Chief Operating Officer (Multi Academy Trust)

Morson have a great opportunity for an experienced COO ( Chief Opperating Officer ) for a leading Multi Academy Trust. We are looking for someone that has current experience as a COO within a Multi Academy Trust. Your role will be to bring greater coherence, pace and accountability to the Trust's cross-functional projects and systems.

The postholder will work directly with the Heads of Service and alongside the Director of Estates, Chief Finance Officer and HR Director to join up planning across estates, finance, HR and operational workstreams, ensuring that Trust-wide initiatives are properly scoped, resourced, sequenced and delivered to time and budget.

This is a delivery-focused role for an experienced Multi-Academy Trust operator who understands how a trust's central functions interlock, and who can translate strategic priorities set by the CEO and senior leadership team into practical, well-governed project plans that Heads of Service can execute with confidence.

• Lead the planning, coordination and delivery of Trust-wide projects spanning estates, finance, HR, IT and central operations, working closely with the relevant Heads of Service.
• Develop and maintain project plans, timelines, risk logs and resource schedules, escalating slippage or emerging risk to the CEO and relevant director in good time.
• Act as the connecting point between the Director of Estates, CFO and HRD, ensuring their respective workstreams are aligned rather than run in parallel silos.
• Establish consistent project governance across the Central Team, including reporting templates, milestone tracking and post-project review.

Systems Integration and Operational Improvement

• Support the integration and rationalisation of systems used across estates, finance and HR (eg asset management, MIS, HR/payroll platforms Schools BI), working with service leads to remove duplication and improve data flow between functions.
• Identify and implement process improvements that increase efficiency and consistency across schools and the Central Team.
• Work with the CFO and HRD to ensure new systems and projects are properly costed, resourced and change-managed before roll-out.

Stakeholder and Governance Liaison

• Build strong working relationships with Heads of Service, headteachers and school business leaders to ensure central projects reflect operational reality on the ground.
• Prepare clear, accurate reports and briefings for the CEO, Trust Board and committees on project status, risks and outcomes.
• Represent the Central Team in project-related meetings with external contractors, suppliers and partner organisations.

Trust-wide Contribution

• Champion the Trust's values and ways of working, modelling collaborative, solutions-focused practice across all school and Central Team relationships.
• Ensure a structured handover at the end of the assignment, including clear documentation and briefing of Heads of Service and directors so that project momentum is not lost.
• Undertake other duties commensurate with the role as reasonably required by the CEO.

Please send your CV to discuss in more detail