Assistant Director Educational Access, Quality and Improvement

This role has a salary range of £85,561- £96,431 per annum, based on a 36-hour working week.

The contractual base for this role is our Quadrant Court office in Woking however travel around the county to meet with your team, school leaders and other partners across the education system will be required. Agile working is supported meaning you can work however, whenever, and wherever suits you best around requirements to physically attend a Surrey location.

Rewards and Benefits?

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service.?
• Buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave?
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year?
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) supporting health and wellbeing?
• A generous local government salary related pension??
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more?
• 2 paid volunteering days plus 1 team volunteering day per year?
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources?
• Paternity, adoption, and dependents leave

Are you passionate about influencing and supporting positive progress across education and adult learning? Are you a dynamic leader with a proven track record and senior management experience in a school or college, local authority education department or adult learning and skills setting, looking for your next opportunity?

Join our forward-thinking team as our next Assistant Director of Educational Access, Quality and Improvement, where you will play a pivotal role in driving positive change and ensuring excellence across our educational system in Surrey.

About the team/ service:

Surrey County Council (SCC) is unashamedly ambitious about what we can achieve, and the difference we can make to Surrey children, young people, and adult learners. Our guiding principle of 'No One Left Behind', runs through the way we seek to achieve our priority objectives and the way we deliver services. Reporting to Julia Katherine- our newly appointed Director for Education and Lifelong Learning, you will be a pivotal part of the senior leadership team, at the heart of maximising options for children, young people, and adult learners to access high quality educational opportunities that enhance their sense of purpose, fulfilment, and future prospects.

About the role:

The key responsibilities for this role include:

• School Improvement Activity: You will lead the continuing strategic change across the estate of schools by developing a school led system of improvements in conjunction with educational leaders.
• School Admissions: You will ensure the delivery of the statutory functions related to school admissions, for both mainstream pupils and those with special educational needs. This includes the underpinning of policy development and strategic approvals.
• School Place Planning: This includes organisation and commissioning of places in settings such as maintained nurseries, mainstream schools, specialist provision, post 16/FE, schools opening and closing, as well as statutory returns.
• Early Years Education: You will develop strong relationships with education providers and system leaders to support the improvement of outcomes and drive high quality early years provision locally.
• Delivery and Management of the SaFE contract: This role holds the responsibility for managing the commissioned contract for statutory and non-statutory Schools Improvement. This contract is currently commissioned through Schools Alliance for Excellence (SAfE) Responsibilities include regular monitoring and contract management meetings (alongside the contract manager for Commissioning) as well as the operational activity to ensure that communications and referral processes are effective and that KPIs are met.

You will also lead a service of approx. 335 contracted hours staff and 430 casual hours staff and professionals from a range of disciplines including School Admissions, Educational Effectiveness, Place Planning and Surrey Adult Learning and will hold direct reporting and line management accountability for 4-5 staff.
Shortlisting criteria:

• Proven senior leadership experience in education with a focus on school improvement
• Expertise in managing school admissions processes and place planning strategies.
• Knowledge of early years education principles and practices.
• Exceptional communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to constructively challenge and influence.

Contact Us?

Please contact us for any questions relating to role requirements, flexible working requests, transferable skills, or barriers to employment.?

The job advert closes at 23:59 on the 5th of April 2024 with interviews planned for the 22nd of April 2024 and are anticipated to be held face to face at our Woodhatch office in Reigate.

An enhanced DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formally known as CRB) and the Children's and Adults' Barred List checks will be required for this role.

This post has been designated as a politically restricted post in accordance with the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

Our Values
Our values are as important as our abilities and shape who we are as an organisation.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applications where:?

The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application.
The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form.
Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role.?

We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.?