Design Lead (Maths Mastery Secondary)

Ark; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working (hybrid/remote)

Annual leave 27-30 days

Pension scheme 11% contribution

Professional learning

Ark Rewards program

Job summary

The Design Lead (Maths Mastery Secondary) at Ark Curriculum Plus drives the design and quality assurance of maths mastery resources, aligning classroom practice with the programme’s educational vision in partner schools.

This fixed-term, full-time role is based in our West London office with hybrid working; flexible start dates and virtual interviews are scheduled for 3rd and 4th November 2026.

Qualifications

• Right to work in the UK.
• Educated to degree level.
• Qualified to teach in the UK and qualified to degree level.
• Subject specific qualification/further study desirable.
• Understanding of the education landscape and issues affecting education.
• At least three years’ teaching experience across at least two key stages.
• A proven record in delivering outstanding achievement in mathematics, particularly for pupils with low prior attainment in challenging urban schools.
• Up-to-date knowledge and use of the current curriculum and assessment requirements and best practice in implementation and delivery of professional development.
• Experience of planning and designing mathematics curriculum and assessment materials.
• Record of successfully leading change in a school context.
• Track record of providing professional development to teachers, including coaching, mentoring and training.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, Excel and Word.
• A strong and proactive communicator with a collaborative working style.
• Highly organised, and able to work to deadlines.
• Good influencing skills, with track record of building strong relationships.

Responsibilities

• Implement the organisation’s strategy and mission.
• Work closely with the Head of Product, Head of Subject, the design team and the programmes team to implement programme strategies that contribute to the overall organisational mission, strategy and sustainability.
• Understand the vision for subject excellence underpinning the programme and ensure best practice and Ark School educational initiatives are implemented in new developments so that the programmes continue to drive subject excellence.
• Keep abreast of sector and subject developments, legislative changes, research findings and innovative practice and use this to inform the creation and quality assurance of new programme developments as appropriate.
• Create content across all subject excellence programme components, including curriculum, assessment and CPD.
• Update and improve content based on school feedback and assessment analysis.
• Adhere to briefs, training, scope and quality control.
• Follow a quality assurance process, implementing pedagogical and editorial quality assurance.
• Conduct or shadow school visits, interviews and other feedback mechanisms to observe and understand the use of the programmes in schools and any gaps or needs to help inform programme developments. Add any ideas for future developments to the programme pipeline.
• Understand and keep abreast of educational and market research and use this to inform the creation of new programme developments.

Skills

Teaching experience

Strong communication

Collaboration

Organisational skills

Curriculum planning

Education

Degree level

UK teaching qualification

Further study desirable

Tools

Microsoft Office

Outlook

Teams

PowerPoint

Excel

Word

Job description

About The Role

The Design Lead (Maths Mastery Secondary) is responsible for implementing best practice and the programme educational vision in new developments in the Maths Mastery Secondary subject excellence programme.They understand classroom best practice, how the programmes are used in Ark and partner schools, any gaps or needs, and they contribute to the development of the concept, create and review the resources and create new developments across the components of the programmes.

Through ensuring the consistent high quality of the Maths Mastery Secondary programme, the Design Lead plays a key role in both its impact and reach.

We are open to part-time hours or split-role arrangements, depending on the candidate, and are happy to discuss flexible working options. The start date is also negotiable for the right candidate.

The Design Lead will report into Head of Product. This role is currently operating hybrid working in our West London Office on a fixed term basis working full time.

Interviews will be taking place virtually on 3rd November 2026 and 4th November 2026.

Key Responsibilities

• Implement the organisation’s strategy and mission
• Work closely with the Head of Product, Head of Subject, the design team and the programmes team to implement programme strategies that contribute to the overall organisational mission, strategy and sustainability
• Understand the vision for subject excellence underpinning the programme and ensure best practice and Ark School educational initiatives are implemented in new developments so that the programmes continue to drive subject excellence
• Keep abreast of sector and subject developments, legislative changes, research findings and innovative practice and use this to inform the creation and quality assurance of new programme developments as appropriate
• Create content across all subject excellence programme components, including curriculum, assessment and CPD
• Update and improve content based on school feedback and assessment analysis
• Adhere to briefs, training, scope and quality control
• Follow a quality assurance process, implementing pedagogical and editorial quality assurance
• Conduct or shadow school visits, interviews and other feedback mechanisms to observe and understand the use of the programmes in schools and any gaps or needs to help inform programme developments. Add any ideas for future developments to the programme pipeline
• Understand and keep abreast of educational and market research and use this to inform the creation of new programme developments

Key Requirements

• Right to work in the UK
• Educated to degree level
• Qualified to teach in the UK and qualified to degree level
• Subject specific qualification/further study desirable
• Understanding of the education landscape and issues affecting education
• At least three years’ teaching experience across at least two key stages
• A proven record in delivering outstanding achievement in mathematics, particularly for pupils with low prior attainment in challenging urban schools
• Up-to-date knowledge and use of the current curriculum and assessment requirements and best practice in implementation and delivery of professional development
• Experience of planning and designing mathematics curriculum and assessment materials
• Record of successfully leading change in a school context
• Track record of providing professional development to teachers, including coaching, mentoring and training
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, Excel and Word
• A strong and proactive communicator with a collaborative working style
• Highly organised, and able to work to deadlines
• Good influencing skills, with track record of building strong relationships

Benefits

• Our flexible working model offers the best of both worlds, balancing in person collaboration, either in our state of the art West London office or through visits to our schools, with the flexibility of remote working
• In addition to flexible working arrangements, employees can request to work fully remotely for up to 10 working days a year, whether this be in the UK or abroad
• Our flexitime policy allows you to work your hours around our core hours of 10.00 - 16.00, helping you prioritise your work-life balance and personal commitments
• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service up to 30 days after 3-years’ service. This entitlement is pro rata for part time employees. This entitlement excludes bank holidays
• Full office closure between Christmas and New Year
• As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to
• Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face-to-face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform
• Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest-free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests

About Us

Ark Curriculum Plus is a not-for-profit education venture set up by the Ark Multi Academy Trust to improve subject outcomes. We’ve now been going for over ten years, using what we learn in Ark to support over 1,000 schools nationally. Our mission is to empower teachers to give every young person, regardless of their background, the subject knowledge and skills that will allow them to succeed.

We now have subject excellence programmes in English, Maths, Science and Geography, at primary and secondary. A team of subject experts work with partner schools to empower teachers to achieve subject excellence using an ambitious curriculum combined with CPD, teaching and assessment resources.

Our programmes, including Mathematics Mastery and English Mastery, have been shown to have measurable impact in evaluations by the EEF, FFT and The Brilliant Club.

Diversity and inclusion

We aim to build a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone – staff and students – can do their best work and achieve their full potential. We want to reflect and represent diverse perspectives across our organisation because we know that doing so will make us stronger and more effective. To know more about Ark’s diversity and inclusion commitments, please click on this link.

Safeguarding statement

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.

Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark’s safer recruitment process, please click this link.

For any questions, please contact [e-mail].