EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT
A professional, transparent and values-led search process for CEOs, COOs, CFOs and senior education leaders — combining deep trust governance knowledge with proven recruitment methodology.
Why Executive Appointments deserve Specialist Support
Appointing a CEO, COO or CFO is one of the highest-stakes decisions a trust board will make. Get it right, and a new executive can accelerate school improvement, strengthen financial sustainability and steady a trust through growth or change. Get it wrong, the cost — in disruption, reputation and money — can follow a trust for years.
Multi Academy Trusts are recruiting at executive level more often than ever: growing central teams, planning for CEO succession, or replacing a CFO at short notice. Many boards run this kind of process only once every few years, often without a dedicated HR or recruitment specialist in-house to lead it.
That's where S4S comes in. We work alongside trustees, governors and senior leaders to run a professional, transparent search — combining an understanding of trust governance, safer recruitment and the realities of school leadership with proven recruitment methodology.
~8 Weeks
Typical timeline for a CEO-level campaign, from advertisement to appointment.
5 Stages
A structured process from initial scoping through to post-appointment transition support.
Bespoke
Pricing and scope shaped around your trust. Purchase full support or individual elements
A five-stage search, shaped around your trust
01
Initial Consultation & Scoping Analysis
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Collaborative consultation with trustees and senior leaders
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Clarification of trust-wide vision, priorities and leadership challenges
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Development of the role, objectives and person specification
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A tailored recruitment timeline
02
Job Role & Advertising
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Drafting or refining the job description and person specification
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A recruitment pack that reflects your trust's culture
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Targeted, multi-channel advertising across education platforms, professional networks and social media
03
Candidate Management & Shortlisting
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Management of applications and enquiries
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Longlisting support based on agreed criteria
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Shortlisting support and advice
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Communication to every applicant
04
Selection Process Design & Delivery
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Multi-stage assessment process designed with your board
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Interview questions drafted and refined
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Facilitation and support at final interview stage
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Safeguarding and due diligence checks
05
Post-Appointment Transition Support
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Tailored onboarding and coaching
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Support for a smooth, confident transition into the trust
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Executive and senior leadership roles we support
From CEO to Governance & Compliance Director, we support trusts recruiting at the highest levels of leadership — as well as schools and single academy trusts appointing senior leaders, including headteachers.
Chief Executive Officer
Trust-wide leadership and strategic direction.
Chief Operating Officer
Operational leadership across the trust.
Chief Finance Officer
Financial strategy and sustainability.
HR Directors
Workforce strategy and people leadership.
Governance & Compliance Director
Board effectiveness and regulatory assurance.
Other executive & senor leadership roles
Including headteacher and school-level senior leadership appointments — talk to us about your role.
Every stage built on compliance and good governance
Executive recruitment in education carries a different level of scrutiny to recruitment elsewhere. Our process is built to meet that standard from the first conversation.
KCSIE & Safer Recruitment
All services delivered in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance and your trust's Safer Recruitment Policy.
GDPR-compliant data handling
Candidate data is managed in line with GDPR throughout the recruitment process.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
A clear commitment to EDI is built into how we advertise, assess and select candidates.
Regular check-ins
We check in with your trust regularly throughout to make sure the process and the fit is right.
Clear responsibilities, a collaborative process
Your board stays close to every decision. Here's how the workload typically splits between S4S and your trust.
| S4S responsibilities | Trust responsibilities |
|---|---|
|
Project manage the recruitment process, ensuring every stage is handled professionally |
Provide access to key stakeholders |
| Design and implement the advertising strategy | Provide a key point of contact to lead on internal communication and trust-specific input |
| Facilitate assessments and interviews | Approve all documentation and processes |
| Provide advice on legal and governance compliance | Participate in decision-making |
| Deliver post-appointment support | Ensure safeguarding obligations are met |
| Provide an experienced, independent view of the overall process | — |
A partner who understands Trust Governance, not just Recruitment
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Deep understanding of education leadership and governance
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Personalised support from start to finish
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Transparent and values-led process
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Proven track record of appointing exceptional leaders
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Cost-effective and flexible to your trust's needs
Trusted by trust boards across England
We've supported Multi Academy Trusts of all sizes to secure leaders who deliver sustainable growth, drive improvement and strengthen governance.
Chair Of Trustees — Fosse Multi Academy Trust
Recruiting a new CEO is one of the most important tasks for any board. We needed to complete our recruitment to very tight deadlines, and the S4S team were outstanding in ensuring the process was completed on time, with a strong pool of applicants and a successful outcome.
Chair Of Trustees — Elston Hall Learning Trust
Having partnered with S4S over many years, I can wholeheartedly recommend them for high-quality executive and leadership recruitment. Their knowledge of the complexities in senior leadership roles within Multi Academy Trusts is second to none.
Chief Financial Officer — Fosse Multi Academy Trust
S4S were there every step of the way, supporting me through a process I'd never encountered before. The team were reassuring, friendly and gave real confidence to our decision-making, while always remaining professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our trust has its own online candidate portal — can S4S still support us?
Yes. We can work with your existing portal and simply need to liaise closely with you at application stage to make sure we have access to the right information at the right time.
Will S4S attend interview days to help run the process?
Yes. We make sure enough of our team are on hand to meet and greet candidates, carry out checks, escort candidates to assessment and interview rooms, and keep the day running to schedule.
What kind of input will be needed from the trust?
Your board stays close to the process throughout, with input needed at key touch points such as the recruitment pack, assessment focus areas, shortlisting and interviews. We keep the board informed at every stage, but a nominated contact within the trust helps things run smoothly on issues only the trust can advise or act on.
Can we just purchase elements of the support, rather than the full package?
Yes. Our support is shaped around what you actually need. If you only want help with certain stages, we will tailor those components and work closely with you so everything fits together seamlessly.
How long does a typical executive recruitment process take?
This depends on the scope of the role and the advertising reach required, but most CEO-level campaigns run for around eight weeks from advertisement through to appointment.
Supporting your Leadership beyond the appointment
Ready to start your executive search?
Every trust's leadership needs are different, and so is our pricing — it's shaped around your search following an initial scoping conversation. Book a no-obligation consultation and we'll talk through your trust's vision, timeline and the leadership challenge you're solving for.