At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead operational strategy and drive excellence across multiple academies.
- Company: Join a mission-driven Catholic Trust focused on transforming children's lives.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, full-time role, and the chance to shape educational futures.
- Other info: Opportunity to build a high-performing team and influence positive change.
- Why this job: Be a key player in expanding a growing organisation dedicated to quality education.
- Qualifications: Proven senior leadership experience and a passion for operational excellence.
The predicted salary is between 59576 - 68231 £ per year.
Role overview
- Contract Type: Permanent
- Hours of work: Full-Time
- Salary: EPR 13-22 (£108,202/£134,860) – Starting salary will be determined based on experience and track record
- Location: Liverpool
- Closing date: 9am Monday 22nd June
- Interviews will be held: TBC
About the role
Shape the future of a growing Catholic Trust. St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust is based in the Liverpool City Region with six primary and four secondary academies. As a united family of academies, we are fully aligned around our central mission to transform children’s lives by providing them with a world‑class Catholic education. This is a rare opportunity to join a mission‑driven organisation with an unrelenting pursuit of excellence and a clear trajectory for substantial growth. With the Trust set to expand to include 66 schools and 28,000 children by 2031, the COO will play a critical role in building the infrastructure, systems, and capacity required to support a larger, more complex organisation.
Working closely with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Finance and Strategy Officer (CFSO), you will lead the operational strategy of the Trust—ensuring that all non‑educational functions are aligned, efficient, and fit for scale.
The Role
As COO, you will provide strategic leadership across key operational areas, including estates, HR, IT, governance, compliance, and risk. You will:
- Develop and implement a scalable operating model to support the Trust’s growth plan
- Lead operational due diligence and onboarding of new schools, ensuring seamless integration into the Trust
- Lead on organisational design and infrastructure, ensuring readiness for new schools joining the Trust
- Drive operational excellence, embedding efficient, consistent systems and processes across all academies
- Work in close partnership with the CFO to ensure strong alignment between financial planning and operational delivery
- Oversee estates and capital strategy, supporting both expansion and sustainability
- Strengthen governance, compliance, and risk management frameworks
- Build and lead a high‑performing central services team
- Develop and evolve a high‑performing shared services model, ensuring central functions deliver efficient, consistent, and value‑adding support across all academies
- Lead and embed a culture of operational excellence, driving continuous improvement, standardisation, and high‑quality execution across the Trust
- Ensure that all operational activity is delivered in line with the Trust’s agreed values, behaviours, and culture, role‑modelling and reinforcing these across the organisation
To request an application pack or to arrange a confidential conversation please email dion.mills@edwinpeople.com or call 07860966343.
Who we are looking for
The Candidate
We are seeking a strategic, experienced leader with a strong track record of delivering operational excellence in a complex, multi‑site organisation. You will bring:
- Proven experience in a senior operational leadership role (COO, Director of Operations or equivalent)
- A track record of leading organisations through growth, transformation, or scale‑up
- Exceptional interpersonal skills
- Strong commercial and organisational acumen, with the ability to translate strategy into delivery
- Experience of working alongside finance leadership to drive integrated decision‑making
- The ability to lead diverse functions and build cohesive, high‑performing teams
- A commitment to the values and ethos of Catholic education
Chief Operating Officer employer: Edwin People Limited
St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust is an exceptional employer located in the vibrant Liverpool City Region, dedicated to transforming children's lives through world-class Catholic education. With a strong focus on operational excellence and a commitment to employee growth, the Trust offers a collaborative work culture where strategic leaders can thrive while contributing to a mission-driven organisation poised for significant expansion. Joining our team means being part of a united family of academies that values innovation, integrity, and the continuous improvement of educational outcomes.
