Shape the Future. Lead with Purpose. Inspire Change.
Are you an experienced school leader ready to embrace your next challenge? Do you possess the drive, vision, and expertise to make a rapid, lasting impact across schools, communities, and the lives of young people? We are looking to appoint a Director of Targeted Improvement to join our central senior education team, as well as leading one of our schools as the substantive Headteacher/Executive Headteacher (North West Leicestershire in the first instance), working with us on our mission of improvement, innovation, and excellence.
The Role
This unique opportunity combines the strategic influence of a trust-wide leader with the hands-on responsibility of being the substantive Headteacher/Executive Headteacher for one of our schools. The post is designed for an ambitious individual eager to take on the challenge of leading a school needing rapid improvement, while also leading key improvement initiative across all the schools within the trust.
Being a part of the central senior education team, you will work alongside our other Education Directors supporting our schools to develop the best educational provision they can.
Your Purpose and Impact
• Lead a School to Excellence: Take the helm as Headteacher/Executive Headteacher, setting high standards and fostering a culture where every pupil flourishes.
• Drive School Improvement Across the Trust: Collaborate with the education team to raise pupil outcomes, accelerate school effectiveness, and deliver the very best educational experiences.
• Champion Trust-Wide Initiatives: Lead innovative strategies and targeted projects, working flexibly across diverse schools and contexts to drive improvement where it matters most.
• Quality Assurance: Ensure robust systems are in place to monitor and evaluate the impact of school strategies.
• Lead with Innovation and Research: Embed evidence-based practice in every aspect of school improvement, ensuring strategies are rooted in valid and reliable research.
Your Skills & Experience
You are:
• An exemplary school leader with a proven track record of sustained improvement as a Headteacher/Executive Headteacher.
• Experienced in driving school improvement beyond your own workplace.
• Knowledgeable about the latest educational research and effective classroom practice.
• Committed to safeguarding, diversity & inclusion, and the nurturing of talent.
• Resilient, self-aware, optimistic — and ready to lead through challenge and change.
• Skilled in developing and delivering sustainable improvement strategies alongside supportive materials to ensure they are successful.
Rise MAT
Our vision at Rise is simple. We want to enable all pupils, staff and communities to flourish and succeed. As a MAT with both CofE and community schools this, alongside the CofE’s ‘for the common good of the whole community’ vision, drives our work, regardless of any school’s religious characteristic.
We are a trust committed to getting the best academic outcomes for pupils, while also ensuring they are ready for the world they step into each and every day through our successful approaches to personal development.
Alignment is important to us, and we don’t shy away from that. Teach Like A Champion, Tom Bennett, explicit instruction, rigour, well-structured predictable lessons, a common curriculum – these all form part of our trust DNA and are expected within our schools. We appreciate it is not for everyone, however it is who we are, and we are unapologetic about it!
We are hugely excited for this appointment, and know the postholder has the ability to make a real difference to our pupils and families.
In return we offer:
• The Best of Both Worlds: A unique opportunity to step into a senior trust-wide leadership role with impact across multiple settings, as well as leading a school.
• Collaborative Culture: Join a team passionate about making a difference and helping every child to succeed.
• Professional Development: Access to high-quality CPD, mentoring, networks, and the chance to lead system-wide initiatives.
• Supportive Environment: We have all been successful school leaders, improving schools in crisis and beyond. We know what it is like and how to support you, both professionally and personally.
The change begins with you, and every child’s success is our shared achievement.
Closing Date: 17th September 2025
Interviews: 22nd/23rd September (TBC)
*we reserve the right to interview applicants at any point during the recruitment process
While the start date is advertised as January, we would extend this to April for the right candidate.
This role includes travelling to different sites. Candidates must have a full UK driving license and access to a vehicle for travel.
To speak to the CEO/Deputy CEO (Education) for more information, download the candidate pack for our contact details.