Service Manager - Schools and Governance

Oxfordshire Bus Enhanced Partnership; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible Working

Hybrid work model

Disability Confident employer

Job summary

Oxfordshire County Council is seeking an experienced Service Manager for Schools and Governance to lead governance, school-improvement and service delivery across the county.

The role requires strategic leadership, strong regulatory understanding, and effective collaboration with schools, MATs, regulators and partners to raise educational outcomes for vulnerable children.

Qualifications

• Experience leading education governance and school-improvement initiatives.
• Strong understanding of governance structures and school improvement regimes.
• Ability to build partnerships with councils, schools and regulators.
• Strategic thinker with excellent communication and influencing skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead governance and services for schools county‑wide, aligning with Ofsted frameworks.
• Coordinate traded services, advisors and programmes across Oxfordshire.
• Work closely with the Assistant Director on school finances and portfolio management.

Skills

Educational leadership

Strategic planning

Stakeholder engagement

Governance and compliance

Education

Bachelor's or equivalent in Education

Job description

Service Manager - Schools and Governance

Together, we’re shaping children’s education for the future. Every day, our colleagues are helping to transform the lives of the residents of Oxfordshire.

Oxfordshire County Council iscommitted to delivering educational excellence for our children and young people through continuous and innovative improvements across our educational system. Ourambitious transformation programme, “Delivering the FutureTogether”, aims to make us an employer, partner, and place shaper of choice. As the sector looks ahead to the biggest structural change in half a century, can your educational leadership expertise contribute to the legacy Oxfordshire County Council delivers for future generations?

We are seeking an experienced and forward-thinkingleader to join its senior team as Service Manager for Schools and Governance. This vital role offers an exciting opportunity to ensure that our schools and settings have access to high quality governance and school improvement as well being a key liaison between the local authority and our educational establishments. Oxfordshire Central to the role will be acommitment tosupport our most vulnerable children and young people and tosupporting our services to become moreinclusive.

As a Service Manager, you will take strategic responsibility for managing the workflow of governance and services for our schools across the County. Working collaboratively with colleagues, schools, multi-academy trusts, regulators and other key stakeholders, you will ensure that Oxfordshire’s education infrastructure keeps pace with the county’s performance, standards and effectiveness, responding to ever changing demographic needs with efficacy.

You will lead on the organisation of school improvement , including our traded services programmes and respond innovatively to the deployment of advisors, partners and programmes across the county. This role requires an in-depth understanding of educational regulatory bodies such as Ofsted and its revised framework, a commitment to understanding the changing demands of schools and their community’s county wide. You will also be responsible for working closely with the Assistant Director on the financial portfolio picture of our schools across the county.

Your ability to build strong partnerships and influence at the highest levels will be critical, as will your capacity to manage complex teams out in the field and ensure that governance at a statutory level is compliant and well managed. You will work closely with a wide range of stakeholders, balancing competing priorities and ensuring that Oxfordshire’s children and families benefit from the highest quality learning environments.

The successful candidate will be a highly skilledleader with a proven track record in education, school improvement, governance, or a related field. You will bring a strategic mindset, exceptional communication skills, and a thoroughunderstanding of the challenges and opportunities facing local authorities in delivering school effectiveness. Most importantly, you’ll have the opportunity to make a real impact on the lives of Oxfordshire’s residents.

This is a brand new but immensely rewarding role, offering the chance to make a real difference to the educational landscape in one of England’s most vibrant and dynamic counties. We are seeking an educationleader who will drive a high-performance, cost-effective service that delivers outstanding educational outcomes. Everyday you’ll bechallenged in a new way,supported by your team, in an organisation that is free thinking, flexible, and helps people achieve their ambitions. We’re not afraid to do things differently and our dynamic culture means this is a place where new ideas are embraced, and innovation thrives.

We believe thattogether, our differences make us stronger, and that diversity is the foundation for innovation. Here, you can create a unique career for yourself – while raising the bar for the future of UK public services.

Our Agile Working Policy ensures you enjoy flexible working arrangements, allowing you to balance your professional and personal life effectively operating on a hybrid model, based in Oxford.

Ourcommitment to:
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce. Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or on maternity or family leave. We have a number of staff network groups which provide peersupport, education and safe spaces for all.

Ourcommitment to:
Guaranteed Interview Schemes

As a DisabilityConfident employer, we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and who meet the essential criteria for the job. For those leaving care without any further education, we guarantee an interview for our apprenticeships. We are alsocommitted to helping andsupporting those transitioning from HM ArmedForces to civilian life and guarantee an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.

Ourcommitment to:
Safeguarding

Oxfordshire County Council arecommitted to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers toshare thiscommitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.

Ourcommitment to:
Flexible Working

We are open to discussions about flexible working, which can include flexi-time, part time working, jobsharing, nine-day fortnights and annualised hours, depending on the requirements of the role and the service.

If you encounter any issues with the application system, please contact us at: [e-mail]

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Service Manager - Schools and Governance

• Frequency Annual
• Job Reference OCC/TP/25919/1638
• Contract Type Permanent
• Closing Date 4 October, 2026
• Job Type Children, Education and Families Services
• Business Unit Children's Services
• Location Oxford, County Hall, United Kingdom