Deputy Director of Education and Inclusion

Connected Local Government; England; On-site; GBP 104,000 - 123,000; Full time

Job summary

A County Council in Oxfordshire seeks a proactive Deputy Director of Education and Inclusion to enhance educational outcomes through effective leadership and collaboration. You will manage daily operations and lead a significant workforce, ensuring a focus on inclusivity and compliance with education regulations. This high-impact role offers a salary up to £123K, flexible working, and extensive professional development opportunities. Join us in transforming children's education and wellbeing in Oxfordshire.

Benefits

Flexible working culture

Competitive salary

Local Government pension scheme

33 days holiday

Wellbeing support

Employee discounts

Family friendly policies

Qualifications

• Proven track record of managing large teams in complex environments.
• Comprehensive understanding of education regulations and best practices.
• Experience in fostering performance-oriented culture.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations of educational services for children and young people.
• Lead a team to improve educational outcomes and inclusivity.
• Drive strategic priorities for education across stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Team Collaboration

Change Management

Regulatory Knowledge

Continuous Improvement

Education

Experience in leading large services

Understanding of current education legislation

Job description

Together, we’re shaping children’s education for the future. Every day, our colleagues are helping to transform the lives of the residents of Oxfordshire by providing children and young people with the best possible education.

As the Deputy Director of Education and Inclusion, your leadership will foster collaboration among Education Leaders and Partners across our system to enhance inclusivity and improve educational outcomes for children and young people throughout Oxfordshire.

You will oversee the daily operations and delivery of statutory education and inclusion services leading a substantial workforce, covering children from pre-birth to 25 years (or 19 years under certain legal frameworks). Additionally, you will line manage Assistant Directors responsible for Sufficiency, Standards, Effectiveness and Performance, and SEND and Inclusion.

You may be expected to cover the DCS role when required, along with leading strategic planning, technical management and service delivery for Education and Inclusion. This represents a large, high-risk, highly regulated, and complex portfolio, driving strategic priorities through a widespread range of high-profile front-line services. This includes safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing and outcomes of all children in Oxfordshire, including those who are visiting or placed under Belonging Regulations.

Embodying our value of 'daring to do it differently,' you will understand what 'Good or Better' looks like and strive for continuous improvement. By using evidence, data, and assurance mechanisms, you will champion best practices and be a strong advocate for children and young people, ensuring their needs and outcomes are at the forefront of all initiatives.

About us

Together, we’re focussed on making every day the best it can be for our residents. Whatever you do here, you’ll look around and say, "I make a difference". Because we’re all creating lasting change to people’s lives in Oxfordshire.

We are a large County Council with a population of 750,000 and c.155,000 children. We have 367 schools and settings across a mixed demography from rural primary to inner-city secondaries schools and post 16 colleges. We understand that education and our settings are the greatest universal service we have to provide equality of opportunity and to support personal and social development for our children and young people. Safeguarding and supporting schools to deliver quality first teaching is at the heart of what we do.

Our new Deputy Director for Education and Inclusion will be an experienced and seasoned leader, understanding the role that local authorities play in developing outstanding education systems. This will include leadership across organisations and stakeholders, providing effective support and continuous improvement.

Our new leader will have a full understanding of new legislative changes under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill 2024. Whilst there is more to do, we are pleased with the promising progress in SEND services, with Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) reporting that Oxfordshire’s local area partnership has taken "effective action" to make improvements in services and support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) following a monitoring visit in September 2023. You will be part of taking that continuous improvement to the next stage of our plans and financial and strategic skills are an essential as we support schools for the future.

As part of a coherent and supportive Director’s Leadership Team you will be part of an organisation that is free thinking, flexible, and helps people achieve their ambitions. We’re not afraid to do things differently and our dynamic culture means this is a place where new ideas are embraced, and innovation thrives. We believe that together, our differences make us stronger, and that diversity is the foundation for innovation. Here, you can create a unique career for yourself – while raising the bar for the future of Education.

You will be joining us at a time of transformation to improve the wellbeing and outcomes for all children in Oxfordshire as part of our ambitious Children and Young People’s Plan. Our work is central to the council's strategic plan of making Oxfordshire a greener, fairer and healthier place to live.

About you

We are seeking a seasoned professional with comprehensive knowledge of all aspects of this role. The ideal candidate will possess an in‑depth understanding of relevant regulations, legislation, and best practices within their area of expertise and the broader sector. They will have a proven track record of leading a large service within a complex and diverse organisation, effectively managing constant change and transformation, and inspiring the workforce to achieve continuous improvement. Additionally, you will have experience in fostering a high‑performance, cost‑effective culture that delivers outstanding outcomes through various mechanisms, including organisational structure, working methods, and contracts.

Equally important, you will exemplify our core values in all you do.

• Always learning
• Be Kind and Care
• Equality and integrity in all you do
• Taking responsibility
• Daring to do it differently

Fundamentally, you’ll be passionate about delivering stand‑out public services, because we’re here to make every moment the best it can be for the residents of Oxfordshire.

Rewards and benefits

• Culture of flexible working
• Competitive salary of up to £123K to reflect the significance of the post
• Membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, with an employer’s contribution of up to 19.9%
• Technology to support agile working where role permits
• 33 days holiday p.a. (and bank holidays) and option to ‘buy’ additional holiday
• Great learning and development opportunities to support your ongoing development.
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to health and wellbeing support
• Local and national discounts for shopping and travel
• Unlimited tea and coffee, and access to local cafe discounts.
• Enhanced family friendly policies

Curious to learn more? Speak to Simon Winspear at our recruitment partners, Hays Executive on 07525 466 357 or [e-mail]

Role Profile Deputy Director - Education and Inclusion

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