We are seeking an exceptional Chief Operating Officer (COO) to join our growing children’s SEND organisation and play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering the next phase of our development.
We currently operate two 80-place specialist SEND schools in the North West of England, providing high-quality specialist education for children and young people with additional needs. We have ambitious plans to grow our portfolio through the development of new schools, expansion of existing provision and strategic acquisitions.
This is a senior executive leadership position for an ambitious, commercially astute and values-driven operator who can combine exceptional quality of provision with operational excellence, strong financial performance and sustainable growth.
Our ambition is clear: to deliver outstanding outcomes and experiences for children and young people with SEND, while building a high-performing organisation with the leadership, infrastructure and operational capability to grow successfully into new schools and services.
Location: North West England, with travel across our schools and future locations
Package: Excellent executive remuneration package, commensurate with experience
Key Responsibilities
Operational Leadership
- Lead the effective day-to-day running of our schools and services.
- Build high-performing operational teams and strong leadership structures.
- Drive consistency, accountability and operational excellence across the organisation.
- Ensure robust systems, processes and performance management are embedded.
- Monitor operational KPIs, budgets, staffing and performance.
Quality & Safeguarding
- Maintain an uncompromising focus on the quality of education, care and support provided to children and young people.
- Ensure outstanding safeguarding, compliance and regulatory standards.
- Drive continuous improvement across all settings.
- Develop a culture where quality, outcomes and the wellbeing of children are at the heart of every decision.
- Work with school and service leaders to ensure excellent outcomes for pupils.
Commercial Growth
- Develop and deliver the organisation's operational and commercial growth strategy.
- Identify opportunities for new schools, acquisitions, partnerships and new services.
- Support the development and opening of new schools and provisions.
- Build strong relationships with commissioners, local authorities, partners and other stakeholders.
- Ensure new opportunities are commercially viable and operationally deliverable.
- Help scale the organisation while maintaining its culture and quality.
Expansion & Transformation
- Lead the operational integration of new schools, services or acquisitions.
- Develop scalable infrastructure, systems and processes to support growth.
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, utilisation and financial performance.
- Turn strategic plans into measurable operational results.
About You
We are looking for someone who is more than an operational leader.
You will be a commercially astute COO who understands that, in SEND, sustainable growth depends on getting the fundamentals right: quality, safeguarding, people, outcomes and operational discipline.
You will ideally bring:
- Significant senior operational leadership experience within SEND, education, children's services, care or a closely related sector.
- Experience running multiple sites, schools or services.
- A strong understanding of quality, safeguarding and regulatory requirements.
- Proven commercial and business development capability.
- Experience delivering growth, expansion, acquisitions or new site openings.
- Strong financial and budget management skills.
- The ability to build, lead and develop high-performing teams.
- Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills.
- A strategic mindset combined with the ability to get into the detail and make things happen.
Most importantly, you will be ambitious for children and young people, commercially confident and passionate about building an organisation that can grow without compromising the quality of its provision.
The Opportunity
This is a rare opportunity to join an organisation with significant potential for growth and help shape its future at a senior leadership level.
You will have the opportunity to:
Lead a growing organisation.
Improve the lives of children and young people.
Build exceptional teams.
Open and develop new schools.
Drive commercial growth.
Shape the next stage of the business.
If you are an ambitious COO who wants to combine purpose, operational leadership and commercial growth, we would love to hear from you.
This is an opportunity to make a significant difference — both to the children we support and to the future of the organisation.
Pay: £70,000.00-£80,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Application question(s):
- Private SEN school experience ?
Work Location: In person
