Head of Development

Orchard Hill College Academy Trust, Sutton, SM1 1DA

19 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  to be confirmed

• Closing date

  12 October 2025 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  2 September 2025

Job details

• Job role:
  • Other support roles
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time: Full-time 36 hrs per week all year round
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: Grade PO5/6/7 £50,568 - £58,692

What skills and experience we're looking for

We are seeking a strategic and forward-thinking Head of Development to join our senior leadership team. This pivotal role will drive our growth agenda, ensuring new opportunities are identified, developed and delivered to support the continued success and impact of OHC&AT.

Key Responsibilities:

• Research and identify opportunities for growth, including expansion of existing provisions, acquiring schools/college centres and developing new service models
• Lead on feasibility assessments and the development of strategic business cases for agreed projects.
• Lead on statutory consultations and Equality Impact Assessments as required
• Lead on the submission of bids and proposals to external partners and agencies as required.
• Undertake due diligence for new schools and college centres joining OHC&AT.
• Manage the integration process for new schools and college centres joining OHC&AT.
• Oversee all aspects of development projects, including planning, budgets, timelines, risk management, and reporting.
• Monitor progress of development projects, manage risks, and resolve issues as they arise to ensure successful completion at development stage.

Key Requirements:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• Significant experience in a strategic development, or a programme leadership role within education or a related public sector environment
• Demonstrable experience of managing successful expansions, acquisitions, or capital projects
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to write clear and persuasive business cases and proposals.
• Proven project and programme management expertise, with a track record of delivering complex initiatives on time and to budget
• A strong personal commitment to inclusive education and improving outcomes for children and young people with special needs

What the school offers its staff

Rewards & Benefits:

• Comprehensive training and development
• Opportunities to engage with internal professional networks
• Access to counselling advice and support via Health Assured (our employee assistance programme)
• Commitment to wellbeing supported by our occupational health service and mental-health first aiders
• Scope for career progression across nine college centres, 13 academy schools and Central Teams
• Generous annual leave and flexible working schemes in addition to bank and public holidays and a Christmas closure period
• As part of your contract of employment you will enrolled into the Teachers Pension Scheme (TPS) which has life cover and financial protection for your family
• Enhanced parental leave schemes
• Cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loans
• Employee referral scheme
• Discounted gym membership subscription including digital fitness
• Home electronics scheme

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details on the role and the skills, experience and knowledge we are looking for.

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

Apply for the job by following the link below.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

Upload additional documents

If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.

Head of Development - JD PS.pdf - 208 KB (opens in new tab)

About Orchard Hill College Academy Trust

• Type: Multi-academy trust
• Website: Orchard Hill College Academy Trust website
• Email address: mollyking@orchardhill.ac.uk
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/orchard-hill-college-academy-trust

Orchard Hill College (the College) and Orchard Hill College Academy Trust (the Trust) together form Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust (OHC&AT), a family of specialist education providers for pupils and students from nursery to further education across London, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire. As an Outstanding provider (Ofsted 2019) and Academy sponsor, Orchard Hill College has a strong track record for making a positive impact within the local communities it serves.

Pupils and students within the OHC&AT family have a wide range of learning abilities and additional needs including autistic spectrum disorder; speech, language and communication difficulties; social, emotional and mental health; profound and multiple disabilities; and physical disabilities including multi-sensory impairment and complex health needs.

Our ambition is to contribute further to improving the education offer for all pupils and students in our communities, including those with SEND. The College offers specialist educational programmes for students aged 16 and over in College centres and satellite provision in London and the South. The Academy Trust enables us to build on and extend scope of our work in these geographical areas, so that Academy pupils can also benefit from our expertise and access a greater range of opportunities arising from our strong community and stakeholder networks.

Supporting our College and Academies, OHC&AT also operates a range of services and support including Quality and Standards, Learning Support and Business Support.

Head office location

Get a job alert when similar jobs are listed

Find more school jobs in Sutton