Description
The Deputy Director, Education Estates Strategy and Policy is a pivotal senior leadership role within the Education Estates Directorate, responsible for leading the implementation of the Education Estates Strategy and ensuring its ambitions translate into tangible outcomes across the education estate.
The postholder will provide strategic leadership across a broad policy portfolio, joining up policy and delivery and championing the Strategy across the Directorate and wider Department. They will work closely with Ministers, Private Office, senior leaders and central strategy and coordination teams, ensuring priorities are effectively developed, communicated and implemented and that intended outcomes and benefits are realised.
As a member of the Education Estates Senior Leadership Team, the postholder will also play an important role in the continued transformation of the Directorate, providing collaborative leadership and supporting an inclusive culture and evidence-based decision making.
The role requires someone who can see the bigger picture, bring clarity to complex issues and provide strong strategic direction, while building relationships and influencing effectively at senior levels.
The education estate is more than its buildings – it is a platform for opportunity, learning and community. With over 22,000 schools and colleges, the education estate supports the outcomes, health and wellbeing of over 10 million children, young people and adult learners.
The aim of this role is to ensure the implementation of the Education Estates Strategy published in February 2026. Through this, we are seeking to maximise the opportunity across the education estate and support Responsible Bodies to ensure schools and colleges are brilliant places to learn in.
The postholder should be a very experienced civil servant with experience of working with Ministers and at a senior level on policy development and implementation. They should have excellent communicating and drafting skills and be experienced in communications and working with press office.
Essential criteria:
- Experienced in setting direction and seeing the bigger picture, creating joined up strategies and plans that have positive impact and add value for stakeholders, citizens and communities.
- Able to demonstrate excellent leadership across a wide portfolio, with experience of changing and improving programmes and policies to ensure impact.
- A proven track record of leading and communicating, influencing senior colleagues, external partners, stakeholders and customers successfully – secure mutually beneficial outcomes.
- Evidence of delivering results, developing clear plans and working with teams to achieve outcomes.
Benefits: Alongside your salary of £86,000, Department for Education contributes £24,914 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. 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.