Please note this is a Trust role, and not solely for de Stafford School.
Ready to make a difference at scale? Step into a role where your leadership will shape secondary education for GLF.
Your Opportunity
As Director of Secondary you will shape a coherent and ambitious strategy for all secondary schools in GLF, prioritising the development of our headteachers and their staff ensuring that each of our individual school community's flourish. You will motivate and equip school leaders to raise standards consistently and pursue excellence in every aspect of school performance.
Your role is to shape education strategy and provide line management to the 8 secondaries in GLF - developing leaders and talent at all levels, strengthening school performance, fostering collaboration, and ensuring our values of Respect, Inclusivity, Integrity and Kindness are lived every day. Through close collaboration and partnership with Trust colleagues, including the primary REDs, Directors of inclusion and curriculum, you will help translate Trust strategy into delivery.
If you are ready to scale your leadership impact and make a lasting difference in the communities we serve, this is your moment.
What we are looking for
We need an experienced secondary leader who has experience of leading across multiple schools, either as a regional director, director of phase or equivalent scale. The successful candidate will have a strong track record of developing strategy and be ready to scale their systems leadership. Core to the role is developing others, improving teaching, building collaborative communities of practice and raising standards to deliver improvement at scale.
We need someone who will:
- Shape the deliver the secondary education strategy for the secondary phase
- Build leadership and staff capacity, nurturing Headteachers and fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement
- Use data and evidence intelligently to constructively challenge, securing consistently high‑quality outcomes for every pupil
- Champion the classroom, ensuring high quality teaching is at the heart of all our schools
- Line‑manage Headteachers, offering coaching, mentoring underpinned by high expectations
- Work closely with operational and central teams to ensure schools are well‑run, efficient and able to focus on delivering great education
- Champion inclusion and equity, ensuring every school is a centre of excellence at the heart of its community
Contribute to Trust‑wide strategy, taking ownership of a designated portfolio area and applying contemporary evidence and best practice for cross phase working
This role requires a highly motivated, self‑driven senior leader who can communicate with clarity, build trust, and inspire others to achieve ambitious goals for children.
Join Our Community
As a part of GLF Schools, you will join a community of staff dedicated to transforming education. With regular progression discussions, there will be a wealth of opportunities for you to grow your career, whether in one of our 43 academies or in our central team.
- A growing Multi Academy Trust with over 2,000 colleagues and over 17,000 pupils
- Founded upon the values of Respect, Inclusivity, Integrity and Kindness
- 43 primary and secondary schools across 7 Local Authority areas across the south of England
- We work as a community whilst ensuring each school maintains its own unique identity
- Committed to ensuring all children and young people receive the best possible education
Our Employment Offer
GLF Schools has a generous employment offer, which allows all our colleagues to Grow, Learn and Flourish
- Access to our highly competitive pension scheme (LGPS)
- Generous holiday allowance
- Work life and family friendly policies
- Employee wellbeing initiatives
- Access to a staff benefits portal
- Community and collaboration working model
The Details
Salary: Up to £140,000 (dependent on experience)
Location: One of the central office locations in GLF, or nearest secondary school
Contract: Permanent. Please note this is an Associate contract, and not Teaching Terms and Conditions
Start Date: September 2026
Closing date for applications: Monday 27th April at 9am
Interview Date: Wednesday 6th May & Friday 8th May 2026
Should you wish to arrange a telephone call with our Chief Education Officer, please contact Recruitment Partner Laura Rice using the details provided in the job description.
GLF Schools is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Employment is subject to a satisfactory enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
As a Trust, we are happy to discuss flexible working opportunities. GLF Schools recognises and celebrates the diversity of its schools and their communities. There is a shared commitment across the Trust to develop further a culture of respect, where discrimination is not tolerated, and individuals are treated equitably and fairly and feel a sense of belonging. We strive for an inclusive environment where staff, children and students are comfortable to express their own identity, should they wish, in which diversity and inclusion is of mutual benefit for everyone in our schools. We particularly welcome applicants from under-represented groups including those based on ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.
We reserve the right to withdraw this vacancy at any time ahead of the closing date if there is a good level of response. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application as early as possible.
We also reserve the right to interview shortlisted candidates ahead of the closing date.
Please be advised that references may be requested on receipt of your application. Please state if you wish this to be delayed until shortlisting/interviews have taken place.