Chief Education Officer

London Area, United Kingdom

Hours: 4 to 6 hours a week

Term: 9 to 12 months will the possibility to extend

Location: remote working and flexible

Salary: up to £40 per hour depending on experience (PAYE or Freelance)

About Ignite Hubs

We are an education charity pioneering innovative ways for children and young people to learn, develop and progress in school and in life.

Our vision is for all children and young people to thrive in the digital world, access careers and led a fulfilled life. Our mission is to ignite the potential of young minds by widening their horizons and providing them with the skills, connections, and experiences they need to be ready for the future.

We aim to:

●  Create the best learning environment for children and young people from all backgrounds and abilities, particularly:

○     Girls

○     Children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities

○     Children and young people from disadvantaged or vulnerable backgrounds

●     To support and empower young people into work.

●     Value, support and develop our volunteers and staff and help them realise their potential and aspirations.

We plan to offer nationwide classes, workshops and events to children and young people on a wide variety of subjects under our five educational Hubs: Code, STEM, Innovation & Enterprise, Creativity and Health & Wellbeing.

Role & Responsibilities

Ignite Hubs is dedicated to offering high-quality, career-focused educational experiences with an emphasis on real-world learning by collaborating with corporate partners. We are committed to tackling social challenges including gender equality and social mobility, and targeting underrepresented groups.

We are seeking a visionary and creative leader to be our Chief Education Officer (CEdO). This is an exciting new role to lead our educational strategy and curriculum development, ensuring the delivery of high-quality educational offerings that are both effective and engaging. This role involves leading educational research, curriculum design, instructor training, and the development of our Online Learning Platform.

We currently teach five remote Coding classes and five STEM onsite classes each week during term time at various libraries across Southwark, and we are developing a digital makerspace at the fifth location. Additionally, we create educational products to inspire children to learn with us, with our first offering being our STEM Career Books series, of which two titles have been published and a third title to be released later this year.

In the pipeline, we plan to expand our remote coding offerings and launch our Creativity Hub. We are also looking to launch a mentoring programme and an Online Learning Platform. We also plan to develop our commercial activities, such as private tutoring services, to help us become financially sustainable. We are keen to establish relationships with schools, educational institutions, universities, think tanks and other relevant organisations to further our work and reach more children and young people.

This is an exciting time to join the charity and play an instrumental role in our growth and development.

Responsibilities

Devise our educational strategy that supports the charity’s vision and mission.

Oversee the curricula and support the creation and development of our educational Hubs and ensure they meet diverse learning needs.

Support the development and training plans for our instructors and take the lead on the pedagogical approach for the charity.

Promote and engage with schools, corporate partners, universities and other relevant organisations to expand and enhance our educational impact, reach and offering.

Establish our standards of educational excellence and provide strategic and operational improvements based on data-driven insights.

Provide insights on educational trends and emerging technologies to integrate innovative teaching methods and enhance the learning experience.

Act as the principal advisor on educational matters to ensure Ignite Hubs remains at the forefront of educational innovation.

Support bids and grant applications to secure funding.

Lead the preparations for Ofsted registration as we look to offer school holiday camps in the medium term. Review and ensure compliance with all necessary standards and support the set-up of monitoring and reporting processes.

Be involved with the Theory of Change and how we measure, evaluate and report on our impact.

Regularly evaluate the impact of our educational offerings, making recommendations to uphold the high standards we aspire to reach.

The ideal person will have

Degree or Master’s in Education or related field.

Qualified Teacher Status

Comprehensive knowledge and experience in the primary and/or secondary school phase.

Sustained experience as a senior leader in education.

Knowledge and interest in Tech, STEM and digital learning highly desirable.

Experience implementing and quality-assuring a pedagogical framework to enhance teaching, learning and outcomes.

Proven track record of quality assuring education provision against a framework.

Significant knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation, innovation (including the use of technology), new developments and accountability frameworks underpinning educational effectiveness.

Demonstrated ability to develop and implement effective educational strategies and policies.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders.

Strong capability to analyse educational outcomes and leverage data to drive decision-making.

Familiarity with educational standards and regulations, including experience preparing for Ofsted inspections or similar (desirable).

What We Offer:

The opportunity to lead and shape the educational direction of a pioneering charity.

A role at the forefront of educational innovation, with the chance to impact the lives of thousands of students.

Professional growth and development.

We are a fast-growing organisation of over 50 volunteers and small staff team from a variety of backgrounds and skill sets.

How to Apply

To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter. Please answer the below two questions in your cover letter:

Why are you passionate about the education of children and young people?

What do you bring to this role that would make it a success?

Send your application to [email protected] with “Chief Education Officer” as the email subject line.