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Salary: Competitive to attract the right applicant
Location: Flexible
Contract Type: Full Time
Contract Term: Permanent
Start Date: September 2025
This is a truly unique opportunity to become the CEO of the newly formed Laetare CMAT, a national CMAT for Religious Order schools, offering a distinctive but complementary option for schools under the Trusteeship of Religious Orders in addition to Diocesan CMATs.
The Laetare CMAT is an exciting project and the first national Catholic MAT with the first wave of schools being in the Northwest followed closely by schools in London and the Southeast.
The first school, De La Salle, St Helens, joined Laetare on 1st December 2024. It is expected that the next three schools, all founded by the Christian Brothers, St Anselm’s College and St Ambrose College will join Laetare in the immediate future, and St Joseph’s College will join on 1st November 2025. These will form the northern hub. There are a similar number of Religious Order schools in London and the Southeast preparing to join which will form a southern hub.The CMAT will largely be made up of secondary schools, reflecting the history of Religious Order schools, as well as some primary schools.
Laetare CMAT is uniquely committed to a governance model which respects and empowers each school’s unique identity and allows the individual charisms of each school’s Founder to be nurtured. It is the Trust’s expectation that schools will retain significant levels of autonomy as far as it is appropriate to do so.
We welcome applications from practising and committed Catholics with the ability to articulate a clear philosophy for Catholic Education. We are looking for significant school leadership experience gained in Catholic education through one of the following:
- Executive headship role
- Headteacher/Principal of a secondary school
- School improvement or previous Trust CEO/Deputy CEO experience
Now is a moment of real opportunity to lead and grow this unique national Catholic MAT, which makes this post an extremely attractive and rewarding career opportunity.
As a national CMAT this will involve the Central Team working remotely or within schools for the majority of the time. As a consequence, there is flexibility as to your location.
Closing Date: Monday 10 March at 5pm
Interviews: Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 March
For an initial informal chat please call Liam Dowds, our Emmaus Advising Consultant, on 01737 652 043 or email him at ldowds@emmausleadership.me for an Application Pack.
All conversations will be held in the strictest confidence.
DO NOT APPLY ONLINE. ALL COMPLETED APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED VIA EMAIL.
Laetare CMAT 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.