Chair of Education Partnership Board
12 - 18 days per year | Consultancy basis | Competitive daily rate
Leading as One System - For Every Child in BCP
There are moments when a local education system reaches a turning point. BCP is at one of those moments.
We are seeking an exceptional independent leader to chair the newly established BCP Education Partnership Board - a bold, ambitious partnership bringing together schools, trusts, colleges, local authority leaders and wider stakeholders to shape a more connected, inclusive and high-performing education system for every child and young person across our conurbation.
This is an opportunity to help build a genuinely collaborative education system across one of the South Coast’s most diverse and dynamic communities.
The Opportunity
The BCP Education Partnership Board will act as a Self-Improving Education Board - bringing together leaders from across primary, secondary, special, academy, maintained, post-16, local authority, governance, as well as parent and regional partnerships.
As Independent Chair, you will help unite these voices around a shared moral purpose: To own and drive the conurbation’s education agenda for the benefit of all children and young people across BCP.
You will:
provide visible, credible and impartial leadership;
build trust across a complex system;
help establish strong governance and accountability;
facilitate ambitious but constructive challenge;
and create the conditions for long-term collaboration and sustainable improvement.
Most importantly, you will help ensure that the system works not for individual institutions - but for all children and young people.
What We’re Looking For
We are looking for someone with the credibility, experience and emotional intelligence to lead across complexity. What matters most is your ability to: bring people together, navigate complexity with diplomacy and clarity, and inspire collective action around a shared vision.
We are particularly interested in leaders who understand the evolving national education landscape, have experience of system-wide reform and partnership leadership, are passionate about inclusion and improving outcomes for disadvantaged children, and can operate with independence, objectivity and integrity, as well as have the gravitas to convene senior leaders across diverse organisations.
Experience of SEND reform, governance, place planning, inclusion, or wider public sector transformation would be highly valuable.
Why This Role Matters
This role comes at a pivotal time. BCP has made significant progress in stabilising and strengthening its local system. There is now genuine momentum, optimism, and appetite for collective leadership.
The successful candidate will have the rare opportunity to:
shape a new system architecture from the ground up;
influence strategic priorities across an entire locality;
help redefine inclusion and belonging across BCP;
and leave a lasting legacy for children, families and communities.
This is a role for someone who believes education systems work best when they work together.
Time Commitment & Location
Approximately 12-18 days per year
Board meetings will take place half-termly
Additional stakeholder engagement and preparation meetings will be required
The role is offered on a consultancy basis
A competitive daily rate
The successful candidate will need to travel to Bournemouth for in-person meetings and relationship-building activity
Be part of something bigger
This is your chance to help build a more inclusive, collaborative and ambitious education system - one capable of transforming life chances for every child and young person across BCP. If that excites you, we would love to hear from you.
Closing Date: Midnight on Sunday 28th June 2026