders, including:
- CEOs and Principals
- Deputy CEOs and Executive Directors
- CFOs and Finance Directors
- Vice, Assistant and Associate Principals
- Directors of Curriculum, Quality and Corporate Services
- Heads of Department across core and support functions
We also support mid-to-senior appointments across:
- Estates, Projects and Facilities
- HR, OD and People Services
- Inclusion, SEND and Student Support
- Governance, Compliance and Risk
- Marketing, Communications and Recruitment
- MIS, Funding and Business Intelligence
Recruiting governors and board members for further education.
We work with FE colleges to build boards that are effective, inclusive and equipped for the future.
You might be:
- Refreshing your board after an external review or skills audit
- Appointing a new Chair
- Preparing for a merger or inspection
- Strengthening your committee structures
- Facing intervention or risk
We’ll help you attract and appoint non-executive leaders who:
- Bring fresh perspective and relevant skills
- Understand the difference between governance and management
- Ask the right questions and support the executive
- Care deeply about student outcomes and equity
Every search we run is fresh and tailored to you. We run open and transparent processes that prioritise diversity and board effectiveness.
Our commitment to KCSIE
We share a duty to protect children and young people from harm, and our recruitment team has undertaken safer recruitment training.
We will ensure safer recruitment practices in every stage of the recruitment process, in line with the latest KCSIE guidance, and maintain open and transparent communication that will enable us to help our clients find the most valuable people for their schools, colleges, and charities.
We're proud to support
Our selected track record
We’ve recruited for over 100 colleges and providers, supporting everything from leadership transitions and financial recovery to board reviews, regulatory scrutiny and long-term succession planning. Our work helps colleges build stability, navigate change and plan with confidence.
City of Bristol College | Principal & CEO, Director of Apprenticeships, Governors
Bath College | Deputy Principal, Governors
Coventry College | CEO & Principal, Vice Principal of Finance, Vice Principal of Resources & Curriculum Innovation, Vice Principal of Quality & Performance, Governors
Education Partnership North East | Chair, Vice Principal, Managing Director, Head of STEM, Executive Director of MIS, Governors
Halesowen College | Principal & CEO, Chief Financial Officer & VP, Assistant Principal, Director of Governance, Governors
Inspire Education Group | Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Curriculum Officer, Governors
London & South East Education Group | Group Director of Policy & Research
Nacro | Principal, Director of Education & Skills
Northern College for Residential Adult Education | Head of Marketing & Partnerships, Head of Estates, Chair of Governors
Nottingham College | CEO & Principal, Vice Principal – People & Culture, Director of Governance & Corporate Affairs, Director of Estates & Facilities, Director of Quality & Performance, Governors
Shrewsbury Colleges Group | Governor (Safeguarding Specialist)
Stoke on Trent College | Principal & CEO, Chair of the Corporation, Governors, Deputy Principal Quality & Curriculum, Assistant Principal Apprenticeships & Skills
The Henley College | Principal & CEO, Vice Principal, Chair of Governors
West Thames College | Head of Governance, Chair of Governors
Vision West Nottinghamshire College | Principal & CEO, Director of Finance, Chair of Governors, Governors, Vice Principal of Curriculum & Quality
