Strategy Consultant jobs in United Kingdom

About Us

The founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and initiatives that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.

We now have over 50 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high-quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.

Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.

To discover more about our culture, ethos and what it is like to work here, visit the Why Work For Us page.

Main Areas of Responsibility

We are looking for a Careers Strategy Lead to join the Harris Federation central team.

In this pivotal role, you will provide essential leadership and strategic direction for careers education across all Secondary and Sixth Form academies. Your responsibilities will encompass the development and implementation of a proactive careers strategy that yields measurable outcomes, with a consistent emphasis on placing students at the forefront of all initiatives.

You will be responsible for establishing employer engagement programs, assisting academies in preparing for Ofsted inspections, and enhancing the apprenticeship program. Through these efforts, this role ensures that students have access to invaluable opportunities.

Qualifications & Experience

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• A degree level qualification or equivalent professional experience in Careers Guidance or a directly relevant field
• Proven experience in a leadership role within education, careers services, or employer engagement
• In-depth understanding of the Gatsby Benchmarks, Provider Access Legislation, and the CDI framework
• Experience in managing large-scale careers programmes and delivering measurable improvements
• A track record of successful partnership building with employers, training providers, and external stakeholders
• Experience of leading, developing, and managing a team
• Strong leadership and strategic planning abilities
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and collaborate at all levels
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to evaluate programme impact and adapt strategies
• Project management skills to deliver large-scale events and initiatives
• Budget management experience, ensuring effective use of resources

For a full person specification, please download the Job Pack.

Professional Development & Benefits

If you would like to discuss the opportunity further, or if you have any questions, please contact us via email to arrange a conversation.

Before applying, please ensure you download the job pack from our careers website; this will help with completing your application. Please note that we only accept applications submitted online before the closing date.

When applying, you will have the option to import your CV or use a LinkedIn profile which will auto-populate the online application.

A reminder to check your junk mail for our email communications and add us to your safe senders list to ensure all future email communication is received.

Next Steps

Harris has a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

You will also have access to a variety of benefits, support programmes, and initiatives including:

• Excellent opportunities for continuous professional development and career progression
• Annual performance and loyalty bonus
• Pension scheme (Teachers' Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme) with generous employer contribution
• 26 days' annual leave (inclusive of our Christmas Eve closure day) plus bank holidays, rising to 27 days after 2 years' service, or equivalent for staff on term time contracts
• Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan including cover for routine and specialist healthcare
• Employee Assistance Programme for free and confidential advice
• Cycle to work salary sacrifice scheme
• Wide range of shopping, leisure, and travel discounts
• 20% off at Tapi Carpets, exclusive to Harris employees
• Interest-free ICT and season ticket loans

For most non-teaching staff based at our Head Office in East Croydon, we also offer lifestyle-friendly working arrangements including flexible start and end times, and hybrid working with two days from home and three days on site.