Chief Executive Officer

TeacherActive; Essex; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 119,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Full-time permanent role

Lead a growing academy trust

Job summary

TeacherActive invites applications for a Chief Executive Officer to lead a growing specialist academy trust in South Essex. The post, starting January 2027, offers a competitive salary and a full-time permanent role reporting to the Chair of Trustees.

The CEO will act as Accounting Officer, shaping educational performance, governance, compliance and sustainability while growing the Trust and ensuring inclusion and safeguarding across provision for students.

Qualifications

• Experience leading large educational organisations at senior level.
• Proven ability to drive strategic planning and sustained improvement.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership across educational performance, governance and compliance.
• Drive financial sustainability and workforce development.
• Lead partnerships and collaborations to strengthen capacity and outcomes for young people.

Skills

Senior leadership

Strategic planning

Governance

Partnership development

Inclusion & safeguarding

Workforce development

Financial acumen

Job description

Job Title: Chief Executive Officer
Location: South Essex
Start Date: January 2027
Salary: £110,225 - £118,535 per annum

Are you an inspirational senior education leader with a proven record of delivering educational excellence and sustainable organisational improvement?

Do you have the strategic, financial and governance expertise to lead a growing specialist academy trust?

Can you inspire an exceptional workforce while improving outcomes, inclusion and life chances for young people?

TeacherActive is proud to be working with a specialist academy trust serving the South Essex community, comprising two specialist secondary academies providing dedicated provision across Key Stages 3, 4 and 5. The Trust promotes high-quality teaching, inclusive practice and early intervention, supported by significant investment in specialist provision and educational facilities.

The Trust is looking to appoint a Chief Executive Officer on a full-time, permanent basis from January 2027. Working in partnership with the Board of Trustees and reporting to the Chair of Trustees, the Chief Executive Officer will also act as Accounting Officer, providing strategic leadership across educational performance, governance, compliance, financial sustainability, workforce development and the Trust's continued growth.

The successful Chief Executive Officer will have:

• A proven record of successful senior leadership within education
• Significant experience of strategic planning, organisational improvement, growth and sustainable change across complex educational organisations
• Strong financial, operational and governance expertise, with an understanding of public accountability
• Experience developing strategic partnerships and collaborations that strengthen organisational capacity and improve outcomes for young people
• A strong commitment to inclusion, safeguarding and removing barriers to achievement
• The ability to inspire and develop an exceptional workforce while promoting wellbeing, professional growth, accountability and the highest standards of integrity

In return for the above you can expect to receive:

• A competitive Academy Pay Scale salary of £110,225 - £118,535 per annum
• A full-time, permanent senior leadership position
• The opportunity to lead a growing specialist academy trust
• The opportunity to shape the Trust's future strategic direction and sustainable development
• The opportunity to strengthen educational outcomes and provision for young people across the wider community

Applications close at midnight on Monday 28th September 2026, with interviews scheduled to take place on 12th and 13th October 2026.