26 September 2026
Chair vacancies open at four further education colleges
The Department for the Economy launched a competition on 21 September to appoint chairs to the governing bodies of four further education colleges: Northern Regional College, South Eastern Regional College, Southern Regional College and South West College. Applications close at noon on Thursday 8 October 2026, with appointments expected in late January or early February 2027 for an initial four-year term.
The Department expects a chair to give around one day a week to college business. That covers seven to nine full governing body meetings a year, usually held in the evening, alongside regular contact with the Department and the college executive. The post carries remuneration of £20,000 a year plus travel and subsistence allowances.
The essential criteria cover leadership experience, knowledge of corporate governance, accountability and risk management, problem solving and a record of working collaboratively. Applicants must be engaged or employed in business, industry or a profession, and no specific academic qualification is required. Selection is by application form, a presentation and a competency-based interview. Application packs are available from the Public Appointments Unit at [email protected] or on 028 9052 9212.
The further education sector carries a large share of the careers guidance and transition work done in Northern Ireland, and governing bodies take the decisions that shape curriculum offer, employer partnerships and widening access. Career development professionals tend to read chair specifications and assume the criteria are written for someone else, when senior practitioners in guidance, employability and workforce development meet most of them comfortably. It is also worth putting in front of clients who are weighing up a non-executive route, since public appointments are an underused option in mid and late career planning.
Read more about the vacancies for Chairs at four regional colleges.
The Department expects a chair to give around one day a week to college business. That covers seven to nine full governing body meetings a year, usually held in the evening, alongside regular contact with the Department and the college executive. The post carries remuneration of £20,000 a year plus travel and subsistence allowances.
The essential criteria cover leadership experience, knowledge of corporate governance, accountability and risk management, problem solving and a record of working collaboratively. Applicants must be engaged or employed in business, industry or a profession, and no specific academic qualification is required. Selection is by application form, a presentation and a competency-based interview. Application packs are available from the Public Appointments Unit at [email protected] or on 028 9052 9212.
The further education sector carries a large share of the careers guidance and transition work done in Northern Ireland, and governing bodies take the decisions that shape curriculum offer, employer partnerships and widening access. Career development professionals tend to read chair specifications and assume the criteria are written for someone else, when senior practitioners in guidance, employability and workforce development meet most of them comfortably. It is also worth putting in front of clients who are weighing up a non-executive route, since public appointments are an underused option in mid and late career planning.
Read more about the vacancies for Chairs at four regional colleges.
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Chair vacancies open at four further education colleges
The Department for the Economy is seeking chairs for four regional colleges, w...
26 September 2026
