Overview

Are you ready to shape the future of education through exceptional recruitment? Creative Education Trust is seeking a dynamic and strategic Head of Recruitment to lead talent acquisition across our network of schools. If you're passionate about building strong employer brands, driving innovative recruitment strategies, and making a real impact on staff quality and student outcomes - this is your opportunity to lead with purpose.

Job Title: Head of Recruitment

Location: Home-based with regular travel to our Head Office and Schools within the trust

Salary: Dependent upon experience

Start Date: ASAP

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: Full Time

Application Closing Date: Wednesday 12th November 2025

Interview Date: Friday 21st November 2025 at our London Head Office

About You

As Head of Recruitment at Creative Education Trust, you’ll lead the charge in attracting, selecting, and onboarding exceptional talent across our network of schools and Head Office. You’ll be a strategic thinker and hands-on leader, passionate about building a strong employer brand and delivering a seamless candidate experience. Our ideal candidate will:

• Be a confident and proactive recruitment expert with a proven track record of managing end-to-end campaigns, including for senior leadership and executive roles.
• Demonstrate creativity and precision in developing attraction strategies, marketing materials, and outreach initiatives that engage high-quality candidates.
• Inspire trust and collaboration across school leaders, HR teams, and external partners, acting as a true ambassador for the Trust.
• Be highly organised, resilient, and driven to continuously improve recruitment processes and promote diversity in candidate pipelines.
• Be comfortable working remotely with regular travel to schools and Head Office, and thrive in a fast-paced, multi-site environment.

The HR Department

The HR Team at Creative Education Trust provides professional, pragmatic, and solutions-focused support to our schools on all people-related matters. It is responsible for delivering our People Strategy, which helps make each of our academies a great place to work and Creative Education Trust an employer of choice for both teaching and non-teaching professionals.

Our experienced HR team partners with Principals and Head Teachers to create the right environment to attract, engage, and retain a high-performing workforce - ultimately supporting excellent educational outcomes for our students. The team covers the entire employee lifecycle, including recruitment, employee relations, pay and recognition, diversity and equality of opportunity, and wellbeing.

Within the HR team sits our dedicated Recruitment Team, led by the Head of Recruitment, and supported by a Recruitment Manager and two Talent Acquisition Coordinators. Together, they drive strategic and operational recruitment activity across the Trust, ensuring we attract top talent and deliver an outstanding candidate experience.

About Creative Education Trust

Creative Education Trust is a growing network of 17 schools, educating over 13,500 children and young people across England. Since 2010, we’ve worked in partnership with communities to deliver an education that inspires ambition, promotes equity, and unlocks opportunity for every learner.

We believe every child has talent, every community has strength, and every school can be a place where excellence thrives. Our curriculum is rich, broad, and inclusive - designed to build knowledge, nurture creativity, and prepare students for the future.

We are united by a shared purpose: to transform lives through education. Our schools are places where students feel safe, supported, and empowered to lead their own lives with confidence. Through collaboration, high expectations, and purposeful leadership, we ensure that success is both expected and achieved - together. Visit our Trust website to explore how we support our staff and discover more about our mission, values, and opportunities.

Ready to Join Us?

Submit your application directly through our website. We warmly welcome visits to our school, and if you'd like to arrange a visit or confidential conversation with the Line Manager, our friendly HR/Recruitment team is here to help. Reach out to our Recruitment Manager katy.youngman@creativeeducationtrust.org.uk, and we'll be delighted to assist you.

Essential Information

Creative Education Trust (CET) is committed to Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children and young people by keeping them safe, we expect all our colleagues to share in this responsibility.

All shortlisted candidates are subject to online checks prior to interview.

The CET Recruitment Policy follows the guidance set out by Keeping Children Safe in Education, where all offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS Check, separate Barred List Check, References and where appropriate a Prohibition from teaching search.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974.

CET is committed to developing, maintaining, and supporting an inclusive culture and environment for the benefit of its employees and the communities it serves.