The Role






Head of Service - Education

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Head of Service - Education

Terms & conditions

Fife Council, Chief Officer

Post status

Permanent

Salary

£124,817 per annum (full-time)
(effective from 1 April 2026) 

Location

Fife House, North Street, Glenrothes, KY7 5LT.
A blended work style arrangement applies, allowing flexibility in working from home and working base, to meet the demands of the post.

Hours

36 hours per week

Post status

Permanent

Political restriction

This post is designated as politically restricted within the terms of Section 2 of the Local Government & Housing Act 1989.

Closing date for applications

12 April 2026

Technical Interview/Stakeholder Panel

7 May 2026

Final interview

21 May 2026

Role Profile

Find out more about the duties and responsibilities of the Head of Service - Education, the skills and aptitudes we’re seeking, and the terms and conditions of the post. Download pdf version of Job profile and person specification.

Job purpose

  • To have lead management responsibility for a group of schools, with emphasis on school improvement and the improvement of educational attainment and achievement across all schools.
  • To oversee improvements in both the broad general education and senior phase and deliver a framework for developing the skills required of the young workforce including positive employability options.
  • To take lead responsibility for a specified group of strategic, Fife-wide educational and learning functions, as agreed with the Executive Director.
  • To drive forward the integration of our work supporting children, young people and their families as part of a whole systems approach. Developing Partnership Working with children’s services partners, other council departments and local businesses.

Role Dimensions

The key elements of this post include:

  • To contribute, as a member of the Management Team, to the overall management and development of the Education Directorate within the corporate policies of the Council and the statutory framework for Education.
  • To be responsible for the management and development of a group of key strategic functions as defined by the Executive Director, Education.
  • Determining the appropriate model for the Council to enable the efficient and effective delivery of statutory and non-statutory Education Services.
  • To lead a group of secondary schools and associated primary, and nursery schools as defined by the Executive Director, Education Services.
  • To oversee universal service provision for all children and young people in Fife during their broad general education and Senior Phase with the development of skills for life, learning and work including foundation apprenticeships, college and post-school destinations.
  • To manage a budget of approximately £120 million, some of which is devolved to establishments and have managerial responsibilities for Education Manager posts.
  • To manage operational support staff in carrying out both quality assurance and strategic management roles.
  • To manage procedures relating to Education Scotland inspections in a group of secondary, primary and nursery schools.
  • To manage the development and planning processes in relation to a group of secondary, primary, and nursery schools.
  • To promote and present papers to the Council’s Executive, its Committees and Groups as required.
  • To liaise with Elected Members, Area Committees, and Parent Councils, associated with a group of secondary, primary and nursery schools.
  • To liaise and engage with other Services of the Council and other organisations as appropriate in taking forward the agenda for continuous improvement in attainment and achievement.
  • Provide leadership and direction to the Directorate in the delivery of the Council’s vision and goals, demonstrating commitment, optimism and clear direction.
  • To carry out such professional and management tasks within the general scope of the post as may be allocated from time to time by the Executive Director, Education Services.
  • Influencing national Education policy by representing the Council at national working partnerships i.e. COSLA, Scottish Government, ADES.
  • Representing the position/recommendations on national and local Education Service matters at the appropriate council committees.
  • Engaging in regular discussion with appropriate political spokespersons.
  • Attending and responding to enquiries from elected members individually and at appropriate committees.
  • Identifying risks to service continuity and developing and implementing contingency arrangements in conjunction with the Executive Director.
  • Provide the first line council response to television, radio or newspaper interviews for agreed areas.
  • Provide a lead role in working across the Directorate to promote a more effective, better connected service.
  • Promote and contribute to the development of an empowered self-improving system across Fife.

Key Tasks & Responsibilities

  • Creating an operating strategy for the Council from the vision and targets in the Council’s plan, taking a proactive role in securing collaboration with partners and stakeholders.
  • Leading on specific professional or managerial tasks or any cross-Directorate remits identified by the Executive Director.
  • Ensuring that the Council learns from practice and develops new approaches to prevention, early intervention, and improved outcomes.
  • Providing clear leadership, Service strategy and direction for the Service functions in the delivery of the Council’s vision and goals, working in conjunction with the Executive Director.
  • Promoting and valuing the diversity of staff, people and communities served by the Council to ensure equality of access and treatment in employment and service delivery.
  • Ensuring the Service is fit for purpose and employees have the skills and display the behaviours needed to meet the Council’s future agenda as identified in the Plan for Fife.
  • Developing and realising the full potential of employees through effective coaching, performance management, providing development opportunities and promoting the highest standards of delivery.
  • Providing effective leadership and actively modelling desired behaviours ensuring efficient management of resources, workforce planning, capacity building, harnessing technologies which demonstrate transparent Best Value in all activities of the Service.
  • Ensuring Council policies and decisions are implemented.
  • Developing a culture of support and critical challenge across the service to promote and secure continuous improvement, review and horizon scanning for new developments to benefit the Service and the Council.
  • Managing changes to Service structure and Service delivery in line with corporate and Directorate vision.
  • Contributing to the effective management of the Directorate as a member of the Directorate Leadership Team, recognising that this role incorporates ownership, commitment and leadership responsibilities.
  • Setting, monitoring and ensuring compliance with quality and performance standards. Pursuing continuous improvement and best value, effective management and monitoring of Service finances to ensure it discharges its statutory obligations and duties and taking action to assess and manage major risks.
  • Advising on the implications of legislation and government policy relevant to the performance of managed functions.
  • Representing the interests and views of the Council in relation to the managed functions, supporting the work of relevant bodies, committee and partnership arrangements by developing and maintaining effective relationships.
  • Leading and developing managers to ensure the effective strategic delivery of the service functions.
  • Leading a culture of customer focus, quality and performance delivery to demonstrate a record of achievement across managed functions.
  • Taking responsibility for managing the allocated budgets for the functions ensuring there is appropriate financial monitoring information, budgetary control, risk management and business continuity planning to enable the Service to comply with requirements.
  • Providing advice to the Council and its Committees on all aspects of the role or its functions.

Special Conditions

  • Before confirming your appointment to the post, you will be required to obtain Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme Membership through Disclosure Scotland.

Head of Service - Education

Attributes

Essential

Desirable

Assessment

Experience

  • Extensive senior leadership experience within a large, complex and publicly accountable organisation
  • Evidence of leading by example and personally displaying leadership behaviours
  • Considerable senior management experience in delivering an extensive range of statutory Education Services
  • Record of success in managing large, complex services.
  • Evidence of shaping policies and systems that reward a ‘can do’ culture
  • Evidence of personally displaying leadership behaviours and providing clear direction to support change with genuine delegation and staff empowerment
  • Responsibility for a broad operational portfolio, influencing policy and developing service strategy
  • Clear appreciation and understanding of the dimensions of the post both in the public and political arena
  • Record of success in translating corporate and operational strategies into effective service delivery and best practice to required standards
  • Evidence of building and maintaining positive relationships, collaborative and partnership working
  • Ability to contribute to the corporate goals of the Council, while effectively balancing the complexity of service delivery and meeting customer needs
  • Evidence of striving for improvements and better outcomes while managing risk and business continuity
  • Track record of commitment to improving communication and harnessing technology to achieve goals
  • Delivery of objectives through robust programme and project management
  • Experience of managing a broad education or children’s services portfolio.
  • Proven achievements in specific areas of local government or equivalent
  • Proven achievements in specific areas of local government or equivalent.
  • Experience of representing the organisation at senior level both internally and externally
  • Record of success in managing large, complex services.
  • Evidence of challenging and confronting poor performance
  • Application
  • Psychometric Assessment
  • Presentation
  • Interview

Academic and Professional Qualifications and Membership

  • Relevant degree
  • Member of an appropriate professional body
  • *one which supports the management of the portfolio*
  • Management qualification or training
  • Application Certificates

Skills, Abilities & Knowledge

  • Proven experience of developing and implementing services improving attainment
  • Ability   to engender a positive performance culture and to motivate/empower/coach others   to give their best
  • Ability to manage change   and embrace different ways   of working
  • Astute political awareness, customer   focus and partnership working
  • Evidence   of management of resources and risk to improve attainment, Best Value and customer expectations within a constantly challenging environment
  • Evidence of establishing a positive   performance culture and motivating, empowering and coaching others
  • Evidence of establishing a positive performance culture and motivating, empowering and coaching others
  • Evidence of working successfully in a sensitive political   context
  • Application
  • Psychometric Assessment
  • Presentation

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

  • Persuasive communicator enabling others to see the whole picture and to perform to the highest possible standards
  • Skilled negotiator able to optimise partnership and collaborative working to deliver the best outcomes
  • High standard of personal and professional integrity

  • Psychometric Assessment
  • Presentation
  • Interview
Other
  • Must be prepared to work flexibly and out with office hours when necessary

  • Pre-employment health screening

How We Work Matters

OD12 How We Work Matters details the behaviours required for successful performance in the role.

  • Working Together
  • Delivering Results
  • Taking Ownership
  • Customer Focus
  • Embracing Technology and Information

  • Application Interview

Key Terms and Conditions

Salary:

£120,596 p.a.

Pay Method and Frequency:

Payment is every 4 weeks by credit transfer to your nominated bank or building society account.

Pension Provision:

You will be automatically enrolled to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). You may opt out. Full details of the terms and conditions relating to pensions and the LGPS are available at www.fifepensionfund.org

Sick Pay:

If you are unable to work due to illness or injury, you may be eligible to receive sickness allowance, as below:

  • Less than 26 weeks continuous service  - SSP
  • 26 weeks or more but less than 1 year  - Full allowance for 5 weeks; half allowance for 5 weeks
  • 1 year, but less than 2 years  - Full allowance for 9 weeks; half allowance for 9 weeks
  • 2 years, but less than 3 years  - Full allowance for 18 weeks; half allowance for 18 weeks
  • 3 years, but less than 5 years  - Full allowance for 22 weeks; half allowance for 22 weeks
  • 5 years or more  - Full allowance for 26 weeks; half allowance for 26 weeks
Employee Benefits:

A range of employee benefits, such as discounts with local businesses, childcare vouchers and lifestyle benefits such as cycle scheme and technology scheme, is available.

Relocation:

For appointees who may have to relocate to take up employment with the Council there is a Relocation Expenses package available, details of this are available on request.

Hours of Work:

Your contracted hours of work are 36 hours per week. The nature of your position requires flexibility to meet demands and, subject to the provisions of the Working Time Regulations, you are required to arrange your hours of work to meet organisational needs. This may require working outwith standard hours of work and working more than 36 hours in a week, for which no additional remuneration will be received.

Annual Leave:

The leave year runs from 1 January to 31 December. Annual leave entitlement for full-time is:

  • 24 days for up to 5 years continuous service at the commencement of the leave year
  • 29 days after completion of 5 years continuous service at the commencement of the leave year
Public Holidays:

There are 8 fixed public holidays, as follows:

  • 6 days over the festive and new year period
  • 1 day in May
  • 1 day in July
Other Paid Leave:

The Council provides a range of statutory and other leave, such as family-friendly leave.

Notice Requirement:

The period of notice to be given by either party to terminate employment will be 12 weeks.

Place of Work:

Your place of work will be Fife House, North Street, Glenrothes. A blended workstyle arrangement applies, allowing flexibility in working from home and working from base to meet the demands of the role.

Whole-time Service:

Chief Officers will be expected to devote their whole time service to the work of the Council and shall not engage in any other business or take up any other appointment without the express consent of the Council.

Canvassing:

Canvassing of members or officials, directly or indirectly, will be a disqualification for consideration for appointment.

Restrictions on Political Activity:

This post is designated as politically restricted within the terms of Section 2 of the Local Government & Housing Act 1989.

Interview and assessment arrangements

If longlisted you will be asked to:

  • Complete psychometric testing
  • Complete a written exercise
  • Participate in both informal and stakeholder interviews in person in Fife House, Glenrothes, Fife.

Please note that the provisions of the Disability Confident Scheme apply.

The Appointments Sub Committee will then review the assessment information and select those for progression.

Shortlisted candidates will attend a Final Appointment Sub Committee interview in person in Fife House, Glenrothes, Fife.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to help you take part in this recruitment process, please contact Amy Billington at Solace in Business on 020 7976 3311 for a confidential discussion.

Pre-employment checks

Disclosure checks

This post is politically restricted under the Local Government & Housing Act 1989. Appointment is subject to a Level 2 Disclosure check by Disclosure Scotland.

Right to Work in the UK:

Fife Council has a legal duty to ensure that all Fife Council employees have the right to work in the UK. To ensure Fife Council meets these obligations and to prevent illegal working, all shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide documents to confirm their right to work in the UK. For more information about suitable forms of ID, visit the Home Office Website.

Evidence of qualifications:

All shortlisted candidates will be asked to bring evidence of their qualifications, and of any relevant professional membership, to interview.

Pre-Employment Health Screening:

Any offer of employment is subject to satisfactory Pre-Employment Health Screening to ensure the successful candidate is fit to undertake the duties of the role. This Health Screening is carried out by Fife Council’s Occupational Health provider.

Employment references:

Any offer of employment is subject to satisfactory references.

Provision of false information

Candidates should also note that the provision of false information or the omission of material information in their application or at interview may lead to the offer of employment being withdrawn or summary dismissal.

Head of Service - Education

Apply now