Chief Operations Officer

Hales Valley Multi Academy Trust is a primary academy trust, based in Dudley, West Midlands. We currently consist of five very different primary schools, ensuring that our Trust is a diverse and exciting place to work and learn.

We put our children at the heart of everything we do and are dedicated to providing them with an enriching curriculum, underpinned by our overall commitment to high standards across the board.

We value our staff and ensure that they are well supported and trained. We have a continual professional development guarantee that provides a clear career pathway of training and opportunities for all staff at all levels.

Our family of schools work closely together, ensuring that staff and children benefit from sharing the excellent practice that exists across the Trust. Our schools are well supported by the Local Governing Committees, the Board of Directors and the Trust Central team.

We believe that we are stronger together – all schools sharing capacity, resources and expertise. We believe that collaboration is fundamental to providing the best learning opportunities through a meaningful curriculum where children and adults acquire the knowledge, skills and positive attitudes to prepare and strengthen them for their role in society: today, tomorrow and in the future.We support and care for each other, especially when things go wrong; we are a family.

The Role:

Hales Valley Trust (HVT) are looking for a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to join the Central Team, currently based at Woodside Primary School, Dudley. The COO is integral to the delivery of the Trust’s strategic aims and will play a key role as a member of the Central Leadership Team, providing dynamic leadership, strong management and clear direction across all non-academic services for the Trust, espousing continuous improvement principles and engendering a ‘can do’ culture.

The COO will strive for operational excellence on the part of every member of the Trust ensuring that: the Trust support services function is well managed on a day-to-day basis; systems and processes are rigorous, robust and fit for purpose; staff work as one team towards a common purpose, are effectively and efficiently deployed and perform to the highest standards.

The prime directive for the COO is to facilitate the best possible educational provision and outcomes by successfully removing any non-academic barriers to achieving academic goals, thus maximising the capacity of Headteacher and their staff by ensuring they are fully supported in their work by the central team.  This work will include guaranteeing compliance with all relevant legal and regulatory requirements.

The COO will play a pivotal role in shaping and developing the Trust and its business teams, taking HVT forward in the centralisation of Education Business Services, and supporting our plans for growth and development. Reporting to the CEO, you will be responsible for the leadership of IT, HR, estates, procurement, GDPR, legal and risk management functions.

The COO will ensure that our business model is scalable and effectively supports the growth of the Trust, leveraging economies of scale to enable even greater investment in children's education.

You will work in close partnership with the Chief Financial Officer to ensure best value and outcomes for the Trust. The COO will be responsible for the provision and strategic analysis of timely, accurate and valid performance information to the Chief Executive, the Central Leadership Team, Headteachers, the Board of Directors and, where necessary, external parties.

The role will be critical in realising the growth potential of the Trust by developing and leading on an effective HR and Organisational Development strategy aligned to the current and future needs of the Trust, and by ensuring that activities and resources are coordinated and managed in an effective, efficient and productive way, to support the delivery of high quality education to current and future pupils.

The COO will support the CEO in delivering on HVT’s Growth Strategy, leading any future bids, due diligence processes, building and other projects.

N.B. This is a new post and is partly developmental in nature.  Therefore, what follows in terms of duties and responsibilities should be read as indicative.  There will be scope for the post holder to negotiate some of the specific details, which may be phased over time according to the Trust’s changing needs.

To be considered for this role you should be an exceptionally skilled and entrepreneurial individual, with a strong business and HR background including experience of complex structures and managing third parties.

Requirements:

• Educated to degree level relevant to the post and/or equivalent learning through professional experience;
• Extensive post qualification experience working at Senior/Board level;
• Experience of strategic leadership and business planning in a diverse business;
• Proven track record of managing change, delivering results and meeting performance targets;
• Able to challenge the status quo, encourage innovation and drive continuous improvement.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please complete the application form and return to Rachel Evans via email:

rdean@halesvalleytrust.org.uk

In addition you are asked to provide a personal statement of no more than 1500 words detailing how you feel you meet the criteria outlined in the Person Specification. 

If you would like further information, or to arrange a school visit or further conversation with the CEO, please contact Rachel Evans: 

01384 816778  or rdean@halesvalleytrust.org.uk

Closing date:                     Monday 9^th September 2019

Shortlisting:                       Wednesday 11^th September 2019

Interview dates:               Thursday 19^th September 2019

Additional Information:

It is a requirement that all our staff have an enhanced DBS check as Hales Valley Trust is committed to the welfare and safeguarding of all pupils and staff.  All appointments are subject to detailed and satisfactory references and health check being received.