Head of AI and Digital Innovation

Head of AI and Digital Innovation

Location: Cross college role (Rotherham, Dearne Valley and North Notts College s including University Centre Rotherham)

Salary: £52,129 a year + benefits

Vacancy Type: Permanent

Hours: Full time (37 hours each week, all year round)

About the Role

The Head of AI and Digital Innovation will play a key role in delivering our ambitious digital strategy. Working with the Director of IT and Digital, you will help lead digital growth and innovation, providing inspirational leadership to ensure the College meets the needs of staff, students, employers, and partners in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

As a proud Google Reference College, you will be the architect of an ecosystem. You will leverage the full power of the Google Workspace for Education Plus suite and Gemini AI to reduce staff workload, dismantle barriers to learning, and provide our students with the high-level digital fluency required for the 21st-century workforce.

You will promote excellence in teaching, learning, and assessment through blended and digital approaches, supporting teaching staff to develop a high-quality, future-ready curriculum. By setting a bold vision and challenging traditional methods, you will inspire staff development and drive strategic aims.

You will also drive the adoption of immersive classroom technologies and support staff in developing digital literacy skills to enhance educational delivery.

While the wider IT department maintains the network and hardware, this role "owns" the digital transformation of the user experience. The successful candidate will be expected to navigate the ethical implications of AI while ensuring digital inclusion across a diverse community.

You will have;

• Proven experience in leading digital transformation or AI integration within an educational or corporate setting.
• Experience managing and developing high-performing technical or pedagogical teams, such as TEL Specialists
• Experience in curriculum design or modernising teaching through blended and immersive learning (VR/AR)
• Professional/Experience in AI, Project Management, or Educational Technology.

You will need;

• Level 2 (or equivalent) qualification in English and Maths (or be willing to undertake)
• A master s degree in Educational Technology (EdTech) AI for Business Leadership or similar
• Teaching/Training Qualification (E.g PGCE, CertEd or Level 3 AET) or willingness to work towards

We understand that no candidate will perfectly match every qualification or criterion listed. If your experience differs from what we've outlined but you believe you can contribute to this role, we encourage you to apply!

Our excellent benefits and rewards package:

• Access to local government pensions scheme (with employer contributions from 17.7% to 23.68%)
• Up to 44 days annual leave per year including closure during Christmas period
• Access to our gyms, restaurants and salons
• Staff health & wellbeing and benefits schemes including in-house Occupational Health service
• Extensive wellbeing support through a digital Wellbeing Hub that offers a broad range of support for physical, mental, and financial wellbeing.
• Full, part time and flexible working hours available in many roles
• Free Parking available at all of our sites
• Fantastic career development opportunities including funding for teacher training, apprenticeships and various other industry recognised qualifications
• New FE teachers can also apply for grants of up to £6,000 in STEM subjects (conditions apply) through the teacher retention initiative
• Recruitment Referral Scheme for all employees, worth £200 per referral made

What is the RNN Group?

RNN Group s main goal is to be an outstanding education and training provider and this is at the heart of everything that we do. To help us achieve this we are looking to recruit highly motivated, innovative and dynamic individuals to join our existing teams. To be a part of the team at RNN Group we will expect you to be committed to our values too;

• We are Inclusive,
• We have Integrity,
• We Deliver,
• We are One Team.

We are OFSTED Good (November 2022)

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for RNN Group, please click apply to be redirected to our website to complete your application.

Closing date: Monday 30 March 2026 if you are shortlisted for this post, you will be contacted within a week of the closing date.

We celebrate diversity and are proud to have been recognised as Investors in Diversity for our commitment to the FREDIE (Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement) Model. This means that you d be working in a supportive environment that encourages, recognises and celebrates effort, achievement and cooperative attitudes. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, faith or disability. We are also proud to be part of the Disability Confidence Scheme and offer reasonable adjustments to all applicants throughout the recruitment process.

The RNN Group is proud to be part of the South Yorkshire Institute of Technology (SYIoT).

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, vulnerable adults and young people. All new employees will be required undertake a DBS check and other associated checks in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education Guidance.

All candidates must have the legal right to work in the UK.