Head of Schools HOS0526

Location

Leeds or London

Salary

£65,000

Application Deadline

Sunday, June 14, 2026

BookTrust

We are currently recruiting this role via a recruitment agency, Green Park. To apply, click on the following link:BookTrust

BookTrust is the UK’s largest children’s reading charity. We know that children who read are happier, healthier, more empathetic, and more creative. They also do better at school.

Working with every local authority and across every region in the country, and supported by Arts Council funding, we reach over 3 million families a year via partners in schools, children’s centres, health visitors and libraries. This incredible network helps us to get children reading across the country.

To apply please complete the application along with a copy of your CV and covering letter showing how you meet the person specification and your motivations for applying for the role. Your covering letter should not be longer than two sides.

Want to join us? Find out more about who we are at:

https://www.booktrust.org.uk/about-us/work-at-booktrust/

Job Summary

Job Purpose

The Head of Schools will lead and coordinate the development, long-term planning and delivery of our programme of work to bring the benefits of reading to children from age 4-14. This includes existing programmes (Bookbuzz and Bookspark) as well as new activity. This work spans the organisation – from research and impact, design and innovation, through marketing and communication – and requires strong collaborative working to draw on skills and capacity in all these areas.

Core Responsibilities:

1. Leadership and Accountability

Develop business plans and strategic priorities to maximise success for BookTrust’s work in schools.

Lead collaborative efforts from cross-functional teams to grow reach and impact for BookTrust’s portfolio of school offers.

Risk identification and mitigation planning to ensure BookTrust’s KPIs for schools are met.

Track and monitor performance of BookTrust’s schools work, adapting and evolving plans as needed to ensure success criteria are met.

Maximise opportunities from cross-over with BookTrust’s work for early years families and children from vulnerable family backgrounds.

1. Sector Knowledge and Insights

Horizon scanning to build organisational knowledge of the primary and secondary school landscape, sector trends, the impact of policy initiatives, in-school teaching and learning priorities to inform short and long-term planning.

Deep knowledge of classroom practice and application of BookTrust’s work in settings, through spending time directly in schools with teachers, children and young people, to support ongoing development and refinement of our offers.

Up-to-date insights on emerging developments across the school sector to identify tactical and longer-term opportunities that maximise the impact and reach of BookTrust’s work.

Competitor landscape analysis to inform planning and positioning of BookTrust’s schools offers.

1. Organisational Profile and Sector Engagement

Cultivate a strong network of leading experts, advisors, practitioners, consultants and other stakeholders to inform BookTrust’s schools’ strategy and programme design.

Identify and nurture external partnerships that promote awareness and buy-in for BookTrust’s work.

Bring sector insights and knowledge to support BookTrust’s strategic comms and programme marketing for schools, working closely with colleagues from Comms and Marketing Teams.

Confident representing BookTrust at external events, advocating for our work and building profile and awareness.

1. Portfolio Management

Effectively manage BookTrust’s suite of traded programmes for schools, Bookbuzz Secondary, Bookbuzz Primary and Bookspark, to maximise reach, impact and income across the programme life cycle, implementing innovations and continuous improvement to drive uptake.

Identify new opportunities for BookTrust’ work in schools, playing a pivotal role from concept to launch of new products and initiatives, working with Programme Design function to ensure products meet user needs, deliver meaningful outcomes and launch on time and to budget.

Inspire multidisciplinary teams across the organisation to drive the successful delivery of BookTrust’s work in schools, working closely and collaboratively with colleagues from Design and Innovation, Research and Insights, Supply Chain, Books, Marketing, Brand and Comms teams across design and delivery phases.

Build strategic alignment across BookTrust’s broader portfolio of programmes, resources and outputs for schools.

Ensure BookTrust’s school offers reflect the rigour of BookTrust’s insights and evidence base, working closely with colleagues from Research and Insight Teams to deliver this.

1. Income Generation

Develop and execute business plans for traded programmes, to deliver income targets.

Identify and lead strategic initiatives that support market expansion and customer growth for traded programmes.

Innovate to drive awareness and reach for BookTrust’s work in schools.

Contribute to budgeting and forecasting to ensure the financial success and sustainability of traded offers and income delivery for BookTrust’s work in schools, working closely with colleagues from Finance and Operations teams.

In addition to responsibilities relating to the delivery of the above requirements, the postholder will need to be committed to their own personal development; promote BookTrust and its vision and values in all activities, both internally while carrying out duties and externally with stakeholders and the general public; and carry out all duties in line with BookTrust policies and procedures, being prepared to undertake additional reasonable duties as required.

Other Information

The role could be based in either BookTrust’s Leeds or London offices, with an average of 8 days every month to be spent in the office or in face-to-face commitments. The position will require regular travel to BookTrust office bases and to visit and engage with partners and other organisations as needed.

How to ApplyBookTrust

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity

We aim to provide an inclusive recruitment process and actively welcome applications from diverse talent pools: minority ethnic candidates, candidates with disabilities and long-term conditions and candidates from underrepresented communities.

We are committed to equality of opportunity and want to ensure we have an accessible application process for all candidates. If you need any reasonable adjustments or would like us to do anything differently during the application process, please contact our HR team on

HR@booktrust.org.ukto discuss your requirements further.

BookTrust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The recruitment and selection process reflect our commitment to safeguarding therefore, the suitability of all prospective employees will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment, and pre-employment checks.

Job Profile

Job Profile document