Tallented is working with a 4 sized MAT in the Midlands.

This growing Trust is at a critical juncture in its operational maturity. We are seeking a highly strategic, systems-oriented Chief Operations Officer to build an infrastructure capable of sustaining excellence and facilitating future expansion. Operating across four academies in the Midlands, the Trust requires a leader whose primary focus will be the rigorous implementation of comprehensive risk management protocols and the seamless integration of currently disparate centralized services.

As the strategic lead for risk, you will implement a sophisticated, Trust-wide risk management framework that moves the organization from a reactive posture to a proactive one. This is not simply about health and safety compliance; it encompasses the holistic identification, assessment, and mitigation of operational, financial, reputational, and cyber risks across all four sites. You will develop comprehensive risk registers, establish clear reporting lines to the Audit and Risk Committee, and embed a culture of risk awareness among all senior leaders, ensuring the Trust is resilient in the face of an unpredictable educational landscape.

Simultaneously, you will act as the chief architect of the Trust’s operational backbone through Centralized Services Integration. Currently, functions such as IT, Estates, Health & Safety, and elements of HR are handled inconsistently at the local school level. Your mandate is to consolidate these functions into a single, high-performing central team. This requires exceptional change management skills, as you will need to articulate the benefits of centralization—efficiency, cost savings, and enhanced support—to Headteachers who may be accustomed to total local autonomy. You will design the Target Operating Model (TOM), standardize service level agreements (SLAs), and ensure that the central team operates as an indispensable asset to the educational frontline.

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