Description:
As Ark plans its strategy for the next decade, the Director of Strategy will lead the development of the trust’s strategic plan, including developing our underpinning operating plans and the design and implementation of trust-wide planning processes. You will build and deploy a small strategy team to support this work and to resource strategic projects to drive improvements in our schools and ventures.
Key Responsibilities:
- Work as part of Ark’s Management Team to ensure that an ambitious and innovative strategy for 2024 onwards is effectively developed and then embedded across the organisation
- Responsible for shaping the organisational strategic plan and for the design and delivery of its underpinning operating plan
- Define the key performance indicators, in collaboration with directors and heads of teams, that underpin the strategic plan. Working with the IT, Systems and Data team to ensure that robust systems and processes are in place to support the production of these metrics
- Guide analysis and evaluation of strategic opportunities and options, and support strategic decision-making with data, insights, and expert advice
- Actively drive a collaborative and inclusive working culture that values transparency and data-informed decision-making
- Review, streamline and harmonise processes and ways of working to ensure high quality across our operations, advance innovation and ensure teams work with agility and collaboratively across trust
- Ensure excellent and productive relationships with teams and colleagues across the trust
Key Requirements:
- Demonstrable record of achievement leading the strategy function or strategy projects in a large and complex organisation
- A track record of successfully forming high-performing teams, leading, and motivating others whilst ensuring inclusivity and strong evidence of continuous professional development
- Experience of working with, coordinating, and influencing a wide range of internal and external stakeholder groups at different levels of seniority
- Has the ability to develop and transform strategy into implementation to deliver significant change
- Outstanding strategic thinker, able to scope and evaluate options and find solutions, adeptly juggling across multiple projects
- Confident and highly credible with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels
- Flexible, highly organised, detail oriented and thorough
- Able to handle complex situations and multiple responsibilities simultaneously, aligning long-term projects with the urgency of immediate demands