Director of Education - County Buildings, Ayr - SOA11507

Location: Council Headquarters Wellington Square Ayr Ayrshire, KA7 1DR

Salary: £129,834 per year

Contract Type: Permanent

Position Type: Full Time

Hours: 35 hours per week

JOB DESCRIPTION

Are you ready to shape the future and lead the way for South Ayrshire’s next generation?

The Director of Education plays a pivotal role in leading the strategic delivery of educational priorities across South Ayrshire. This leadership is focused on inspiring learners, supporting children and young people, transforming learning experiences, and strengthening collaborative partnerships.

South Ayrshire is home to approximately 15,000 children and young people across a diverse range of educational settings, including early years centres, specialist schools and bases, as well as primary and secondary schools.

South Ayrshire reflects the inclusive ethos of a comprehensive school, serving children and young people who are evenly distributed across all Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation deciles. Our defining mission is to close the attainment gap while ensuring that every learner is stretched, challenged, and supported to achieve their full potential.

Our head teachers work in close partnership with a small but dedicated central team to advance this mission. We have been working collaboratively to explore What makes a school a learning organisation, with a shared focus on delivering consistently high-quality learning, teaching and assessment for every learner, in every setting.

South Ayrshire educational landscape comprises 8 secondary schools that collaborate effectively – particularly in delivering senior phase consortium arrangements in partnership with the South-West Educational Improvement Collaborative.

The region’s 40 primary schools vary significantly in size, with enrolments ranging from fewer than 20 pupils to over 400. Several smaller rural schools operate under shared headship arrangements to ensure strong leadership across communities.

In addition to two dedicated special schools, mainstream schools host a number of specialist bases to provide tailored support. At the early years level, substantial investment in infrastructure continues to support the delivery of the 1140 hours entitlement, ensuring the flexibility parents and carers require. Alongside school-based early years classes, South Ayrshire operates four standalone early years centres and works with a number of funded providers to meet demand.

South Ayrshire’s exceptional school leaver destination rates are a direct result of strong collaborative relationships between education services, the Council’s Employability and Skills team, Skills Development Scotland and Ayrshire College.

Empowerment, collaborative partnership, and mutual respect between the central education team and schools are fundamental to South Ayrshire’s ongoing progress and success. These values underpin a shared commitment to delivering excellence in education across the authority.

The Director of Education will provide strategic leadership for South Ayrshire’s educations service, working in close collaboration with the central team and head teachers. This role also involve fostering continued on next page 13 South Ayrshire Council strong relationships with elected members and the corporate leadership team to ensure alignment with wider Council priorities.

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RESPONSIBILITIES
Please click on the Job Attachments to access the Candidate Pack and Job Description.

ABOUT US

South Ayrshire is at the heart of historic Ayrshire, with a wealth of local heritage and culture, first class leisure amenities, world-wide travel links, diverse landscapes and thriving communities.

Making a difference for our communities is at the heart of what we do and working with us means, you can use your skills, knowledge and experience to help us do just that. We currently employ around 6000 people to serve a population of more than 112,450 people located across a diverse area that includes the towns of Ayr, Girvan, Maybole, Prestwick and Troon as well as small rural villages, coastline and farmland.

We are an ambitious Council, and we aim to place people at the centre of everything we do as we look to deliver the best possible outcomes. We are ambitious for our communities too and our new Council Plan is based on priorities and outcomes that we believe will have the greatest impact on the wellbeing of our communities, our local economy, and our environment.

BENEFITS

Here’s what we can offer!

• Generous annual leave entitlement and enhanced leave scheme (purchase of up to 2 weeks’ holidays)
• Wellbeing initiatives and Occupational Health services
• A healthy environment supportive of work-life balance and caring responsibilities
• Car leasing scheme
• Discounts on major supermarkets and retailers, cinemas and gym memberships (including Council leisure facilities)
• Purchase of white goods and more via salary sacrifice
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Scotwest Credit Union

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

You should be educated to degree level or equivalent appropriate professional qualification, hold full registration with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) and have evidence of continuing professional development.

Assessment Centre for this post is scheduled for 01 October 2025 followed by interviews on 02 October 2025.

The grade of this post is Chief Official 44.

Under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, this post is politically restricted.

The work style for this post is Office worker.

Office Workers

The successful candidate will work from a designated office location.

For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact Cleland Sneddon, Chief Executive on 01292 612002.

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