Interim Chief Executive Officer

What skills and experience we’re looking for

The successful candidate will be an experienced, values‑led senior leader who can:

• Lead with strategic clarity and emotional intelligence, inspiring confidence across the Trust
• Build on strong foundations and guide the next phase of development with ambition and integrity
• Sustain high standards of education, inclusion and personal development across all schools
• Foster a collaborative and supportive culture in which staff grow and thrive
• Shape sustainable Trust growth, responding intelligently to local needs and opportunities, and developing constructive partnerships across the region and beyond
• Work confidently with Trustees, offering clear strategic advice and sound professional judgement
• Act as an inspirational and credible ambassador for the Trust, building confidence internally and externally with key partners and stakeholders

In accordance with the Academy Trust Handbook 2025, the Interim CEO will also serve as the Trust’s Accounting Officer, with clearly defined personal responsibilities for financial governance and stewardship. As Accounting Officer you will:

• Be personally accountable to Parliament, to the Department for Education’s (DfE) Accounting Officer and to the public for the Trust’s financial resources and financial stewardship
• Assure high standards of regularity, propriety, feasibility and value for money (including economy, efficiency and effectiveness) in the use of public funds
• Maintain oversight of financial systems and controls, ensuring robust governance, transparent reporting and sound risk management
• Complete and sign the annual statement on regularity, propriety and compliance submitted with the audited accounts
• Take personal responsibility for advising the Board in writing where proposed actions conflict with statutory or funding requirements, Trust articles or handbook duties, including where these relate to financial governance or ethical compliance
• Promote a culture of accountability, ethical conduct and public service values across the Trust

At Cheviot Learning Trust, we recognize that each individual brings a unique blend of characteristics, backgrounds, and expertise to our schools. We have cultivated an environment we are proud to call a great place to work, where our staff feel valued and empowered to give their best. We have numerous examples of staff who have developed and progressed their careers with the Trust.

As interim CEO, you will be leading an organisation committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and motivating environment for everyone, understanding that when our staff thrive, so do the students across our schools.

As our CEO plans to retire and we plan for the next stage of our journey, Cheviot Learning Trust are seeking to appoint an inspiring and influential Chief Executive Officer in an interim role. The Interim CEO will combine strategic clarity with decisive, values‑led leadership. Working closely with the Trust Board, Central Team and the wider Trust community, you will ensure continuity of effective leadership during a period of transition, while strengthening the organisational capacity, systems and culture required to support anticipated expansion.

Your core objectives will be to:

• Build shared understanding and engagement with growth options through focused communication and collaboration
• Shape the organisation to be resilient, scalable and fit for future growth
• Ensure that the Trust maintain high educational and business standards throughout this interim period

The successful candidate will be an articulate, insightful and credible leader, able to build trust quickly, maintain momentum and make sound judgments in a complex and fast‑moving environment. Resilient, adaptable and values‑led, you will operate with integrity, openness and a strong commitment to effective governance.

Above all, we seek an interim Chief Executive who is ambitious, nurturing and optimistic—someone who takes pride in achieving excellence, inspires those around them, and leaves the Trust well positioned, confident and ready for its next phase…