Assistant Director - Education Improvement and Partnerships

Derbyshire County Council; Long Eaton; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Long Eaton is seeking a senior education leader to oversee strategic leadership across Education services, including the Education Improvement Service, the Virtual School, and Derbyshire Adult Community Education Service. The successful candidate will have substantial senior leadership experience in schools and a local authority, alongside a proven track record in budget management and partnership building. This role offers benefits like the Local Government Pension Scheme and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Local Government Pension Scheme

Flexi time

Derbyshire Rewards

Generous annual leave

Travel expenses

Discounts on leisure centre memberships

Free car parking

In-house counselling service

Occupational Health service

Access to physiotherapist

Cycle to work scheme

Qualifications

• Substantial senior leadership experience in schools and local authority.
• Proven budget management in a complex setting.
• Outstanding communication skills to lead effectively.

Responsibilities

• Set strategy and drive performance across Education services.
• Lead senior advisers and oversee performance data.
• Build strong partnerships and advise senior officials.

Skills

Strategic analysis

Communication and influencing

Budget management

Partnership building

Leading through change

Job description

We're seeking an accomplished senior education leader to provide strategic leadership across our Education services-covering the Education Improvement Service (including Early Years), the Virtual School, and Derbyshire Adult Community Education Service (DACES).

What You'll Do

• Set strategy and drive performance across Education services, with robust QA and evaluation.
• Lead senior advisers (incl. Early Years), the Head of DACES and the Virtual School Headteacher.
• Oversee performance data, benchmarking and inspection readiness (e.g., Ofsted).
• Build strong partnerships across schools, health and wider agencies; advise senior officers and Elected Members.
• Shape traded and maintained-school improvement offers and secure best value through contracts.
• Substantial senior leadership experience in schools and a local authority/complex, politically-led setting, including intervention in schools causing concern.
• Proven budget management, strategic analysis and partnership building across maintained/MAT landscapes.
• Outstanding communication and influencing skills, with the ability to lead through change.

Enjoy being a part of our team with benefits such as

Benefits

• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Flexi time, allowing up to an additional 2 days of leave per month
• Derbyshire Rewards - Discounts from high street retailers and more
• Generous annual leave and flexi time scheme
• Travel expenses
• Discounts on leisure centre memberships
• Free car parking at most sites
• In-house counselling service
• Occupational Health service
• Access to sessions with a trained physiotherapist
• Cycle to work scheme
• Various Employee Networks championing inclusivity across the council

Provisional Interview Date: 22 January 2026