Chief Operations Officer

INSPIRING FUTURES THROUGH LEARNING; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK-based multi-academy trust seeks an exceptional Chief Operations Officer to lead operational excellence across its schools. The role requires senior leadership experience in complex environments, strategic financial oversight, and a strong grasp of governance frameworks. The ideal candidate will enjoy shaping the future of education and ensuring robust operational foundations. Applications close at 9am on 22nd September 2025.

Qualifications

• Proven track record of success in multi-stakeholder environments.
• Strong grasp of estates, digital transformation, and risk management.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex projects on time and within budget.

Responsibilities

• Drive operational excellence across the Trust.
• Lead the modernization of IT and data systems.
• Ensure compliance and deliver a long-term estates strategy.

Skills

Senior leadership experience

Strategic financial leadership

Governance frameworks

Programme and project management

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

Inspiring Futures through Learning (IFtL) is a respected and growing multi-academy trust, dedicated to delivering outstanding education and lifelong learning opportunities across our family of schools. As we look to the future, we are seeking an exceptional Chief Operations Officer (COO) to join our Executive Leadership Team and help lead the Trust through its next exciting phase of development and growth.

This is a pivotal role for a strategic and values-led leader who thrives on making a tangible difference—one who brings clarity, rigour, and ambition to operational leadership.

About the Role

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the COO will play a critical role in driving operational excellence across the Trust. The role provides the necessary leadership capacity for our continued growth, allowing the CEO to focus on educational outcomes and strategic vision.

You will be responsible for leading and modernising the Trust’s non-educational operations, including:

• Finance and Strategic Resource Management
• Estates and Capital Projects
• IT, Digital Infrastructure, and Data Systems
• Governance and Compliance
• Risk Management
• Strategic Project Delivery

What You’ll Deliver

• Operational leadership across critical Trust functions to enable high-quality services and sustainable growth.
• Oversight and strategic direction of financial planning, ensuring robust compliance and value for money.
• Delivery of a long-term estates strategy, including capital programmes that meet the future needs of our schools.
• Modernisation of IT and data systems, ensuring security, innovation, and improved user experience.
• Strengthened governance and risk management frameworks, aligned to regulatory expectations and best practice.
• Leadership of complex strategic projects, delivered on time, within budget, and aligned to our Trust vision.
• Scalable operating models and infrastructures to support our growing Trust.

About You

You will be a senior operational leader with a proven track record of success at scale. You will bring:

• Extensive senior leadership experiencein complex, multi-stakeholder environments—ideally within education, public services, or regulated sectors.
• Strategic financial leadership, including budgeting, compliance, and long-term planning.
• Astrong grasp of estates, digital transformation, and risk managementdisciplines.
• Deep understanding ofgovernance frameworks and operational compliance.
• Demonstrable success inprogramme and project managementacross diverse portfolios.
• A resilient, collaborative leadership style andexceptional stakeholder engagement skills.

You will be aligned with the values and vision of IFtL, with the capability to inspire confidence, drive innovation, and maintain operational excellence across a high-performing Trust.

Why Join IFtL?

At IFtL, we honour tradition while embracing innovation. We are committed to delivering the very best for the children and communities we serve. Our Trust is founded on the principles of collaboration, integrity, and continuous improvement. As COO, you will be at the heart of a strong and united Executive Team, shaping the infrastructure that supports outstanding learning.

This is your opportunity to make a profound impact on the future of education—ensuring our operational foundations are not just solid but sector-leading.

Closing date: 9am, 22ndSeptember 2025

Interview date: 30thSeptember 2025

Please see the job description for further details.

C1OO