Chief Operations Officer
E Act, Kettering, NN15 7HP23 days remaining to apply
Start date details
To be confirmed
Closing date
7 July 2025 at 9am
Date listed
14 June 2025
Job details
Job role
- Other leadership roles
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time: 37 hours per week
Contract type
- Permanent
Pay scale
- Competitive, Reflecting experience
What skills and experience we're looking for
Chief Operating Officer
Pay range: Competitive, reflecting experience
We think big: lead the way in Opening Minds, Opening Doors!
The Chief Operations Officer (COO) is a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, responsible for the strategic leadership and operational delivery of core trust-wide services. This includes estates and facilities management, IT and digital infrastructure, business planning, and risk management. The COO will ensure that all operational functions are aligned with the Trust’s educational mission and strategic objectives, enabling high-quality, cost-effective services that support school improvement and pupil outcomes. They will continuously evaluate what works well and what doesn’t, using data-driven insights to refine processes and enhance efficiency. Balancing long-term strategic vision with day-to day operational excellence
The key responsibilities are: (please refer to the Application pack for more detail)
- Strategic leadership – Develop and implement Trust strategy
- Estates and Infrastructure – develop and lead the Trusts estates strategy
- Digital and IT - Shape and lead the Trust’s digital strategy
- Risk and Compliance - Establish and oversee a comprehensive risk management framework
- Operational Excellence - Drive continuous improvement across operational functions
Experience and Qualifications
- Proven experience in a senior operational leadership role
- Strong track record of strategic planning, estates and IT leadership, and risk management.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence at Board level.
- Demonstrable commitment to the values and mission of a multi-academy trust.
- Relevant professional qualifications (e.g. MBA, MRICS, Prince2, NEBOSH, etc.).
- Skills and Behaviours
- Strong strategic thinking and data-driven decision making
- Collaborative leadership style with a commitment to inclusivity
- Ability to lead through complexity and ambiguity
- Confidant communicator and ambassador
For further information on the role please see the COO recruitment pack.
What the school offers its staff
About E-ACT:
Join a trust that’s making an impact!
With recent wins like TES Team of the Year 2024 and MAT of the Year 2023, now is the perfect time to be part of our journey. Our success comes from dedicated, talented staff committed to delivering excellence for every child and young person.
We encourage a people-first culture, supporting pupils, staff, and stakeholders across 38 academies, with staff satisfaction above national benchmarks. Through initiatives tackling workload and wellbeing, we ensure a positive, thriving environment.
At the heart of everything we do is our Opening Minds, Opening Doors strategy—preparing pupils not just for the world, but to succeed within it. With a collaborative approach to education, we unlock opportunities for every child to pursue their dreams. Want to be part of something extraordinary? Find out more at www.e-act.org.uk.
The package includes a competitive salary and generous local government pension scheme (defined benefit pension scheme)
Want to find out more
If this opportunity excites you, we would love to hear from you. Please reach out for an initial discussion by contacting Sian John, Head of Recruitment and Talent, at sian.john@e-act.org.uk. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn to stay updated.
Flexible working opportunities
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
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs are not accepted.
Upload additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About E Act
- Type
- Multi-academy trust
- Website
- E Act website
- Email address
- sian.john@e-act.org.uk
Head office location
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