Head of Development

Orchard Hill College Academy Trust; Carshalton; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

OrchardHill College Academy Trust in the UK is seeking an experienced Head of Development to drive strategic growth, lead new provisions, partnerships and expansion opportunities, and shape the Trust’s ambitious Strategy to 2030.

This senior role reports to the Executive Director of Strategy and Partnerships and requires a proven track record in complex projects within education or public sector environments.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in a strategic development, programme leadership or growth-focused role within education or a related public sector environment.
• Proven track record of successfully delivering complex projects, expansions, acquisitions or organisational growth initiatives.
• Excellent communication, influencing and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong project and programme management expertise, including developing business cases and managing multiple priorities.
• A genuine commitment to inclusive education and improving outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the identification, development and delivery of strategic growth opportunities, including school and college expansion, acquisitions and new service models.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with the Department for Education, Local Authorities, Multi-Academy Trusts and other key stakeholders.
• Manage a portfolio of development projects, ensuring delivery against agreed timelines, budgets, quality standards and strategic objectives.
• Lead due diligence, onboarding and integration processes for schools and organisations joining the Trust.
• Produce high-quality business cases, bids, proposals and strategic reports to support growth, sustainability and organisational development.

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and ambitious Head ofDevelopment to play a pivotal role in shaping the future growth of OrchardHill College Academy Trust. Reporting to the Executive Director of Strategy andPartnerships, this senior leadership role will lead the development anddelivery of strategic growth initiatives, including new provisions,partnerships, acquisitions and expansion opportunities. The successfulcandidate will be a highly skilled relationship builder with a strong trackrecord of leading complex projects, influencing stakeholders and driving organisationalgrowth within education or the public sector. This is an exciting opportunityto help deliver our Strategy to 2030 and make a lasting impact on the lives ofchildren and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadthe identification, development and delivery of strategic growthopportunities, including school and college expansion, acquisitions andnew service models.
• Buildand maintain strong partnerships with the Department for Education, LocalAuthorities, Multi-Academy Trusts and other key stakeholders.
• Managea portfolio of development projects, ensuring delivery against agreedtimelines, budgets, quality standards and strategic objectives.
• Leaddue diligence, onboarding and integration processes for schools andorganisations joining the Trust.
• Producehigh-quality business cases, bids, proposals and strategic reports tosupport growth, sustainability and organisational development.

Key Requirements

• Significantexperience in a strategic development, programme leadership orgrowth-focused role within education or a related public sectorenvironment.
• Proventrack record of successfully delivering complex projects, expansions,acquisitions or organisational growth initiatives.
• Excellentcommunication, influencing and relationship-building skills, with theability to engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Strongproject and programme management expertise, including experiencedeveloping business cases and managing multiple priorities.
• Agenuine commitment to inclusive education and improving outcomes forchildren and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.