Deputy Chief Executive Officer

Salary: £93,424.00 - £105,595.00 Annually (Actual)

Hours of work: Full-time

Contract type: Permanent

About the role

Following the relocation of our Deputy CEO, we seek an exceptional system leader to work alongside our CEO. The Trust is rooted in a strong Christian vision and ethos, serving a wide geographical area of church schools. The Deputy CEO will inspire improvement, champion inclusion and safeguarding, and secure excellence across the Trust.

Key responsibilities

• Raise standards across our schools: lead the Trust's improvement strategy and quality assurance, ensuring rapid, secure improvement wherever needed most.
• Champion flourishing in our church schools: be an inspirational example of our Christian ethos-supporting deeply Christian provision, governance and recruitment-and strengthen our partnerships across the Diocese.
• Lead safeguarding culture Trust-wide: serve as the Trust's Designated Safeguarding Lead, ensuring policy, training and practice meet the highest standards and current legislation.
• Develop people and leadership: line manage and coach Regional Directors of Education and the Academy Improvement Team; support and challenge Headteachers; nurture professional learning and wellbeing.
• Build thriving collaboration: extend best practice across hubs and schools; work confidently with Trustees, diocesan partners, Ofsted, DFE, LAs and training providers.

About you

You are a proven school improvement leader with successful headship or senior executive experience across more than one school. You combine incisive use of performance data with high expectations, credibility with senior leaders and governors, and a leadership approach that empowers others. You understand Ofsted and SIAMS (maybe as an inspector, although not essential), can hold to account as well as coach, and you bring resilient optimism and integrity that model our values. A strong personal alignment with the Christian ethos of our Trust is essential.

What we offer

• A compelling opportunity to shape outcomes for thousands of children across contrasting communities, within a supportive, values led Trust.
• Serving within a dynamic and committed senior leadership team, providing support to and influencing the work of the CEO.
• A platform to lead and develop further our Trust Improvement Model, the safeguarding and work of the Trust Standards and Ethos Committees, working directly with the CEO and Trustees.
• Committed colleagues, purposeful partnerships and a culture that invests in your growth as a system leader.
• Engagement with senior colleagues in other Trusts and at regional and national levels.
• The opportunity to make a real difference, whilst advancing your career in a significant way.

Travel

This role covers schools across Wiltshire and Dorset; substantial travel across the Diocese of Salisbury is essential and should energise rather than deter you.

Equal Opportunities

We are an equal opportunities employer and warmly welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Appointments are subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.