Chief Executive Officer
Location: Tunbridge Wells, Kent Contract Type: Full Time (could be flexible for the right candidate) Contract Term: Permanent
Are you an experienced, strategic educational leader that can build on our success, deliver growth and inspire excellence in all that we do?
Tenax Schools Trust is a Church of England multi-academy trust providing outstanding education in both primary and secondary schools in Kent and East Sussex, currently comprising 7 primary schools (including one school with no faith designation) alongside a large secondary school, Bennett Memorial Diocesan School, situated in Tunbridge Wells. The Trust also operates Teach Kent & Sussex SCITT (School Centred Initial Teacher Training) and the Kent Teaching School Hub; the DfE’s designated Teaching School Hub for East Kent and West Kent.
Now is a moment of real opportunity for Tenax Schools Trust. We are rightly proud of our achievements but are now at the start of an exciting new chapter in the life of our Trust as we welcome a new CEO and look to further grow whilst retaining our commitment to evidence-based pedagogy and delivering high quality education to all the pupils in our communities and positively influencing the practice of teachers across and beyond the Trust.
To take us on the next steps of our journey, we need an inspirational leader, who can motivate others and drive growth and improvement with the support of the high-performing teams across the Trust.
Applications from both practising Christians and those committed to protecting and enhancing the Trust’s distinctive Christian identity and ethos are warmly welcomed.
For an initial informal chat (in complete confidence) please call Liam Dowds, our Emmaus Advising Consultant, on 01737 652 043 or email him at ldowds@emmausleadership.me in the first instance for a candidate pack and application form.
Tenax Schools Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people and all applicants are expected to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to pre-employment checks, including satisfactory references and an Enhanced DBS check.
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Jacqui Feely, Chair at All Hallows Catholic College, Macclesfield
"I have no hesitation in commending Emmaus to any school that is seeking to appoint a Christian Headteacher. In particular, Emmaus’ ability to promote the school, assess the ethos of the school and communicate this within the networks of those who might be considered as possible candidates was invaluable."
Clive Purser, Chair of Governors, St Andrew's CE High School for Boys, Worthing
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The Rt Rev Nick Baines - Anglican Bishop of Leeds
"Thank you for everything you did to successfully support our recruitment of an outstanding Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher. Using Emmaus Leadership to manage the recruitment to the post was much debated and was the subject of intense scrutiny by our Governing Body who were somewhat reluctant to use a leadership recruitment specialist. However, their confidence was reinstated as a result of your professional approach, your insightful knowledge and the resulting candidate pool produced for both appointments. I have no hesitation in recommending Emmaus to other schools."
Annie Sutton - Executive Principal, St Joseph's RC Specialist School and College
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Carry Lynott - Chair of Governors, Our Lady and St Brendan's Catholic Primary School, Bradford
"I cannot imagine a better service to fulfil the requirement of helping a Catholic school find a Head. I was impressed with the number and high quality of candidates sourced by Emmaus Leadership."
Marjorie Bannister, Chair - St Michael's Catholic College, London
"I approached Emmaus following our unsuccessful attempts to recruit Deputy DDEs for both Dioceses. They went on to source a far greater number of candidates of high calibre. I highly recommend Emmaus!"
Canon Carolyn Lewis, Director of Education - Diocese of Leicester and Diocese of Derby
"…we also considered other external recruiters, but Emmaus were clear favourites in terms of their recruitment expertise and in-depth knowledge and appreciation of the catholic school’s sector."
Peter Giorgio, Director of Education, Nottingham Diocese
"We had been cold called by a few other companies but chose Emmaus as it specialised in Church schools. We were impressed by Liam and his team coming to the school and burrowing in to what the school wanted and needed. He asked searching questions and we were satisfied this was the way forward. I had not been a fan of head hunters before, but I have to say this process and its result was a hugely better experience than going out on our own and was totally professional throughout."
Bridget Prentice, Chair of Governors - Trinity School, Lewisham
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Fr David Gibbons, Chair of Governors & Parish Priest, Archdiocese of Southwark