The role includes:

• Impacting positively on church leadership to enable the development, exemplification and continuous sustainable improvement of Christian vision, distinctiveness and ethos, for the flourishing of all.
• Leading the promotion, development and monitoring of the implementation of transformational Religious Education across the Diocese, and evaluating its impact.
• Support the promotion, development, monitoring and evaluation of invitational, inspirational and inclusive Collective Worship within our Church of England Schools and wider diocesan family of schools.
• Working with the leaders to strengthen and enact partnership working with the local church(es) and families.

The successful candidate will have had a leadership role in a school or Trust, have excellent understanding of CofE school vision and distinctiveness, be able to demonstrate the impact of their leadership in RE, and an excellent ability to support the development of collective worship.

It is an exciting time to join the Education Team as we embrace significant change. Examples include a newly reconstituted Diocesan Board of Education on 1^st January 2023, new DfE Church School Articles and Memorandum of Understanding, a new SIAMS inspection framework, an evolving landscape encompassing maintained/academy schools, an increased focus within the Diocese/CofE on children and young people, a reshaped team due to current/recent post holders moving to new roles within/linked to the Diocese/CofE, and a new yet to be appointed Diocesan Bishop.

For an informal conversation about this role please contact Sue Lockwood (Diocesan Director of Education) at sue.lockwood@exeter.anglican.org.

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Qualified Teacher Status.
• Educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Up-to-date professional development and training, including safeguarding.

Desirable

• Qualified SIAMS Inspector / SIAMS Inspector training or willingness to train

Experience

Essential

• Knowledgeable leadership in RE, with evidence of impact.
• Leadership role in a school or Trust
• Experience of planning and delivering high quality training for schools.
• Coaching, mentoring, and developing others.
• Experience of collaborative working within a team and with external agencies.
• Recent relevant knowledge of the schools and academies landscape and its implication for foundation governance.

Desirable

• Leadership role in a Church of England school Senior
• Experience of the Ofsted and SIAMs process

Technical

Essential

• The ability to articulate and communicate a vision for the future and proven ability to make vision reality.
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of CofE school vision, distinctiveness and ethos.
• Excellent ability to support the development of Collective Worship.
• Strong practical knowledge of the SIAMS Inspection Framework.
• Good theological knowledge.
• The ability to strategically think, plan and act to create change.
• Up to date knowledge of research and national and local developments that relate to RE.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to plan and prioritise work to meet deadlines.
• Ability to build strong professional relationships.
• Ability to lead difficult conversations and hold leaders to account with sensitivity and understanding.
• Able to communicate effectively - excellent verbal, written and presentation skills.
• Demonstrates personal and professional credibility, integrity, inspiring trust.
• Good IT skills, including knowledge Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.

Desirable

• Local Leader of Education.
• Entrepreneurial flair with the ability to generate income.
• A leader who has been involved in educational research.
• Involvement in national diocesan and/or Trust networks.
• Knowledge of school leadership and governance structures in stand-alone schools, federations and Trusts.

General Requirements

Essential

• Welcome visitors and receive incoming enquiries and telephone calls, dealing promptly and courteously with enquires.
• Ensure all health and safety instructions are followed and that care is taken to ensure safety for self and colleagues, reporting concerns immediately.
• Sensitive to the different cultures, traditions and activities within the Church, and work in a way which is consistent with the Five Guiding Principles in the House of Bishops’ Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests; maintain a consistent approach to clergy and non-clergy matters.
• Strong personal organisation skills
• Knowledge and proven commitment to safeguarding in Church of England schools.
• Commitment to anti-discriminatory practices within the Church of England’s legal context.

Desirable

• Understanding of the Church of England, its parochial system and the wider organisation of the Diocese.

Personal Requirements

Essential

• Committed to and confident in the aims and ethos of the Diocese of Exeter and of the mission and ministry of the Church of England.
• Commitment to the role that Church Schools play in formal education and to raising standards in Church Schools.
• The ability to provide spiritual leadership within the context of Church school leadership.
• Willing to work outside of normal working hours as required.
• A full driving licence and use of a car for work related travel.

Desirable

• Practicing communicant member of the Church of England or of a church belonging to a member body of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland or Churches Together in England.

The Diocese of Exeter is part of the Church of England and covers the whole of Devon. We are a family of Christians living out our faith across the county, worshipping God in a variety of different ways and doing our best to serve the communities we live in. There are over 600 churches in the diocese, many of them rural.

Our vision is to grow in prayer, make new disciples and serve the people of Devon with joy. We are led by the Bishop of Exeter, aided by the Bishop of Plymouth and Bishop of Crediton. We are governed by the Diocesan Synod, which is made up of representatives from all over the Diocese.

Our central office is the Old Deanery next to Exeter Cathedral. There are staff who cover mission and ministry, schools, communications, safeguarding, property, finance, community relations and more. See directions to the Old Deanery office here.