Chief Education Officer

South East Essex Academy Trust, Benfleet, SS7 2TD

26 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  September 2026, or earlier by agreement

• Closing date

  27 February 2026 at 7am

• Date listed

  30 January 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Other leadership roles
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Part time, full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: Competitive spot salary, based on previous experience and impact
• Additional allowances:

  Competitive spot salary, based on previous experience and impact

Chief Education Officer job summary

It’s because it’s impossible that it's possible

South East Essex Academy Trust is not standing still. Since 2021, we have doubled in size. All seven schools that formed our newly enlarged trust in 2021 have been judged Good or Outstanding under the previous inspection framework. We are held in high regard by the DfE’s Regional Director and team. But we are not satisfied.

A great trust is built from great schools - and we know we can be better.

We are now seeking a brilliant Chief Education Officer with a passion for the possible to help us accelerate improvement, raise achievement across all phases, and ensure that every child - regardless of their background - benefits from consistently excellent teaching.

We are a local trust where collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. We believe in visible leadership. We know our schools well and you don’t need to go through multiple management layers to speak to the CEO.

We are not driven by fads. We are driven by what matters. We believe:

• Great teaching changes lives.
• Equity does not mean lowering the bar - it means helping every pupil reach it.
• If it works for our SEND pupils, it works for everyone.
• Reading unlocks the whole curriculum.

If that resonates with you, read on.

This is not a desk job.

As Chief Education Officer, you will be the strategic guardian of educational quality across our nine schools; but you will also roll up your sleeves, walk corridors, visit classrooms, and work shoulder-to-shoulder with leaders where capacity or momentum is needed. This role reports directly to the CEO and sits at the heart of the SEEAT Executive Team.

You will:

• Champion exceptional teaching and ensure excellence becomes normal practice
• Strengthen leadership capacity across the Trust
• Use data intelligently and ensure robust tracking systems identify underachievement swiftly
• Relentlessly track the impact of professional learning
• Support schools to be distinctive without being disconnected from the family of schools
• Ensure disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND perform in line with all other pupils nationally
• Provide trustees and governors with clear, timely assurance
• Support leaders through inspection with calm credibility
• You will balance challenge and support; building a culture where improvement is deliberate, not accidental.

Still interested?

We try to clearly articulate our vision, values, and expectations when putting together information for applicants so please have a look at our recruitment pack.

If you would like to discuss the role in more detail please contact Sophie Roberts, EA on 07745 523 469. She can arrange for you to have a 'virtual coffee' with our CEO, Andrew. All other enquiries should go to hr@seeat.org.

We reserve the right to close the role earlier than the closing date if sufficient applications are received.

South East Essex Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects its entire staff to share this commitment. All postholders working in our schools will be considered to work in Regulated Activity and will be required to have an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS). In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance all shortlisted candidates may be subject to online searches that may include social media. For further information please contact hr@seeat.org

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Applying for the job

This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

About South East Essex Academy Trust

• Type: Multi-academy trust
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/south-east-essex-academy-trust

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