Interim Head of Education Planning / School Organisation
North London - Interim Contract - £600–£700 per day
We are recruiting an experienced senior education planning professional to support a large public-sector organisation in North London.
The immediate focus of this assignment is school organisation, school place planning and stakeholder engagement, with particular emphasis on leading sensitive consultation and change activity across the education estate.
This is not a role requiring deep expertise across every area of the wider education portfolio. The priority is to find someone who can confidently take ownership of complex school organisation work, engage effectively with schools and communities, and operate independently within a politically sensitive environment.
Key responsibilities
- Lead school organisation and school place planning activity
- Plan, manage and deliver public and statutory consultation processes
- Work closely with school leaders, academy trusts, governors, senior officers and other key stakeholders
- Use pupil data, demographic information and forecasting to support place-planning decisions
- Interpret and apply relevant education legislation, statutory guidance and policy
- Lead sensitive change activity where proposals may have a significant impact on schools, families and communities
- Produce clear reports, recommendations, consultation documentation and senior-level briefings
- Navigate complex stakeholder relationships and politically sensitive issues
- Provide senior-level advice and challenge while maintaining constructive relationships
- Work independently, taking ownership of delivery with limited day-to-day supervision
About you
We are particularly interested in candidates with strong experience in:
- School organisation
- School place planning / education sufficiency
- Public or statutory consultation
- Education planning and strategy
- Working with school leaders and senior education stakeholders
- Pupil forecasting and demographic analysis
- Managing politically sensitive education change
- Stakeholder engagement, negotiation and conflict resolution
You may come from a local authority, academy trust, education consultancy or another comparable education environment. Direct local-authority experience is helpful but not essential if you have worked successfully with local authorities, schools and senior education stakeholders.
You do not need to be a specialist in SEND, asset management or every aspect of education finance. An understanding of the wider education landscape is important, but the immediate priority is someone who can lead school organisation and consultation activity effectively from day one.
We are looking for someone who is pragmatic, confident and commercially minded in their approach, someone who can interpret process and statutory requirements without becoming overly process-driven, and who can engage sensitively with stakeholders where proposed changes may generate strong or emotional responses.
The role is based in North London with hybrid working available.
However, the successful candidate must be comfortable travelling to schools, offices and other sites across the area.