Director of Education

The Diocese of Brentwood covers all of the county of Essex and 8 Outer London Boroughs. It has 70 Primary and 19 secondary schools, including Voluntary Aided, Academies, Multi-Academy Trusts, Teaching Schools and their Alliances. Together, they serve over 38,000 pupils, their families and their Parishes.

The rapidly changing educational landscape presents our Diocese with great opportunities and challenges, as is the case in many other Dioceses, both Catholic and Anglican. The decline of traditional school improvement services and the rise of a plethora of new organisations and groupings of schools encourage us to take a fresh look at the services our Diocesan Education Department (DED) offers to our schools and their communities.

This is, therefore, an exciting time to join our Diocese and lead the DED into this new era. Our intention is to expand, develop and restructure the Department. The new Director will play a major role in this process, advising the Bishop (who has been in post since July 2014), the Diocesan Charitable Trust, Headteachers and others on the way forward.

We are looking for a committed, practising Catholic who will assist the Bishop in assuring and delivering his Mission of providing high quality Catholic schools throughout the diocese, and who will:

1. have a track record of success at a high level of leadership in Catholic education or a closely related field of employment.
2. be very well-informed about the challenges and opportunities facing Catholic education today and in the near future.
3. be determined to lead the DED and its schools into embracing these changes.
4. work tirelessly and enthusiastically with all stakeholders to develop and deliver the services which schools want and will pay for.
5. provide high quality advice on the whole range of Catholic education issues, including the legal framework in which Catholic schools operate, to Bishop Alan, the Diocesan Trustees, schools and Parishes, and other parties.
6. accept and lead the new agenda of Diocesan accountability for school performance
7. be a well-informed and resolute advocate and ambassador for the Diocese and its schools, and represent them in all the necessary places

If you think you might be the right person for this post, please read carefully the documents in the application pack on the Diocese website http://dioceseofbrentwood.net/dde

If you would like to have an informal conversation about the post before deciding whether to apply, please contact Janet Simmons on 01277 265284.

If you decide to apply, please note:

1. The post will be subject to a full, enhanced DBS disclosure.
2. Your application form, supporting letter and CV (optional) should be sent, preferably by email, to: Janet Simmons at janets@dioceseofbrentwood.org or by post to Janet Simmons, Diocese of Brentwood Education Department, Cathedral House, Ingrave Road, Brentwood, Essex, CM15 8AT
3. The successful candidate will be an employee of Brentwood Diocese. A summary of the Terms and Conditions of employment can be seen below.
4. The starting date is January 1st, 2016. This is to fit with the notice period of serving Heads. An earlier starting date could be considered by discussion with the successful candidate.

The closing date for applications to be received is Thursday 4th June.
Interviews will be held in Brentwood on Tuesday 30th June and Wednesday 1st July.