Regional Director for North West

The Regional Director for North West, one of nine Regional Directors, will lead DfE delivery across the region. Leading a team of circa 88 colleagues, they will improve outcomes for children, families and learners across schools, SEND and children’s social care by:

Key responsibilities include:

• School improvement and intervention - Driving the new regional school improvement model and ensuring targeted RISE support and intervention reach schools where standards are weak.
• Schools and trust system - Leading decisions on academy trust growth, academy transfers and rebrokering, voluntary academy conversions and significant changes to academies. The Regional Director will also oversee trust performance and compliance with the Academies Trust Handbook.
• SEND and children’s social care - Leading improvement and intervention activity, including SEND inspection follow-up, area partnership improvement plans, SEND reform and the implementation of Families First Partnerships.
• Policy and ministerial support - Strengthening the connection between national policy and local delivery by providing advice, briefings and recommendations to ministers. This includes escalating sensitive or high-profile matters and ensuring advice reflects regional evidence and realities.
• Stakeholder relationships - Building effective relationships with local authorities, academy trusts, dioceses and strategic partners to improve outcomes through influence rather than direct control. This includes working with local authorities on pupil place planning.
• National leadership - Leading an assigned national cross-cutting responsibility within Regions Group, supporting consistent delivery across regions and helping shape policy that reflects local needs and regional variation.

Within their region, the Regional Director will lead the North West team to deliver on the vision set out in Government policy, aligned to Regions Group strategic priorities and informed by local context:

• Providing local leadership where appropriate for programmes and activities in support of the Government’s Opportunity Mission
• Leading the new regional approach to school improvement ensure schools that most need it receive targeted intervention to deliver high and rising standards
• Work in partnership with local authorities, academy trusts, and dioceses to identify and respond to local and thematic school improvement priorities and to work with the school's sector to promote knowledge of and access to wider school improvement support.
• Leading intervention in schools where needed, generating rapid improvement by brokering strong support.
• Leading improvement and intervention in children’s social care functions in local authorities, working in partnership with the sector to identify solutions to deliver rapid improvement
• Leading follow up to area wide SEND inspections, ensuring effective challenge and support in partnership with the sector to enable areas of weakness to be remedied quickly
• Taking decisions relating to our oversight of the academy trust system, including those linked to: trust growth, academy transfer, voluntary academy conversions and significant changes to academies; underperformance and compliance with the Academies Trust Handbook; and shaping school system provision
• Working with local authorities to ensure every local area has sufficient places for pupils
• Working effectively with Ministers: providing advice, briefing and support
• Leading on a cross-cutting priority area on behalf of Regions Group
• Leading a strong inclusive and effective culture of delivery, effective line management and people development and wellbeing across a diverse team

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Strengths and Experience.

Candidate Information Session

On the 30th September at 1pm we shall be holding a MS Teams virtual candidate information session, where you can meet the Director General for Regions Group and learn more about the role and can ask questions about the role and the department. You will be able to join the session and ask questions which can be anonymous.

If you would like to attend, then please email SCS.recruitment@education.gov.uk and a MS Teams link to join will be sent to you.

Application

To apply for this role, you need to complete an online application via the Civil Service Jobs portal. Applications will be accepted until 23:55 12th October 2026.

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years
• A Statement of Suitability (no longer than 2 sides or 1,000 words) detailing ‘why should we consider you for this role’ (up to 500 words) with focus on the first essential criteria outlined in slide 9 around Leadership and why you have chosen the Department for Education (up to 500 words). You can choose to outline any further information you believe is relevant for the role or further demonstrates your suitability.

Failure to submit both documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.

Please note the CS Jobs system at the point of application states ‘’not to insert information that will identify you’’. As this is a Senior Civil Servant appointment and so that we can understand your experience for this role please provide this information in the CV and Supporting Statement specifying your employment history.

If you are unable to apply online, please contact scs.recruitment@education.gov.uk in the first instance. Please visit our career site for further information on the Civil Service application process.

Please note the following:

• we cannot accept applications submitted after the closing date;
• applications will be assessed solely on the documentation provided;
• please refer to the advert and checklist above to ensure you have provided everything requested;
• applications will be acknowledged upon receipt;
• feedback will only be given to candidates unsuccessful following interview

Selection Process

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to:

I.A virtual partnership engagement conversation with Tim Coulson and a small number of stakeholders from across the Education and Care system, including a Director of Children's Services and an Academy Trust leader, on the 22nd October. A report will be shared with the interview panel.

II.Take part in a virtual Staff Engagement Panel (which typically takes up to 1 hour to complete), to be held on week commencing 19th October. A report will be shared with the interview panel.

III.A formal panel interview on the 3rd November in person in the DfE Manchester office. Candidates will be asked to prepare a presentation for the interview (further information will be shared with shortlisted candidates) and they will be asked questions to further assess their Experience against the Essential Criteria as outlined on slide 8 and Strengths using the Civil Service Strengths Dictionary.

Department for Education does not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment.

Please note that at interview stage we may ask if you have any conflicts of interest to declare and social media checks maybe conducted prior to appointment.

Candidates with disabilities

As an employer we are committed to promoting and protecting the physical and mental health and wellbeing of all our colleagues and applicants. The Department for Education uses the Disability Confident scheme (formerly the Guaranteed Interview scheme) to help widen employment opportunities for disabled people. Applicants with disabilities who meet the essential criteria, as stated in the person specification, the Civil Service nationality requirements and indicate they are applying under the Disability Confident scheme will be guaranteed an interview.

Employment scheme for Veterans

The ‘Great Place to Work for Veterans scheme’ makes it easier for veterans to join the Civil Service. If you opt into this scheme and meet the minimum criteria, you’ll progress to the next stage for most roles – whether that’s an interview or an online test.

Other Information

We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs

Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.

Reasonable adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Department of Education via scs.recruitment@education.gov.uk soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.