Director Of Education

Director of Education
£75,000 to £85,000 per year
Full-time, 35 hours per week
Permanent contract
Based in London / home and flexible working
Our client empowers people with the reading and writing skills they need to succeed in life. Together, they're helping people change their stories. As their Director of Education, you will lead their work with the education sector – delivering complex strategic projects with large-scale impact – and play an important role in delivering their three-year strategy.
What you’ll be doing
This is a unique opportunity to lead the strategic development of our client’s partnership with the education sector, giving skills and opportunities to those most in need. You will be responsible for a range of programmes, campaigns, training and thought-leadership across the sector, from early years and primary education to secondary schools, post-16 and alternative provision.
As a member of the Senior Management Team, you will work closely with the CEO and other Directors, and report regularly to the Board of Trustees. You will lead a directorate of highly effective, motivated and focused staff who deliver activity in schools and settings which face the biggest challenges. This includes evidence-based programmes and interventions, and national campaigns as well as CPD and resources for practitioners, working with schools and settings.
You will be responsible for growing the scale and impact of this work and ensuring national programme delivery is integrated into our client’s regional network of communities where reading and writing skills are low and poverty is high. You will also lead thought-leadership activity with the education sector, working with Government and other national education leaders.
Our client is a distributed organisation, with staff working in communities across the UK. They have an office in London, and, as a member of their senior management team, you would need to be able to be in London regularly for staff and team days, partnership meetings and events. This is likely to be two or three times a month on average. At other times, you will be able to work from home.
What our client is looking for
You will be an established and recognised leader in the education sector, with expertise in reading and writing and experience of strategic planning, budget management and forecasting. Relationship and stakeholder management experience will be essential, including with senior national stakeholders. Experience as a media spokesperson would be an advantage.
You will also need to share our client’s belief that a commitment to diversity and inclusion must underpin everything they do; that reading and writing skills strengthen communities, giving people a chance to tell their stories and hear and understand the stories of others.
Why our client’s work is so vital
Reading and writing changes everything.
It gives you the tools to get the most out of life, and the power to shape your future. It’s the key to knowledge, confidence and inspiration. It’s better results at school, and better jobs. If children grow up without the tools to communicate, without books to read or opportunities to write, it’s harder to get where you want to go.
Our client helps people overcome these challenges and change their life chances through the power of words – reading, writing, speaking and listening. From first words, through school days to training, jobs and beyond.
- They work collaboratively in local communities, focusing their work in areas of the UK that are facing the biggest challenges.
- They support schools, developing the most effective tools and techniques and providing resources and programmes to engage and inspire children.
- They campaign to make reading and writing a priority for politicians and decision-makers.
- They support vulnerable adults, people in the criminal justice system and young offenders’ institutions to build their reading and writing skills.
What our client offers you
Our client’s team is passionate about their mission and they have a strong and positive working culture, based on shared values and respect. They offer a range of flexible working options and promote a workplace where you can be yourself and contribute to their success, whoever you are.
As well as a competitive salary, they offer benefits including a generous leave allowance totalling 39 days (including bank holidays and office closure between Christmas and New Year), pension contributions of 8% of annual salary, a cycle to work scheme, employee assistance programme and other health and wellbeing benefits.
Application details
Our client’s people are their most important asset and they value and respect diversity in all its forms (seen and unseen). They particularly welcome applications from those from Black and Asian backgrounds, as well as candidates with disabilities and from the communities in which they work. They would like to increase representation of these groups among their staff as they know greater diversity will lead to an even greater impact for their work.
To apply, please select the apply button shown.
Closing date: 10am, Tuesday 2 April
Please note our client does not accept CVs. No agencies or recruitment sites.
This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency.