Wellspring supports a vibrant, successful and inclusive community of Academies. We are in the process of building five new Special Free Schools by 2025 and are re-building and expanding three of our existing settings. We are in advanced dialogue with like minded Schools exploring how a community such as Wellspring might aid their strategic development. Thus growth, adaptation and complexity are our lived reality.

The role of the Head of Estates is designed to provide support and assurance to the Academies within our community.

Reporting to the Director of Operations, our Head of Estates will lead and manage the Estates function ensuring safety and sustainability are at the core of what we do. As a key part of the Operations Team, the Head of Estates will embed a consistent approach, streamlining processes and creating a one wellspring culture across all academies, whilst contributing to discrete whole-Trust agendas.

The Director of Operations is responsible for many aspects of the effective operation of the Academy Trust, ensuring its activities and support services are properly aligned to provide stewardship, support and security to Wellspring’s diverse, high performing and autonomous Academies.

The focus of this role will be to work in close partnership with members of the Trust Operations Team, Academy Leaders and our regional support colleagues to deliver a range of operational and strategic initiatives. Effective communications and relationships will be at the heart of this role, as will be a deep connection with our support hubs.

These hubs are our support ‘team around the Academy’, a cross-functional team of technical professionals providing support services to Academy clusters. Their purpose is simple but vital... enable our Academies to make a difference through effective and culturally aligned professional advice, guidance and support.

We are seeking an experienced leader who can support and influence colleagues, lead change and achieve results.

Their approach will be engaging, persuasive, considerate and agile. They will take key stakeholders along with them, ensuring transformational change and strategic alignment.

The ability to analyse, refine and communicate information and its context to senior leaders is an important facet of this role, as is the ability to actively form and nurture relationships – internally and externally – understanding the importance of active and transparent engagement.

This role will require a results focused and collaborative systems-thinker. They will have a track record of successfully delivering substantial projects, a breadth of experience across a number of operational areas and an affinity with the Trust’s ethos, values and objectives.

Wellspring Academy Trust recognises that it has a statutory and moral duty towards safeguarding the welfare of children, young people and, if appropriate, vulnerable adults who participate in any Trust activities and expects all staff to share this commitment. An Enhanced DBS is required for this post.

If you are currently living overseas or have lived / worked overseas in the last five years please be aware that your will be required to provide an overseas criminal records check from the country / countries you have resided in, if you are the preferred candidate for the post.