About the role

The Church of England Birmingham is seeking to appoint an exceptional Diocesan Director of Education to lead and serve its family of Church schools across one of the most diverse dioceses in the country.

This is a senior and influential role, offered at a time of opportunity and change, following the retirement of the current post holder. It is a calling as much as a post, combining strategic educational leadership with deep commitment to the Church’s mission.

Church of England Birmingham serves a richly diverse urban and rural population across Birmingham, Solihull, Sandwell, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. At the heart of this work are 52 Church of England schools, educating children and young people to flourish academically, socially and spiritually.

Reporting to the Birmingham Diocesan Board of Education, and working closely with the Diocesan Secretary and Bishop, the Diocesan Director of Education will provide vision, leadership and statutory oversight for all aspects of the Diocese’s education work.

You will act as the senior adviser on education, shaping strategy, influencing policy and ensuring the highest standards of governance, compliance and Christian distinctiveness across schools and academies.

This is a pivotal role, requiring confident systems leadership, strong professional credibility and the ability to build trusted relationships with headteachers, governors, clergy, local authorities, academy trusts and national bodies.

As Diocesan Director of Education, you will:

• Champion and safeguard the Christian vision and distinctiveness of Church of England education
• Provide strategic leadership to the Birmingham Diocesan Board of Education
• Lead and develop the diocesan education team
• Shape and influence the MAT landscape across the Diocese
• Support school improvement, especially where need is greatest
• Oversee governance, admissions, appeals and statutory compliance
• Represent the Diocese locally, regionally and nationally
• Ensure effective stewardship of financial and estate resources
• Contribute to the wider diocesan vision of growing churches and flourishing schools

We are seeking a practising Christian with significant senior leadership experience in education, ideally as a headteacher or principal, and a strong understanding of the Church of England’s role in education.

You will bring clarity of vision, warmth of presence and the confidence to lead in complex and changing contexts. You will be values-led, relational and resilient, with the ability to inspire trust and collaboration.

This post carries an Occupational Requirement that the post holder is a practising Christian, in accordance with Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010.

Safeguarding

The Church of England Birmingham is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders are expected to share this commitment. In line with this, the successful postholder’s appointment will be subject to receipt of satisfactory references and an Enhanced DBS Check with Barred List Checks, as well as undertake the relevant Safeguarding Training.