Performance Adviser, Permanent in Preston

This is a Gloucestershire County Council job.

Job Location: Shire Hall, Block 3, 3rd Floor

Salary: 63,132 - 68,342 per annum

Hours per Week: 37.00

Contract Type: Permanent

Closing Date: 24/05/2026

This post is open to job share.

If you are passionate about securing high-quality education for every child and young person and thrive on supporting schools to improve through evidence, professional challenge and strong relationships, then this could be the role for you.

We are looking for an experienced and highly skilled education professional to join Gloucestershire County Council as a Performance Adviser within our Education Outcomes and Intervention Team. Our team leads the local authority's statutory school improvement functions and provides a traded offer through Gloucestershire School Improvement (GLOSSI).

You will play a key role in identifying risk early, supporting strategic school improvement, and ensuring that all children and young people in Gloucestershire can access ambitious, inclusive and high-quality education. Working alongside Education Leads, the Head of Service, school leaders, governors, multi-academy trusts and external partners, you will provide both support and challenge to secure rapid improvement where it is needed most. This is a varied and influential role with system-wide impact.

You will be an experienced senior education leader with a proven track record of improving outcomes and leading sustainable school improvement across diverse contexts. You will bring strong analytical ability, enabling you to interpret complex data and intelligence to identify schools at risk and advise on next steps.

You will have excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to challenge underperformance while providing constructive support. You will be skilled in supporting accurate self-evaluation, strategic planning and leadership development. A teaching qualification and substantial, recent senior leadership experience are essential, along with a commitment to inclusion and improving life chances for all learners.

At Gloucestershire County Council, we are committed to being an employer of choice. We promote flexible working arrangements where possible and strive to provide a supportive culture where colleagues can thrive and continue to develop professionally.

Joining us means access to a range of benefits, including:

• Flexible and agile working opportunities
• 25.5 days annual leave, rising to 30.5 days after 5 years service
• The option to purchase up to 10 days of additional leave per year
• Family-friendly employer policies
• Career development and qualification opportunities
• A positive and supportive working environment with regular, robust supervision
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) membership
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for confidential advice 24/7
• Occupational Health support
• Employee discount scheme and Cycle to Work scheme

If you feel you have the experience, skills and motivation to make a positive difference to school improvement across Gloucestershire, we would be delighted to receive your application.

To support shortlisting, applicants are asked to provide a clear evidence trail. Please ensure your application demonstrates not only what you have done, but the impact your actions have had on pupils, staff, and school improvement. Compelling applications clearly articulate the difference your leadership has made.

Please submit your application and supporting statement by clicking the Apply Now button. Please note that previous applicants need not apply.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact.

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by email and invited to interview during the week commencing 8th June 2026.

Internal secondments/part-time working would be considered.

This Position is subject to a DBS check. The council is not currently able to offer sponsorship in this role. Candidates will need to have right to work that enables them to commit to at least 6 months employment. Right to work is not transferable from a sponsored role held with another employer.

Gloucestershire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people or vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We want to be an employer of choice, attracting and retaining excellent people to work for us, so that we can best serve all of Gloucestershire's diverse communities. Our promise to you is that we will provide an inclusive and supportive working environment that enables you to bring your whole self to work and realise your full potential.

It is a legal requirement, under the Immigration Act 2016, that anyone appointed to a customer-facing role must be able to demonstrate an ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in fluent English.

Hybrid working arrangements are available for the majority of our roles, giving teams the opportunity to work in a way that suits them, balancing service need and individual choice, with a mix of both remote and office working.