Design and Media Learning Company Lead (0.8 or Full Time) at West Nottinghamshire College
1. The Appointment
This exciting specialist role of Design and Media Learning Company Lead, sits within the wider Creative and Digital department. The ideal candidate will have an excellent understanding of the creative industries. The post holder will be responsible for leading the Create Digital Learning Company, which provides live client briefs and work placement projects to students within the department.
The post is offered on a 0.8 contract (29.6 hours per week), however, full-time hours (37 hours per week) could be considered for the right candidate.
What is a Learning Company? The Create Digital Learning Company operates as a fully functional, student-staffed creative agency, taking on real projects, for real customers. Specialising mainly in digital design, moving image, and content creation, our company operates exactly like a real-world production house, taking on live briefs from external clients and local organisations. Students produce everything from eye-catching corporate posters and dynamic social content to complex 2D/3D animations and high-impact public information videos. By managing real commercial client expectations, meeting strict production deadlines, and using industry-standard software, students build an exceptional professional portfolio and acquire the technical skills, confidence, and experience that the creative industries are looking for.
Our Learning Company is now in its sixth year of operation and students have worked with major organisations such as the NHS, Mansfield and Ashfield Councils, Godolphin Productions, Nottinghamshire Police, The Violence Reduction Partnership, National Holocaust Centre, Newstead Abby and School Games. We have also worked with many smaller businesses like Rumbles Café and Ground Zero Comics and local primary and special educational schools.
The Design and Media Learning Company Lead will be responsible for sourcing projects, allocating students to the projects and managing the workflow, to ensure final products are quality assured and delivered on time. The post holder will over see the designated Learning Company office and support groups of students to complete the work in our specialist studios.
The post holder will also be responsible for organising the annual Create Expo and annual employer advisory board.
As the Lead, you will oversee the running of the Company and ensure that students who are working for the company, learn the expected skills, professional standards and behaviours.
You will follow the college’s health and safety and safeguarding procedures to ensure that students are attending approved work place settings and/or engaging with approved employers.
The post holder will be expected to be a self-starter and have a high level of resilience, as the role will involve cold calling, engaging new employers and securing client projects, working towards supporting all students to access a meaningful work placement, which may be conducted remotely in line with creative industry freelance practice.
You may, on occasion, be required to travel within the local area, to meet clients face to face.
The role will require you to take on and work to the college’s values of; Respect, Ambition, Integrity, Collaboration and Compassion.
2. The Post
2.1 Main Duties and Responsibilities
a) Source and negotiate new projects with employers, through a range of activities, adopting a tenacious but professional approach, acting as a college ‘ambassador’ as the first contact with the employer.
b) Secure commissions from external businesses for the Create Learning Company and agree donations where possible.
c) Quality assure the products that students produce to ensure customer satisfaction.
d) Ensure that a robust matching process is co-ordinated to ensure students meet employers’ expectations and the college’s Employability Framework Standards.
e) Promote new projects, client briefs and new work placement opportunities, to teachers and students through a range of activities.
f) Co-ordinate and contribute to the development of training, to prepare students for placements e.g. skill development sessions on software packages and other digital platforms.
g) Monitor completion of student work, employer feedback and critiques and respond positively to client queries and requests.
h) Manage and supervise groups of students to undertake live client projects and support them to project manage.
i) Offer support and training to students on workflow practices, project management techniques, problem solving, negotiation and communication methods.
j) Offer support and training sessions on software packages e.g. Adobe Creative Suite, Blender and Davinci to enable students to complete client briefs effectively.
k) Model professional behaviours and support students to develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours to be successful in the workplace.
l) Source industry guest speakers for the college’s annual Create Expo industry conference. Plan and organise the Create Expo event to be a dynamic and exciting experience for students.
m) Source and host employers for annual employer advisory boards, where employers are consulted on curriculum offers and provide insight into current industry trends, with a view to ensuring that the current curriculum offer remains relevant and meets the needs of local, regional and national employers.
n) Check the appropriate paperwork is completed to comply with health and safety regulations by liaising with the Work Placement officers.
o) To be meticulous in ensuring all employer engagement information and student activities are recorded on the systems to evidence and monitor activity.
p) Use Outlook calendars and Microsoft Teams to manage appointments, hold meetings and plan liaise with employers efficiently.
q) Manage any client dissatisfaction and escalate as necessary.
r) Report on the success of student activities, to the Head of Department, College Executive team and Governors as required.
s) Ensure that the colleges safeguarding policies, procedures are followed and ensure that communications between students and employers are completed on college systems only.
2.2 Other Responsibilities
a) To uphold and promote all company policies and procedures, promoting those specifically applicable to this area of work, including the Equality & Diversity and Health & Safety policies and procedures and attend training as requested.
b) To comply with all college standards and expectations, including college learner procedures and practices and safeguarding policy and practices.
c) To keep up to date, so far as necessary, for the efficient executing of the job, with new legislation, procedures and techniques and attend relevant mandatory training.
d) To be conversant with and participate in activities and developments at college, regional and national level which are relevant to the post.
e) To present and promote an appropriate public image in representing the college group and its subsidiaries.
f) To undertake any other duties as may reasonably be required commensurate with the post.
3. Skills, Qualities & Knowledge
Essential
Desirable
Qualifications:
Relevant degree in Media, Design or Digital Art
P
English to at least level 2
ü
Maths to at least level 2
ü
Experience
Experience of project work and successful completion of art, media or digital projects
ü
Experience of working with young people
ü
Experience of engaging with commercial clients and delivering finished projects
ü
Experience of working to targets and deadlines
ü
Experience of the Adobe Creative Suite and other associated industry standard software and an ability to train students on its use.
ü
Proficiency in the use of MS office suite
ü
Skills /Knowledge
Commercial design skills
ü
Ability to successfully negotiate and secure commissions, guest speakers and projects
ü
Demonstrate suitability to work with children and
vulnerable adults including knowledge/understanding of
safeguarding and DBS compliance
ü
Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
ü
Accuracy and attention to detail
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Ability to analyse data and produce detailed reports in a format that is accessible and transferable
ü
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
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Excellent organisation and administrative skills in a fast-paced environment where priorities can change quickly
ü
Qualities/Approach linked to college values
Commitment to Safeguarding, Equality and Diversity
ü
Ability to positively promote the department and its successes
ü
Leadership of young people / groups of people
P
Ability to plan and prioritise
P
Ability to be flexible and adapt.
P
Self managing / self-reflective
P
Strong Customer Service ethos, with a flexible and professional approach
P
Passionate about providing an excellent service
ü
Team-worker
ü
Confidence in dealing with people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds
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Self-motivated with a ‘can do’ attitude and an ability to work under own initiative
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Enthusiastic, reliable and flexible
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Proven ability to work on own initiative
ü
4. Position within the College
This post will report to the Head of Department for Creative and Digital.
5. Terms & Conditions
a) The post is offered on a Vision Business Support Services contract and is subject to those terms and conditions.
b) The full-time salary from 1st November 2026 will be £27,998 per annum, VBSS Band 5 (pro rata for part-time hours). This is a spot salary. £22,398.40 per annum pro rata based on part time hours.
c) You will be required to work 29.6 hours, or 37 hours per week on a flexible basis.
d) You will be entitled to 39 days’ leave in total, made up of: 27 days’ annual leave, 8 bank holidays,4 concessionary days. Please note that the concessionary days apply to the two-week Christmas closure. During this period, you will be required to use up to 3 working days of your annual leave entitlement to cover part of the closure. Leave entitlement will be calculated on a pro rata basis for part-time hours.
e) The Company operates a Scottish Widows Group Personal Pension Plan.
f) The post holder may be located at any West Nottinghamshire College Group site and may be expected to travel as required.
6. The Application
Individuals with the appropriate experience, qualifications and personal qualities are invited to complete an online application form by midnight on 4th November 2026.
https://www.wnc.ac.uk/about-us/work-for-us
THE COLLEGE GROUP PROMOTES EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY AND WELCOMES APPLICATIONS FROM ALL SECTORS OF SOCIETY.
The college group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. Posts may be subject to DBS check. The successful candidate will be required to pay for the DBS check themselves; the cost will automatically be deducted from their first salary payment. This is currently £49.50.
It is an offence for anyone who is barred by the ISA from working with children and or vulnerable adults to apply for this position.