Chief Executive Officer

Role: Chief Executive Officer 

Location: Coventry  

Salary: £125,000 - £140,000 

Start Date: September 2026 or January 2027 

We are seeking an exceptional Chief Executive Officer who will shape the next phase of our Trust’s journey, strengthening our culture of belonging, driving standards, and ensuring long term school and Trust sustainability. Working alongside the Trust Board to build and develop our vision of “Growing Confident Learners by Leading Learning and Excelling Together”, the new CEO will provide the strategic vision, ambition and operational clarity to take Castle Phoenix forward. 

About Castle Phoenix Trust 

Castle Phoenix Trust is a values driven organisation with a strong belief that “together we are stronger”. We empower each school to maintain its uniqueness whilst each benefits from shared alignment, leadership development and strong systems and structures across the Trust.  

Our current strategic priorities focus on: 

1. Creating a Culture of Belonging 

Through effective leadership, inclusive classrooms and high expectations to improve pupil outcomes and staff engagement.  

2. Growth and Expansion 

Strengthening and scaling central services, onboarding new schools, and refining systems to support Trust wide excellence.   

3. Financial Sustainability 

Embedding Integrated Curriculum Financial Planning (ICFP), strengthening financial systems, forecasting, and ensuring all schools set and maintain balanced budgets.  

You will lead a Trust with a clear mission and a well developed improvement model built on collaboration, leadership development, shared systems and high quality learning and teaching.   

The Role 

As CEO, you will be the strategic leader of the Trust, shaping culture, driving improvement, developing people, and ensuring that every child feels seen, heard, valued and able to thrive. This includes: 

• Leading the Trust’s strategic development and delivering the ambitions and KPIs set out in our three-year strategic plans.  
• Ensuring all schools, particularly those in challenging circumstances, improve outcomes, attendance and inclusion, with a focus on vulnerable learners.  
• Strengthening Central Services and ensuring they are efficient, effective and have high impact.  
• Driving the Trust’s growth and expansion strategy, including due diligence, onboarding and succession planning.   
• Securing the Trust’s long term financial resilience through strong financial management, ICFP implementation and robust oversight.  
• Championing our culture of belonging and continuing to refine leadership capacity across all schools.  

Essential Requirements 

The successful candidate will be an exceptional, values-driven leader who can demonstrate: 

Experience 

• Senior Trust-level leadership.
• Education sector experience is desirable with a track record of improving standards in at least one school. 
• Experience working in challenging circumstances, securing rapid and sustainable improvement. 
• Experience of leading change and implementing organisation wide systems aligned to a strategic plan. 
• Demonstrable impact on standards, inclusion, safeguarding and outcomes. 

Skills & Knowledge 

• Strong understanding of data, performance measures, and using analytics to drive improvement, reflecting the Trust’s focus on data dashboards and performance KPIs.  
• Desirable to have a comprehensive understanding of inclusion, SEND, and strategies to improve engagement.  
• High level financial acumen, including Integrated Curriculum Financial Planning, budget setting, forecasting and risk management.  
• Ability to lead and inspire a culture of belonging, collaboration, and high expectations across diverse contexts. 

Personal Qualities 

• Strategic thinker with strong moral purpose, integrity and resilience. 
• Ability to build strong relationships with key stakeholders; Headteachers, Trustees, communities and external partners. 
• Commitment to developing people, talent pathways and leadership capacity.  

What We Offer 

• A Trust with strong values, a clear vision and a collaborative culture. 
• Committed trustees, engaged leaders and a growing family of schools. 
• A culture that values professional growth, innovation and excellence. 
• The opportunity to shape a Trust that is expanding its reach and impact. 
• Highly skilled central services and a strong platform for sustainable growth. 
• Pension contribution
• Free parking
• Employee discount scheme
• Laptop/iPad
• Access to on site gym/swimming pool
• Access to leadership development
• Wellbeing day
• Annual whole staff conference
• Employee assistance programme
• Access to a fully funded Health Care Cash Plan
• A committed team of staff across our central office and schools  

Application process 

Alongside the completion of an application form, you should also submit a statement in support of your application. 

Please note that only applications completed using the full application form will be accepted. We do not accept CVs.

Interviews will be offered to those applicants who best demonstrate how their skills, abilities and experience match the person specification, taking the job description into consideration.

Closing date for applications: 26 March 2026 at 3.30pm

Shortlisting: 27 March 2026 

Candidates to be notified of interviews: 08 April 2026

Interviews to take place: 20 and 22 April 2026 

If you have any questions relating to any aspect of the appointment process, require additional information or would like to arrange an informal discussion with our Chair of Trustees, please contact Karen Steele, Head of Central Operations (details on the application pack download)

 Vacancy Closing Date: 26 March 2026

Safer Recruitment Statement

This post is exempt under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Appointment will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2025, an online search may also be carried out as part of our safer recruitment processes.

Castle Phoenix Trust is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We uphold a culture of vigilance and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Equal Opportunities Statement

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

References Requirement

All appointments are subject to receipt of two satisfactory references, including one from the applicant’s current or most recent employer. References will be requested prior to interview where possible.

Right to Work

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. Evidence of this will be required at the interview stage.

Training & Safeguarding Expectations

All staff are expected to engage fully with ongoing safeguarding and professional development requirements, including mandatory training.

Data Protection

Personal data provided during the recruitment process will be processed in accordance with our Trust’s Data Protection Policy.

Staff are accountable for the way in which they exercise authority, manage risk, use resources and protect students, who they are responsible for or in contact with, from discrimination and avoidable harm. All staff, where paid or voluntary, have a duty to keep young people safe and to protect them from harm. When an individual accepts a role that involves working with children and young people they need to understand acknowledge that the responsibilities and trust are inherent to that role. There will be a requirement that staff observe their obligations in accordance with the Trust’s safeguarding procedure and report any concerns in accordance with the procedure to the appropriate person. Please note, an online search may form part of this recruitment process following recommendations from Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2025.