Ascent Academies’ Trust, a growing Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) consisting of four SEND schools in the North East, engaged Edwin People as the Board required independent support to recruit their next CEO. The incumbent CEO had overseen the Trust’s initial growth and development, making the recruitment of a suitable replacement critical to maintaining stability and achieving future goals. The Board of Trustees recognised the need for a comprehensive and rigorous recruitment process to ensure the new CEO could lead the Trust effectively, navigate educational reforms, and continue delivering high-quality education across all academies. Also, mindful that as volunteers their time is limited, we aimed to remove as much workload from their shoulders as possible.

The MAT required a CEO who could not only oversee the operational and educational success of the schools within the MAT, but also possess strong leadership and a compelling strategic vision. The successful individual would need to align with the Trust’s values, have a proven track record in education leadership, and demonstrate the ability to inspire and lead across a range of local authority areas.

"I am delighted to have worked with Edwin People. At first, I expected the recruitment process to be challenging, especially with the involvement of several internal stakeholders. Trustees were keen to ensure that we maintained the highest standards of professional integrity from the start. However, Edwin People exceeded our expectations by providing timely updates and ensuring that all actions were carefully considered and kept on track to meet deadlines. Jenn, in particular, was a consistent and excellent source of support.

Although the Trustees initially expressed concerns about costs, the professional guidance and support offered by Edwin People has proven invaluable. Both the Trustees and executive leaders were focused on giving candidates the best opportunities to succeed, and Edwin People gave us the confidence and assurance we needed throughout the recruitment process. Their expertise saved us a significant amount of time, for which I am truly grateful."

Lynn Watson OBE – Chair of Trustees, Ascent Academies’ Trust

1. Defining the Role and Expectations

• Initial Consultation with Key Stakeholders The first step was to conduct in-depth consultations with the Trust’s Chair and Board of Trustees. This ensured that the job description and person specification for the CEO role reflected the Trust’s long-term strategic objectives, operational needs and educational values.
• Role Specification The Trustees developed a clear outline of the skills, experience and leadership qualities needed for the CEO role. This included educational leadership expertise, financial acumen, and the ability to manage relationships with external stakeholders such as local authorities and government bodies. Added to this, the need to communicate well with staff and local governors across the Trust, whilst ensuring the complex needs of learners are fully met.

2. Designing the Recruitment Strategy

• Targeting the Right Audience The recruitment process was tailored to attract candidates with a strong background in school leadership, recognising the unique context of the Trust, in particular in relation to SEND.
• Candidate Pack and Microsite We designed a high-quality candidate pack and microsite to host the vacancy, ensuring that the candidate pack portrayed the Trust professionally, aligned with its values, and appealed to candidates.
• Advertising the Role The position was advertised through a range of education and public sector recruitment channels and networks, ensuring visibility in prominent education leadership platforms and forums. Our social media team at Edwin People ensured that additional engagement opportunities were secured through platforms such as Linkedin. We attracted over 40 expressions of interest from a range of high-quality candidates.

3. Shortlisting Candidates

• Initial Shortlisting Once applications were received, the Board, supported by the Edwin People team, conducted an initial screening based on qualifications, experience and alignment with the role specification.

4. Assessment and Interview Process

• Multi-Stage Interviews The interview process was designed as a multi-stage approach, enabling the Trust to thoroughly assess each candidate’s leadership capabilities and alignment with the MAT’s values. The Edwin People team provided the Board with exemplary materials, including tasks, questions and timetables, to ensure a thorough interview process. Insights profiles were used to provide additional lines of questioning related to candidate personality profiling.
• Supporting the Process The Edwin People team provided the Board with candidate and interview packs containing all the information needed to accurately record and assess candidates throughout the interview process, in line with the Trust’s recruitment requirements. We also provided hands-on support throughout the interview days to both the Board and candidates, ensuring a smooth process by guiding candidates to activity areas, setting tasks, and keeping activities on schedule.

5. Shortlisting Candidates

• Engaging the Leadership Team In addition to formal interviews, candidates met with the MAT’s senior leadership team and key staff. This allowed both parties to assess cultural fit, and enabled the Board to gauge the candidates’ ability to inspire and lead effectively.
• Feedback and Input After each stage, feedback was gathered from all interviewers and stakeholders to ensure a holistic evaluation of each candidate. The Board weighed both the technical competencies and interpersonal qualities needed for the CEO role.

6. Final Selection and Offer

• Board Deliberation After careful review and discussion, the Board identified the most suitable candidate based on their performance during the interview process, leadership experience, and alignment with the Trust’s strategic vision.
• Offer and Negotiation Once the preferred candidate was selected, the Board extended a formal offer within the advertised compensation package, which reflected the responsibilities associated with managing a large MAT.