Group director of education

Role: Group Director of Education

Location: Primarily home-based, with extensive travel required across the UK

Package: Competitive executive remuneration package including car allowance and benefits

The Opportunity

We are working exclusively with a highly regarded education provider to identify an exceptional Group Director of Education.

This is a significant leadership opportunity for an experienced education professional to influence and enhance provision across a wide network of specialist environments, supporting children and young people with a range of complex needs.

Reporting directly into the Executive Leadership Team, the successful individual will be instrumental in defining educational strategy, developing leadership capacity, improving standards, and ensuring consistently high-quality outcomes across all services.

The appointed candidate will bring a combination of strategic expertise and operational understanding, with the credibility to lead meaningful improvement across a diverse and complex education landscape.

The Role

As part of the organisation’s senior leadership structure, you will hold responsibility for providing strategic educational oversight across schools and services.

You will ensure that effective practice is embedded, standards remain high, and leaders are supported to achieve sustainable improvements in learning, development, and outcomes.

Working in partnership with education leaders, operational teams and central functions, you will help establish nurturing and ambitious environments where every child and young person is enabled to succeed.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Developing and implementing the organisation’s educational strategy, vision, and future direction.
• Empowering education leaders to deliver excellent teaching, learning, curriculum development, and learner outcomes.
• Providing challenge, guidance, and support to senior leaders across multiple settings.
• Leading quality assurance activity, improvement planning, and performance development initiatives.
• Embedding a culture focused on ownership, reflection, high expectations, and ongoing improvement.
• Ensuring educational delivery remains compliant with legislation, regulatory expectations, and recognised sector standards.
• Promoting inclusive practice that responds effectively to individual needs and potential.
• Encouraging innovation, research-informed approaches, and the sharing of best practice.
• Developing positive relationships with key stakeholders including commissioners, regulators, local authorities, families, and partner organisations.
• Supporting wider organisational priorities, growth plans, and the continued evolution of services.

About You

You will be a highly experienced education leader with a proven background in specialist education, SEND, alternative provision, therapeutic services, or settings supporting children with complex needs.

You will have demonstrable success in raising standards, strengthening leadership teams, and delivering improvement across multiple schools, services, or geographical areas.

You will offer:

• Extensive experience operating at a senior leadership level within education.
• Strong knowledge of inspection requirements, safeguarding responsibilities, and statutory frameworks.
• Experience designing and delivering large-scale improvement strategies.
• Comprehensive understanding of SEND and inclusive educational practice.
• The ability to balance educational quality, regulatory compliance, and operational priorities.
• Confidence when engaging with senior stakeholders, executive teams, boards, and education professionals.
• Outstanding communication, coaching, and influencing capabilities.
• A robust, evidence-based approach to evaluating performance and driving improvement.

This position provides the opportunity to deliver meaningful impact across a national specialist education organisation.

You will become part of an ambitious leadership team focused on strengthening educational excellence, developing people, encouraging innovation, and enhancing outcomes.

With considerable autonomy, visibility, and influence, you will work alongside senior colleagues to shape future strategy and support the continued growth and development of the organisation.

For an education leader committed to improving opportunities and outcomes for children and young people with additional needs, this represents a highly rewarding career opportunity.

All successful applicants will be required to complete appropriate pre-employment screening, including an Enhanced DBS check.