Chief Executive, Independent Schools' Bursars Association

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS BURSARS ASSOCIATION; Greater London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational charity in the Greater London area seeks a Chief Executive to manage daily operations and represent the organization on various boards. The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong moral compass, financial acumen, and excellent communication skills. You will lead a senior team, ensure services for members are effective, and navigate government policies impacting independent education. This role is a unique opportunity to influence the future of the education sector.

Qualifications

• Demonstrates a strong moral compass and challenges practices against ISBA's values.
• Shows clear commitment to the role of independent education.
• Experienced in staff management and leading teams.

Responsibilities

• Manage the executive committee and lead the organization.
• Accountable for member services and support.
• Represent ISBA on various boards and respond to government policies.

Skills

Moral compass

Commitment to independent education

Staff management

Financial acumen

Commerciality

Media and communication skills

Excellent communication

Networking

Leadership

Team player

Job description

ISBA has more than 1,300 members, including more than 60 international associate members with 20 staff. Its members range from smaller preparatory schools to large well-known senior schools, including both boarding and day schools, and co-educational and single sex. ISBA is a charitable company limited by guarantee and although it is the school and not the bursar who becomes a member of the association, it is usually the bursar or COO/DFO who is the school's main representative.

The Chief Executive reports to the Chair and will be ISBA’s principal spokesperson and point of contact with the Independent Schools Council (ISC) and other associations within the sector; and with government policy makers within education, the media and the Association’s UK and international membership.

The responsibilities can be broadly summarised into three areas:

• Executive (including managing the executive committee, leading the organisation day to day and acting as Company Secretary)
• Member Services: The CEO has overall accountability for the operation and development of the work of the Executive Committee and their teams across each of ISBA’s core services for members: membership support; Advice and Guidance; Professional Development; Conference and commercial and recruitment
• Representation: the CEO has a crucial outward facing role that will include the following:
• Representing the Association on the ISC board and various committees internally and, where appropriate, those of the Government or its agencies;
• Responding to changes in Government policy, legislation and regulation in so far as it may affect independent schools;
• Exploring opportunities for the generation of income and wider opportunities for ISBA through engagement with commercial organisations/stakeholders/wider partners;
• Acting as the media focus for the Association

The Candidate

The successful candidate is likely to demonstrate all or most of the following:

• A strong moral compass and a consistent sense of what is right, being unafraid of challenging practices that are not in keeping with the values of ISBA and its charitable objects, and ensuring that those values of service to members are evident at all times;
• Clear commitment to the ongoing role and value of independent education;
• Staff management, and leading a senior team in a supportive and challenging way;
• Financial acumen, including organisation-wide budgeting and a working understanding of balance sheets and management information, and an understanding of the role of a company secretary;
• A well-developed sense of commerciality to explore new revenue streams;
• Confidence in media and communication, alongside an understanding of the need to represent the collective needs of ISBA;
• Excellent communicator who can inspire and motivate a team and key stakeholders, both verbally and through written work;
• Strong networker and skilled interpersonally, with evident diplomatic skills;
• the ability and willingness to promote the organisation at every opportunity;
• Confident leader and manager, with the ability to listen and to understand the perspectives of others, especially when they differ from your own;
• A team player and builder, committed to professional development of all members of the ISBA team.

ISBA have engaged Wild Search to advise them on this appointment. To discuss this role in confidence please contact Edward Wild by email: [e-mail]

To apply, please visit our website via the button below.

Deadline

12 January 2026.

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