North Northamptonshire Council is looking for a dynamic and visionary senior leader to shape the future of education for children aged 0‑16. As Head of Educational Effectiveness, you’ll drive strategic school improvement, champion inclusive education, and collaborate across services to ensure every child thrives. This is a unique opportunity to influence the future of education across our locality, working in partnership with schools, early years settings, and multi‑agency teams. We are looking for a credible and experienced education leader who can bring strategic insight and a commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people.

What will you be doing?

• Lead a high‑impact team across Early Years, School Effectiveness, Governance & Safeguarding
• Influence policy and practice locally, regionally, and nationally
• Deliver our Education Improvement Framework 2025‑2028
• Work in partnership with schools, settings, and multi‑agency teams, Respectful

Our Key Commitments

Our key commitments help ensure that the priorities we make, now and in the future, maintain the necessary breadth of focus in those areas that we believe matter most.

We are proud to be a recognised Disability Confident Employer and are committed to providing an inclusive recruitment process and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. North Northamptonshire Council re‑signed the Armed Forces Covenant in June 2024 which highlights the Council’s pledge to support the Armed Forces community. The council obtained the silver status award for the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) and we are currently working towards achieving Gold status.

Qualifications

• Be educated to degree level or equivalent qualification e.g. NVQ 4, HNC and have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
• Have significant professional and/or management experience of a strategic operation/service.
• Have experience of credible and relevant education senior leadership sufficient to secure the confidence of school leaders and other system leaders locally and regionally.
• Have a comprehensive understanding of the activities and objectives of the Council, both current and future with a good understanding of the political context at regional and local level and working with Elected Members in a constructive and sensitive way.
• Will have the ability to successfully influence key decision makers at senior levels, both internal and external to the council.

Benefits

• We provide a range of great benefits such as an Employee Assistance Programme, an Employee Benefits Scheme, wellbeing support, travel rates at HMRC rates, as well as supporting a range of active Employee Network Groups.
• A competitive salary
• A pension scheme, where we pay a significant contribution on top of your contribution. It provides life cover and ill‑health protection.
• Lots of opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and potential in a large unitary council.
• Generous leave entitlement (28 days, rising to 33 days) and bank holidays, plus the option to buy up to an extra 10 days.
• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements, where practicable for service needs to help you with a healthy work‑life balance.

Why choose us?

You’ll find that we have a wide range of careers that may be more surprising than you think!

Here at North Northamptonshire Council, we’re transforming for the better, using all our creativity and imagination to create the best life for our local people.