Deputy Director of Education - Diocese of Brentwood

Deputy Director of Education - Diocese of Brentwood - Essex

£70,000 - £80,000 + TPS - Catholic - Head/Principal
Ref: 149 Date Posted: Thursday 21 May 2026

Deputy Director of Education

Location: Brentwood (Flexible working)
Contract Type: Full Time
Contract Term: Permanent (Term time only)
Start Date: January 2026 or earlier

Emmaus Leadership have been retained by the Diocese of Brentwood to manage the key appointment of a Deputy Director of Education within the diocese.

The Diocese of Brentwood stretches from Harwich to Shoeburyness and Saffron Walden to Canning Town. This comprises the County of Essex, five London Boroughs (Havering, Barking & Dagenham, Newham, Waltham Forest, Redbridge) and two Unitary Authorities of Thurrock and Southend.

The Diocese serves a network of 90 schools: comprising 72 primary and 18 secondary schools, providing for the formation and educational needs of some 40,000 children and young people.

The role of Deputy Director of Education is an inspiring, rewarding and fulfilling position. The successful candidate will join a dedicated and committed team at a significant time for the education sector, for Catholic education nationally, and for the schools and colleges across our own Diocese as we look to serve Bishop Alan and the mission of our Church with Christ as the foundation of our entire educational enterprise.

As Deputy Director you will be expected to establish good relationships with each authority as well as engaging with the Regional Director, DfE, and Ofsted so that our schools and their staff are well served.

The role offers the opportunity to utilise your existing skills, gifts and talents in new and innovative ways as we look to preserve and protect our distinctive educational heritage and history whilst forming and co-constructing an authentically Catholic educational landscape for the future.

We are looking for someone who has:

  • Extensive leadership experience in an education context, at Headteacher level in school/academy/diocesan leadership or local authority/SIP setting.
  • A strong grasp of current educational issues (including CMATs’ evolving role within the parish, diocese and local community)
  • A deep knowledge and understanding of Catholic education as structured in this country

Now is a moment of real opportunity within the educational and Catholic life of the Diocese, which makes this post an extremely attractive and rewarding career opportunity.

A requirement of the post is that applicants must be practising Catholics.

  • Closing: Monday 29 June at 5pm
  • Shortlisting: Wednesday 1 July
  • Interviews: Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 July

For an initial informal chat please call Liam Dowds, our Emmaus Advising Consultant, on 01737 652 043 or email him at ldowds@emmausleadership.me for an Application pack.

All conversations will be held in the strictest confidence.

DO NOT APPLY ONLINE. ALL COMPLETED APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED VIA EMAIL.

The Diocese of Brentwood is an equal opportunities employer and committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. DBS check required.

"Thank you for everything you did to successfully support our recruitment of an outstanding Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher. Using Emmaus Leadership to manage the recruitment to the post was much debated and was the subject of intense scrutiny by our Governing Body who were somewhat reluctant to use a leadership recruitment specialist. However, their confidence was reinstated as a result of your professional approach, your insightful knowledge and the resulting candidate pool produced for both appointments. I have no hesitation in recommending Emmaus to other schools."

Annie Sutton - Executive Principal, St Joseph's RC Specialist School and College

"Could we afford it? My belief, as Chair was that we couldn’t afford not to. We needed strong school leaders to be drawn to apply. Our success was down to using Emmaus and definitely money well spent."

Carry Lynott - Chair of Governors, Our Lady and St Brendan's Catholic Primary School, Bradford

"I have no hesitation in commending Emmaus to any school that is seeking to appoint a Christian Headteacher. In particular, Emmaus’ ability to promote the school, assess the ethos of the school and communicate this within the networks of those who might be considered as possible candidates was invaluable."

Clive Purser, Chair of Governors, St Andrew's CE High School for Boys, Worthing

"Emmaus brings a level of professionalism, seen in other industry sectors, to church schools’ recruitment."

The Rt Rev Nick Baines - Anglican Bishop of Leeds

"I would thoroughly recommend Emmaus for any diocese or MAT seeking to appoint at a senior level in Catholic Education. Should we need help in the future...I would be confident in using Emmaus again."

Bishop Alan Williams sm - Diocese of Brentwood

"…we also considered other external recruiters, but Emmaus were clear favourites in terms of their recruitment expertise and in-depth knowledge and appreciation of the catholic school’s sector."

Peter Giorgio, Director of Education, Nottingham Diocese

"From prospective applicant through to newly appointed CEO at Tenax Schools Trust, I cannot speak highly enough of the services provide by Emmaus.  I recommend Emmaus Leadership without reservation."

Mark Cole, Chief Executive Officer - Tenax Schools Trust

"We are delighted with the appointment we made and I have reported to the whole community that we could not have been more thorough in the search or more rigorous in the selection process. Thank you Emmaus Leadership."

Jacqui Feely, Chair at All Hallows Catholic College, Macclesfield

"This is the second time our Governing Board has used the services of Emmaus Leadership in the successful appointment of a new headteacher and we have no hesitation in recommending them to others."

Rosemary Johnson, Chair of Governors - Lowton CE High School

"Having previously struggled to recruit two Headteachers - for both a Primary and a Secondary school - Emmaus came to the rescue. Their expert advice and deep understanding of recruiting Headship positions in Catholic schools is invaluable, and I have no hesitation in recommending their knowhow and their values."

Fr David Gibbons, Chair of Governors & Parish Priest, Archdiocese of Southwark

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