Director of Education

Service Director for Education

Salary: Negotiable (Fixed‑term, 12 months)
Location: South East England
Start: ASAP – 12‑month fixed‑term contract

We are seeking a Service Director for Education to provide strategic leadership across a major local authority’s Education services during a period of transformation and improvement.

Key responsibilities as the Service Director:
• Lead School Improvement, Early Years, School Place Planning, Admissions and the Virtual School
• Drive improved educational standards and close attainment gaps across all settings
• Ensure sufficient school places, fair admissions and high‑quality alternative provision
• Provide expert strategic and policy advice to senior leaders and Members
• Build strong partnerships across schools, health, safeguarding and wider agencies
• Oversee a £200m budget, ensuring compliance, performance and value for money

What you’ll bring as the Service Director:
• Senior leadership experience within a local authority is essential
• Significant experience leading Education services and delivering improvement
• Strong understanding of national policy, inspection frameworks and statutory duties
• Proven ability to lead organisational change and manage complex service portfolios
• Excellent communication, negotiation and partnership‑building skills
• Ability to inspire teams, manage risk and operate confidently in a political environment

If you’re interested in this vacancy, please apply today by sending over your CV!

(We offer a senior referral scheme upon successful placement of your recommendation.)

Our clients are committed to building a diverse workforce and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. Recruitment decisions are based on skills and experience, and reasonable adjustments will be fully supported throughout the process.

Share on linkedIn