Assistant Director (Primary)

Harris Federation is looking to appoint a new Primary Education Assistant Director starting in January or Easter 2025. Reporting to the Primary Director, you will be one of four primary Assistant Directors with oversight for a cluster of primary academies across London.

As an Assistant Director, you will lead school improvement across a cluster of academies, working closely with the Principals, other academy leadership as well as central services and governors to ensure a culture of strong support and challenge. The Assistant Director plays a strategic role in working alongside the Primary Director and the CEO to drive the ongoing strategic vision and development of the Federation as a whole, to ensure that we maintain our standard as the one of the most successful large MATs in the country.

We are interested to hear from inspirational leaders who can provide the leadership, management support and challenge which promotes the highest standards of achievement and enables the Federation to give every pupil high quality education.

This post would suit an experienced executive leader who is currently overseeing a small to large group of schools within a Multi Academy Trust, or potentially, a highly experienced school leader who is working across multiple sites as a Principal/Headteacher.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious leader to join and work within a supportive, rewarding and highly successful MAT, where you will benefit from working with a network of leaders with knowledge, experience and coaching.

Conversations with our Primary Director, Sabeena Hasan, are encouraged ahead of the interview date. To arrange a conversation, please apply for the position to register your details and we will make contact with you to make arrangements.

WORKING WITH 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.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Qualifications & Experience

• Serving or returning Executive Principal
• Substantial and successful experience at Executive Principal level overseeing multiple schools within maintained primary education
• Teaching qualification
• Degree or Certificate of Education
• Proven track record in improving outcomes to above national average at KS2, and Ofsted good or better
• An understanding of working with a culturally diverse community
• Vision for strategic leadership across a cluster of schools
• A proven track record in rapidly raising pupils' achievements across a cluster of schools

Strategic Direction & Shaping the Future

• Experience of successful delivery against agreed strategic plans
• Ability to articulate clear visions for the Federation and its development over the next three years
• An understanding of and desire to lead at a system level

Learning & Teaching

• Excellent understanding of how children learn and ability to evaluate and coach for outstanding teaching methods
• Track record of accessing, monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching standards and the delivery of a vibrant curriculum across the board
• Knowing how to monitor a group through use of Data and KPIs
• Evidence of a strong knowledge of the current major curriculum issues legislative changes and their significance for the management and leadership of a primary academy
• Successful experience and understanding of the Ofsted process

Staff Management & Development

• All staff to work effectively together to deliver improvement with the academies and across the Federation.
• Success in challenging underperformance.
• Success in using professional development to improve staff.
• Ability to lead a group of Principals/Head of Academy to achieve desirable outcomes

Personal Attributes

• To work in partnership with other Assistant Directors as part of the primary executive team, with knowledge of all Federation primary schools
• To be resilient, committed, go above and beyond with a good sense of humour

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

APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION

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.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates. We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.