Job Title: Director of Education Responsible to: Chief Executive Officer The Director of Education will maintain a central focus on the development of a challenging and consistent approach to raising standards and closing the achievement gap to ensure that every child and young person can be supported to achieve to their full potential at each stage of development. This will include setting targets and performance indicators that feed into and ensure the delivery of the Department of Educations (DE) Programmes For Government (PFG), the TransformED NI Programme, the Councils Corporate and Business Plans and other strategic targets. The Director of Education will work with relevant officials across the Department of Education and the Education Authority (EA) to ensure that school administration continues to reflect policy intent. The post holder will also work collaboratively within the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to raise the educational outcomes for all children and young people. Job Purpose: To maintain a focus on improving educational outcomes, standards and achievements within, our schools by building and enhancing capacity. To ensure that all pupils have access to the Entitlement Framework thereby improving access to the curriculum for every pupil. To strive to ensure all DE targets in relation to educational standards and access are met having due regard to the impacts of social deprivation and exclusion. To support Principals and Boards of Governors with all aspects of the inspection process, to ensure the raising of standards. To ensure schools conform to School Development Planning processes to provide a culture of continuous improvement and provision of an effective and motivating curriculum. To support Governors and Leaders with embedding a culture of self-evaluation and continuous improvement in all schools. To contribute to the strategic planning of school provision (Area Planning) in order to ensure it is seen in the context of providing access to high quality education for every pupil. Main Duties and Responsibilities: Corporate Leadership As a member of the SLT, the Director of Education will be responsible for working flexibly and collaboratively with the Chief Executive and other members of the SLT to: Ensure the Council lives within its annual budget allocation from the Department. Establish and communicate the vision and strategic direction for the Council. Provide strategic leadership by bringing new and innovative approaches to achieving greater effectiveness, efficiencies and value for money for the CCMS. Establish a culture and values for the CCMS. Ensure a joined up and co-ordinated approach to the delivery of services across the sector. Evaluate and review current business practices, procedures and protocols towards the identification and implementation of more efficient, economic and effective approaches. Lead aspects of a challenging change programme. Secure and manage with probity the financial resources required to deliver services. Lead and motivate staff to deliver high levels of performance and develop their full potential. Work in partnership with staff and stakeholders including partners across the education sector, trade unions, agencies and the public. Lead by example by promoting good practice, high standards and the values of the CCMS. Ensure that the CCMS meets its statutory responsibilities, supports DE in fulfilling its statutory duties and that the highest standards of probity and conduct are maintained at all times. Provide advice and support to the Chief Executive and the Council in all areas related to the raising standards in education. School Improvement The Director of Education will be responsible for: Providing strategic leadership to ensure that standards are raised and education outcomes are improved on a continuous basis for children and young people in every school. Leading regionally based multidisciplinary teams to monitor performance and assist schools in the process of self- evaluation and continuous improvement Maintaining a performance management information system for schools to support the monitoring of school performance across a range of quality indicators in line with DE requirements. Ensuring the regular provision of information and analytical data at school, area and regional levels and the regular review of other evidence, including from the best performing systems internationally, to inform policy and practice in schools. Working in partnershipwith DE/ETI and EA to support schools where performance is below expected levels and to intervene and challenge as necessary, particularly in cases where ETI finds provision is less than satisfactory. Establishing and facilitating professional networks of peer review and support. Providing leadership to Governors to ensure that every school has in place a Board of Governors with the appropriate skills and knowledge to perform its duties and to secure training where appropriate. Providing advice to DE on policy issues e.g. TransformED NI, school improvement policy, literacy and numeracy etc. Facilitating and supporting local learning communities in delivering the Entitlement Framework. Monitoring and raising standards in provision for early years. Strategic Area Planning The Director of Education will be responsible for: Contributing a professional voice to the development, review and update of area-based plans and annual action plans to meet the educational needs of each area. Ensuring that school development plans contribute towards improvement of education standards. Informing the development of a regional area plan for schools. Promotion of Shared and the encouragement/facilitation of Irish Medium Education and leadership of all projects and programmes relating to Shared and Irish Medium Education. Other The Director of Education will be responsible for: Any other duties related to the role which may be required from time-to-time by the Chief Executive and the Council. As a public body CCMS and its staff perform their role in accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), promoting Good Relations and Equality of Opportunity paying due regard to all equality legislation. CCMS staff must also have regard to the requirements in relation to General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). This job description is intended to indicate the broad range of responsibilities and requirements of the post. It is neither exhaustive nor prescriptive. The CCMS reserves the right, in consultation with the post-holder, to amend the job description to meet the changing needs of the organisation. Personnel Specification Eligibility Criteria Applications are invited from candidates who can demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria for the post. The post-holder must have access to a form of transport to meet the requirements of the post. The Council reserves the right to shortlist and interview those candidates that it believes best meet the criteria listed below and reserves the right to increase the criteria should the calibre and volume of candidates merit it. Essential Criteria Candidates must, at the closing date for applications, be able to demonstrate on their application form that they meet the following essential criteria: Qualifications and Experience Candidates must: Possess an Honours degree (minimum 2:2) or an equivalent or higher third level qualification in Education; Have held a senior leadership position for at least three years in the past 5 where the emphasis was on raising educational standards and achievement; Have significant working knowledge and experience developing, implementing and monitoring strategies and programmes aimed at improving standards for children and young people; Have significant experience of strategic leadership and delivering organisational change; Have experience of successfully leading and managing people or teams; Have working knowledge and experience of supporting the core values and aims of Catholic maintained schools, the communities they serve, and the ethos of Catholic education. Have aclear understanding of current developments in both education and the wider public sector in Northern Ireland and of their potential impact on Catholic Maintained Schools Skills and Attributes Sought Strategic Thinking Setting vision and direction Delivering strategy and policy at a senior level Provision of professional advice to a Chair, Board or Commission on issues of strategic importance to the organisation Ability to consider multiple perspective Leadership Ability to lead, performance manage, motivate and inspire people in a time of change Management of multi-disciplinary teams Ability to create and embed culture and values Resilience Working with others Developing effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders through engagement, negotiation and influence Communicating effectively with a broad range of stakeholders including staff, Board Members, other stakeholders and the media Negotiation and influencing skills in complex and difficult situations, across conflicting agendas and an ability to bring about solutions and secure agreement Political acumen Delivery Continuous review, improvement and innovation in services Highly developed analytical skills including the ability to work with complex information and identify issues Management of complexity and ambiguity Management of budgets Desirable Criteria Qualifications & Professional Learning A relevant postgraduate qualification or advanced professional development in education, leadership, management or public administration. Strategic Educational Leadership Experience of system-level educational leadership, influencing improvement across multiple schools or organisations. School Improvement & Standards A proven track record of using performance data and inspection evidence to secure sustained improvement, particularly in challenging or underperforming schools. Governance, Partnership & Stakeholder Engagement Experience of advising and working with boards, committees or senior stakeholders, including statutory and faith-based partners. Organisational Leadership & Change Demonstrable experience of leading organisational change and managing resources, budgets and multidisciplinary teams in a complex public-sector environment. Shared & Irish Medium Education & System Reform Experience of shared and Irish Medium education, area planning or cross-sector collaboration, supporting system reform and sustainability. Personal Attributes & Professional Disposition Evidence of resilient, values-led leadership with strong political acumen, judgement and commitment to public service ethics and the ethos of Catholic education. Salary & Other Benefits The Salary Scale is set at £64,141 to £72,167 with progression along the scale being subject to an annual review of performance The successful candidate can normally expect to be placed at the minimum of the range, although a higher starting salary within the range may be available if the successful candidate has exceptionally relevant skills/experience. This is a permanent full-time post. The post attracts 28 days per year annual leave (rising to 34 days after 5 years). In addition, there are a further 12 public and statutory holidays. Due to the varied nature of the work, there will be some scope for flexible and hybrid working to take account of an element of nonstandard working hours. The post-holder will be substantively based at the CCMS premises in Lisburn. All staff benefit from comprehensive induction, on-going performance management and in-service training programmes. Equality CCMS is committed to equality of opportunity in employment and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates irrespective of religious belief, gender, disability, race, political opinion, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or whether they have dependants. All applications for employment will be considered based on merit. As part of its affirmative action plan, the council has identified under-representation of the protestant community and disabled people at this level and would therefore particularly welcome applications from these groups. Safeguarding Posts involving working with children and young people in educational establishments are subject to the provisions of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (NI) Order 2007.Applicants invited for interview will be required to bring proof of relevant qualifications and proof of identity. Applicants must disclose if there is any reason why they cannot work in regulated activity (as defined by AccessNI). For further information on regulated activity, please refer to the AccessNI website Any offer of employment is subject to a satisfactory criminal record check. The Public Service Council officers will be required to adhere to the 7 Principles of Public Life, commonly known as the Nolan Principles: In addition, to the 7 principles of public life, members also bear an obligation to disclose important information and shoulddisclose any information which may be of relevance, have any bearing, or negative impact on, or be related to, Council business. This information should be brought to the attention of the Chairperson, Chief Executive or a representative thereof, immediately upon exposure or receipt of same. Recruitment and Selection Process Obtaining an application form: The Applicant Pack (including application form, job description and other background information) available online via GetGot. Submission of Completed Applications: Closing date for receipt of applications is 5pm on Friday 30th January 2026. Anticipated Timings The intention is to have completed the shortlisting activity week beginning Monday 2nd February 2026 and to hold interviews week beginning Monday 19th February 2026.