Chief Education Officer

Dovetail and Slate; West Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Dovetail and Slate invites an experienced Chief Education Officer to provide executive leadership across multiple specialist education organisations supporting SEND learners. The role shapes educational strategy, drives quality assurance, and ensures high standards in teaching, curriculum delivery and learner experience.

The ideal candidate will oversee the Education Quality Team, monitor EHCP outcomes, and collaborate with senior leaders to raise performance and ensure consistent quality across

Qualifications

• Proven senior leadership experience in education.
• Strong SEND and specialist post-16 education background.
• Track record leading organisations through Ofsted inspections.
• Experience managing quality professionals and cross-site teams.
• Understanding EHCP outcomes and learner progression.
• Ability to provide governance reporting to exec and board.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for curriculum, teaching, and educational quality across the group.
• Lead quality assurance, improvement planning and Ofsted readiness.
• Oversee the Education Quality Team and staff development.
• Monitor learner progress, EHCP outcomes, attendance and progression.
• Ensure compliance with SEND, safeguarding, funding and awarding body requirements.
• Collaborate with senior leaders to share best practice across sites.
• Strengthen curriculum pathways and progression into further education and employment.
• Build relationships with local authorities, regulators and stakeholders.
• Provide performance and impact reporting to the CEO and governance bodies.

Skills

Senior leadership

SEND experience

Ofsted experience

Quality assurance

Stakeholder management

Job description

Chief Education Officer

Location: Hybrid/Nationwide - travel across multiple locations

Contract: Full-time

Working pattern: Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm, 52 weeks per year

Sector: Specialist Education / SEND

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and ambitious Chief Education Officer to provide executive leadership across a group of specialist education organisations supporting young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

This is a strategic leadership opportunity for an established education professional who can drive educational excellence, strengthen quality assurance, improve learner outcomes and ensure consistent standards across multiple organisations.

Working closely with the CEO and senior leadership teams, you will lead educational strategy, oversee the Education Quality Team and ensure the highest standards of teaching, learning, curriculum delivery and learner experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for curriculum, teaching, learning and educational quality across the group.
• Lead quality assurance, improvement planning and preparation for Ofsted inspections and external scrutiny.
• Oversee the Education Quality Team, developing staff capability and promoting continuous professional development.
• Monitor learner progress, EHCP outcomes, attendance, achievement, wellbeing and progression.
• Ensure compliance with relevant SEND, safeguarding, funding and awarding body requirements.
• Work collaboratively with senior leaders to improve performance and share best practice across organisations.
• Strengthen curriculum pathways, supported internships and progression into further education, training and employment.
• Build effective relationships with local authorities, awarding bodies, regulators and other key stakeholders.
• Provide clear performance and impact reporting to the CEO, executive team and governance bodies.

The Ideal Candidate

• Proven senior leadership experience within education, with accountability for curriculum, teaching, learning and sustained improvement.
• Strong experience of SEND and specialist post-16 education.
• A successful track record of leading organisations through Ofsted inspections and external quality assurance.
• Experience managing quality professionals and influencing senior leaders across multiple teams, sites or organisations.
• Strong understanding of EHCP outcomes, inclusive educational practice and learner progression.
• Experience developing quality assurance frameworks, performance measures and improvement strategies.
• Excellent strategic leadership, communication, stakeholder management and governance reporting skills.
• A commitment to safeguarding, inclusive practice and ambitious outcomes for every learner.

We are an equal opportunities employer.

All appointments are subject to satisfactory vetting, including a right to work check and, where relevant, an enhanced DBS, PVG (Scotland), or EWC (Wales) check, in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

We are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

Because education matters.

© Dovetail and Slate Limited