Norfolk County Council via Peridot Partners

Arts Council England; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Arts Council England invites applications for the Head of Norfolk Music Service and the Norfolk and Suffolk Music Hub. This senior post provides visionary leadership to deliver high‑quality music education across partnerships and schools in the region.

The role carries significant financial accountability for about £4.5 million annually, oversees traded income and ACE grants, and requires strategic management, safeguarding and strong stakeholder collaboration.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent qualification; senior leadership experience in music education, schools, culture or the music industry.
• QTS or post-Grade 8 qualifications are desirable.
• Experience leading music services or complex hubs at scale, including work with national funders such as Arts Council England.
• Experience working in a complex local authority, building relationships with senior leaders, elected members and schools.
• Collaborative leadership style that values engagement, delegation and a strong bottom-up culture.
• Strong commitment to safeguarding and child welfare; Enhanced DBS required.

Responsibilities

• Strategic & Financial Oversight: Lead business and financial planning, managing traded income and ACE grant funding, while ensuring compliance with policies.
• Partnership Evolution: Manage relationships with around 70 local, regional and national partners, delivering outcome-focused commissioning.
• Workforce Leadership: Lead a team of teachers, middle managers and support staff, driving development and high performance.
• Safeguarding & Governance: Act as safeguarding lead across the service and ensure compliance with Working Together to Safeguard Children.
• National Representation: Represent the service on national forums and roundtables.

Skills

Senior leadership

Strategic planning

Financial management

Stakeholder engagement

Inclusion & SEND

Safeguarding

Enhanced DBS

Education

Degree or equivalent

QTS desirable

Post-Grade 8 qualifications desirable

Job description

Job Summary

Lead a high-performing Music Service delivering outstanding music education which inspires children to flourish, reaching hundreds of thousands of participants each year.

Job Description

Reporting directly to an Assistant Director in Children's Services, the Head of Service provides visionary, forward-thinking leadership to meet the National Plan for Music Education.

This role has financial accountability for £4.5 million annually and is accountable for the Arts Council England (ACE) funding agreement, business planning and financial sustainability across grant-funded and traded income. The time split is approximately 30% in schools and 70% in the wider partnership and community delivery.

Job Requirements

• Educational Credibility: A degree or equivalent qualification, with senior leadership experience in music education, schools, culture or the music industry. QTS or post-Grade 8 qualifications are desirable.
• Strategic & Financial Track Record: Experience leading music services or complex hubs at scale, including work with national funders such as Arts Council England.
• Political & Stakeholder Skills: Experience working in a complex local authority, building relationships with senior leaders, elected members and schools.
• Collaborative Leadership: An open, supportive style that values engagement, delegation and a strong bottom-up culture.
• Inclusion & Youth Focus: A deep belief in music education's power to enrich the lives of all children, particularly marginalised groups, rural communities and pupils with SEND.
• Safeguarding: Strong commitment to safeguarding and child welfare. Enhanced DBS required.

Regular travel across Norfolk & Suffolk and some out-of-hours work will be required.

Job Responsibilities

• Strategic & Financial Oversight: Lead business and financial planning, managing £1m in traded income and c.£2m in ACE grant funding, alongside additional grants, while ensuring compliance with purchasing, procurement and contract policies.
• Partnership Evolution: Manage and strengthen relationships with around 70 local, regional and national partners, balancing competing priorities and delivering outcome-focused commissioning.
• Workforce Leadership: Lead a team of 35 teachers, middle managers and support staff, driving structural development, colleague engagement, high performance and individual creativity.
• Safeguarding & Governance: Act as safeguarding lead across the service, ensuring compliance with Working Together to Safeguard Children and related legislation across all settings and large-scale public events.
• National Representation: Represent NCC on national forums, including the APPG for Music Education, DfE roundtables and Arts Council national working

Job Overview

• Job Title: Head of Norfolk Music Service and the Norfolk and Suffolk Music Hub
• Hours: Full time
• Artform: Music
• Role: Creative
• Contract: Permanent
• Location: East

Applications for this job close 9 a.m. Monday 5th October