Chief Operations Officer

Chief Operations Officer (COO) Salary: Leadership Points 25 -29 (£93,422 - £103,029) Contract: Permanent Start date: September 2026 About Consilium Academies Consilium Academies is a Multi-Academy Trust dedicated to Excellence and Equity with Integrity. With eight schools across Salford, South Yorkshire, and the North East, we are committed to delivering excellent education, supporting staff development, and creating opportunities for every student to thrive. Our collaborative culture is built on support, professional growth, and a shared commitment to continuous improvement. The Role The COO will drive the Trust’s Operational Excellence, which is a key strategic pillar of the Trust’s existing strategy. The COO will ensure that systems, processes, and services enable schools to focus on teaching, learning, and pupil outcomes, as well as ensuring the long term sustainable of the Trust estate, lead on capital projects including new school builds. Key Responsibilities Strategic Leadership of Operations Lead the Trust’s operational strategy aligned to the Strategic Plan. Provide strategic leadership across Estates, IT, Operations, Sustainability, and Compliance. Design and implement a Trust-wide operational excellence model. Establish clear KPIs, service standards, and performance dashboards across operational functions. Compliance, Risk & Assurance Lead Trust-wide compliance, risk management, and business continuity planning. Oversee health and safety and statutory compliance across all schools. Ensure high standards of website compliance and statutory reporting. Estates & Capital Development Lead the Trust’s estates strategy and capital development programme. Oversee maintenance, compliance, and long-term estate planning. Lead sustainability strategy and ensure safe, high-quality learning environments. IT & Digital Infrastructure Lead the Trust’s digital and IT strategy. Ensure secure, resilient, and user-focused IT systems. Oversee data protection and GDPR compliance. Culture & Central Services Ensure central services are cohesive, responsive, and aligned to Trust values. Build a collaborative culture between central teams and schools. Work with Trust leaders to ensure joined-up strategic planning. Leadership Lead, develop, and performance manage central operational leaders. Ensure all central services work to shared KPIs and aligned priorities. Lead cross-Trust operational planning and continuous improvement. About You We are looking for a strategic operational leader who: Has significant senior leadership experience in operations, estates, IT, compliance, or business services. Has experience leading operational strategy and organisational improvement. Has experience managing estates, capital projects, contracts, and procurement. Has strong knowledge of compliance, health & safety, risk management, and governance. Has strong