Deputy Director - South West Region

The purpose of this role is to improve outcomes for children, families and learners across the South West region. It is a vital senior leadership role for Regions Group, which is at the heart of the Department’s commitment to think, act and partner much better locally and regionally.
This is a busy operational role. You will support the Regional Director to lead a regional team that delivers for and responds to local needs, and understands how local context has an impact on children and learners, particularly vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people. Your leadership role will include:
+ Managing teams to deliver across a number of key programmes which sit at the heart of major policy priorities including Children’s Social Care, SEND, Schools and area-based programmes and work closely to support the post-16 regional work being developed in the wider department.
+ Supporting the Regional Director to deliver better outcomes for children and young people through highly effective regulation and stewardship of our education and care system.
+ Being key influencers and place-shapers locally., The Deputy Director will work closely with and build strong relationships with key local stakeholders in local authorities including Chief Executives and Directors of Children’s services, local safeguarding partnerships, Mayoral Combined Authorities, Levelling up Directors, Ofsted Regional Directors and the health system.
They will play a key role in building and maintaining key relationships with local multi-academy trusts. They will build strong links with policy colleagues across DfE, in particular those responsible for the policies for which the Regional Directors are taking a lead on behalf of Regions Group. Regional Deputy Directors play a significant leadership role nationally to support Regional Directors with their national lead responsibility.
As a Deputy Director you will also be expected to play a key role in the corporate leadership of the Group and as part of their regional Senior Leadership Team.
This post will lead Grade 6-led sub-regional teams, and a vulnerable children’s unit to support local authorities and deliver on the vision set out in Government policy:
+ Working alongside the Regional Director to provide local leadership where appropriate for programmes and activities in support of the Government’s Opportunity Mission.
+ Delivering the new regional approach to school improvement, to ensure schools that most need it receive targeted support, to work in partnership to identify and respond to local and thematic school improvement priorities and to work with the schools sector to promote knowledge of and access to wider school improvement support. Working in partnership with local authorities, academy trusts, dioceses and, through them, all types of state-funded schools will be central to this.
+ Supporting underperforming schools where needed, generating rapid solutions via strong providers, and brokering immediate support.
+ Supporting children’s social care functions in local authorities, working in partnership with the sector to identify solutions to deliver rapid improvement.
+ Following up on area wide SEND inspections, ensuring effective challenge and support in partnership with the sector to enable areas of weakness to be remedied quickly.
+ Advising the Regional Director on decisions relating to our oversight of the academy trust system, including those linked to: trust growth, academy transfer, voluntary academy conversions and significant changes to academies and free schools; underperformance and compliance with the Academies Trust Handbook; and shaping school system provision.
+ Working with local authorities to ensure every local area has sufficient places for pupils.
+ Working effectively with Ministers: providing advice, briefing and support.
+ Deputising for the Regional Director as needed.
+ Leadership of a strong inclusive and effective culture of delivery, effective line management and people development and wellbeing across a diverse team based in Bristol and London., We understand that you might use AI and other resources for your application; however, please ensure all information you provide is factually accurate, truthful, and original and doesn’t include ideas or work that isn’t your own. This is so that your application is authentically and credibly your own.
We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.
Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs
Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.
Reasonable adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Department of Education via centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
+ UK nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
+ individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
+ Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

+ Excellent leadership skills gained within the education sector, local or national government; able to take a leading role in initiating action, making decisions, managing performance and promoting inclusive team working in a large-scale operation, and being part of collective leadership success.
+ An exceptional understanding of and ability to build key stakeholder relationships that can demonstrate impact, enabling delivery of improvement to take place through others at regional level.
+ Experience of leading through change, including experience of delivering system improvement and transformation with good analytical skills, in particular the ability to use performance and financial data and other intelligence to reach decisions about where to target support and initiate programmes of activity, and monitor impact, always seeking efficiencies in delivery.
+ Effective communication skills to be a credible advocate of delivery and policy development with senior colleagues, exercising sound judgement and challenging assumptions where necessary to ensure that delivery impact and user need are at the core of our policy-making. As part of this, an ability to understand and absorb the implications of policy for delivery challenges.
+ Highly developed analytical skills, able to identify issues and make evidence-based decisions to manage, change and respond promptly to critical events, and monitor success.

Alongside your salary of £76,000, Department for Education contributes £22,017 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.
As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.
You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.
We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances, but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.
Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.
As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.