The Brief
Future Leadership™ partnered with a prominent advocacy organisation representing independent schools to appoint a new Head of Education and School Operations following a strategic review of its leadership structure.
The organisation sought an exceptionally knowledgeable leader with decades of experience in education and school management. This role was critical to supporting member schools by driving educational excellence, strengthening operational frameworks, and ensuring best-practice standards across the sector. The successful candidate would play a pivotal role in shaping policy, guiding school operations, and fostering collaboration among independent schools to address emerging challenges and opportunities.
The Process
Future Leadership™, led by Liam King, delivered a bespoke executive search strategy designed to attract and assess exceptional talent for this critical role:
- Comprehensive Briefing: Partnered with the Selection Committee to define the role’s scope, strategic priorities, operational challenges, and the attributes of an ideal candidate.
- Search Strategy Development: Utilised deep networks within the education sector and advocacy landscape to identify leaders with extensive experience and proven impact.
- Candidate Engagement and Evaluation: Executed a targeted outreach and advertising campaign, managed a strong pool of applications, and conducted psychometric assessments aligned with the Future Leadership™ Capability Framework.
- Structured Selection Process: Facilitated multiple rounds of panel interviews and completed rigorous 360-degree reference checks, probity, and qualifications verification.
This thorough and collaborative process ensured the organisation had access to a shortlist of highly accomplished candidates, culminating in the appointment of a leader with decades of experience and unmatched expertise in education and school operations.
The Outcome
An outstanding leader with decades of experience in education leadership, operational strategy, and sector advocacy was appointed as Head of Education and School Operations, commencing in July 2024.
The appointee brings a proven track record of driving educational excellence and implementing robust operational frameworks across diverse school environments. Their deep understanding of governance, curriculum development, and organisational leadership positions the advocacy body to deliver enhanced support and guidance to its member schools.
The Board unanimously endorsed the appointment, citing the candidate’s exceptional depth of experience, strategic vision, and strong alignment with the organisation’s mission to champion independent schools. This appointment marks a significant step toward strengthening sector-wide collaboration and ensuring best-practice standards in education and operations.
