Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Links Multi Academy Trust; St Albans; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Links Academy Trust is seeking an exceptional Chief Executive Officer to guide the Trust through strategic renewal and growth across its three schools and outreach provision. You will shape the overall educational direction and empower school leaders to improve life chances for disadvantaged learners within a supportive, collaborative network.

You will act as Accounting Officer, ensuring robust governance, financial stewardship and effective external partnerships while embedding safeguarding,

Responsibilities

• Provide high-level strategic leadership and management across all Trust activities to ensure high-quality education for all pupils.
• Oversee educational standards, people leadership, financial management and external partnerships.
• Lead Trust-wide school improvement across primary and secondary phases and build leadership capacity.
• Act as Accounting Officer, ensuring statutory, financial and legal requirements are met.

Job description

We are seeking an exceptional and inspirational Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead our vibrant, ambitious and successful Multi-Academy Trust due to the retirement of our long serving CEO.

Links is a family of three Alternative Provision Schools based in St Albans and Hatfield plus an outreach provision. The Academy is dedicated to creating a supportive, personalised environment that enables every child to succeed. Through partnerships with families, carers, and specialist agencies, we provide the wraparound support needed to nurture emotional and academic growth. Whether returning to mainstream education, transitioning to further education, or entering employment, we aim to prepare every child to step into their future as a mature, confident, and successful individual.

This is an exciting time to lead the whole Trust strategy for The Links, driving sustainable improvement, innovation and leadership development. You will be joining a team of skilled and dedicated colleagues who are committed to supporting each child to flourish and thrive. In this role, you will shape the future of our schools and the quality of education, leading colleagues whose mission it is to improve the life chances of disadvantaged children.

The Opportunity

As our new CEO, you will be responsible for implementing the agreed strategic direction as determined by the Trust Board into impactful reality, ensuring exceptional educational outcomes, sustainable growth, and robust financial health. You will oversee all aspects of the Trust’s performance, including educational standards, people leadership, financial management, and external partnerships.

This is a unique opportunity to lead Trust-wide school improvement across both primary and secondary phases, while shaping and refining the Trust’s overarching approach to teaching, curriculum innovation, and inclusion. In this role, you will cultivate a highly collaborative, supportive, and empowered network of school leaders, build leadership capacity and embed a culture of high-quality, continuous professional learning as you influence and navigate the future direction of the Trust.

The Role

The Links CEO is responsible for the education of all the children across the Trust. Leading our dedicated team, you will ensure that our schools are successful and sustainable over time. You will provide high-level strategic leadership and management across all aspects of the Trust's activities, ensuring high-quality education for all its pupils through the effective and efficient use of resources and people.

As a leader, the CEO, together with a wide range of stakeholders and partners, delivers the Trust’s civic and moral responsibilities. Acting as the Accounting Officer, you will ensure that all statutory, financial, and legal requirements are met.

We are recognised as a ‘School of Character’ and encourage Responsibility, Respect and Resilience. These are characteristics we expect of all children and staff regardless of their role within the school.

The Links Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding children and young people. All post holders are subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. We will also require two appropriate references. As part of the recruitment process online checks will be carried out on shortlisted candidates.