Delegate for Education

Job Title: Delegate for Education Hours: This is a 0.4fte post (= 2 days a week; 7 hours/day) Contract: Permanent Salary: £70k/pa pro rata (= £28k/pa for 0.4fte post) Line Manager: Jesuit Provincial Location: Flexible Starting Date: 1st September 2021 or by negotiation

The Delegate for Education is the executive lead on Jesuit schools, and primary and secondary education, on behalf of the Provincial Superior of the British Province of the Society of Jesus.

The British Province has eleven schools: six preparatory/primary and four secondary:

 St Aloysius College (independent secondary day school in Glasgow)  St Aloysius College Junior School (independent primary day school in Glasgow)  Stonyhurst College (independent day & boarding school in Lancashire near Preston)  St Mary’s Hall (independent day & boarding preparatory school in Lancashire at Stonyhurst College)  St Joseph’s School (maintained VA primary school in Lancashire at Hurst Green near Stonyhurst)  Mount St Mary’s College (independent day & boarding school in Derbyshire near Chesterfield)  Barlborough Hall School (Independent day preparatory school in Derbyshire near Mount St Mary’s)  St Ignatius College (maintained VA boys’ secondary school in Enfield, north London)  Wimbledon College (maintained VA boys’ secondary school in Wimbledon, south London)  Donhead Preparatory School (independent boys’ day preparatory school in Wimbledon)  St John’s Beaumont (independent boys’ day & boarding preparatory school in Old Windsor, Berkshire)

The Delegate for Education is also the Schools Commissioner with regard to the Society’s three Voluntary Aided (VA) schools in England.

The Province also provides resources and formation for diocesan schools as requested and participates actively in the national provision of Catholic education in England and Wales, and in Scotland.

Job Description

The responsibilities of the Delegate for Education include:

1. Maintaining and developing a wide and current knowledge of:

a. Jesuit education, both within the British Province and internationally; b. the education landscape in the UK, in both maintained and independent sectors; c. the Catholic education world at both local and national levels;

in order to advise and assist the Provincial and his consultors and the Jesuit trustees; and represent the Province’s inward and outward facing involvement in schools and education at primary and secondary levels.

2. Promoting the Jesuit identity and mission of the schools by maintaining contact with, and support for, the eleven Jesuit school of the province, especially for individuals in key positions including Chairs of Governors and governors, Headteachers and school leadership teams, Heads of religious education and teachers of religious education, and lay and priest Chaplains; and

3. Representing the Provincial to bishops and dioceses concerning Jesuit schools in their territories; including liaison for diocesan inspections of schools.

4. Managing the appointment of foundation/trustee governors to the schools on behalf of the Provincial and Jesuit trustees.

5. Representing the Jesuit schools at a national level through relations with key national bodies including the Catholic Education Service (CES), the National Board of Religious Advisors and Inspectors (NBRIA), the Scottish Catholic Education Service (SCES), Religious Orders in Education (ROE), the Executive Leadership Formation Programme (Formatio) of the Bishops’ Conference, and the Conference of Independent Catholic Schools (CISC).

6. Representing the British Province at the Jesuit European Committee for primary and Secondary Education (JECSE), the European network of Jesuit schools, and, through JECSE, participating in, and contributing to, the worldwide network of Jesuit schools.

7. Being a first point of contact for enquiries concerning the schools and Jesuit education.

8. Providing support and coordination for Jesuits, including Jesuits in formation, assigned to work in the schools of the province.

9. Providing support for Associate Jesuit Schools and schools interested in developing closer links with the Society and network of Ignatian schools.

10. Liaising with the Jesuit Institute and its Director in promoting and providing formation, training and resources to schools, including the induction programme Shared Vision; and working closely with the Schools Officer (who is a member of the Jesuit Institute team) to support and direct his/her work.

11. Assisting the Provincial in his periodic visitation of the schools.

12. Providing such information and reports to the Provincial and Jesuit trustees as may be required from time to time; and implementing such arrangements with regard to the schools as may be determined from time to time by the Provincial and Jesuit trustees.

Person Specification

The successful applicant for this post . . .

1. Must be committed to and enthusiastic about Catholic education with a personal vision of Catholic schools as part of the mission of the Church and the proclamation of the gospel; committed to the building up of the Church through education; as such the successful applicant will be a practising Roman Catholic;

2. Must have significant experience of leadership in Catholic schools (either secondary or primary) – most likely at headship level;

3. A wide, deep and current knowledge of both the educational landscape and, specifically, the Catholic education world in the UK; and committed to maintaining and extending this knowledge throughout his/her time in post;

4. Must be able to lead, inspire and influence leaders and staff in the Jesuit schools and other Catholic schools, working collaboratively with school leadership teams and governors;

5. Must be a self-starter and highly organized, capable with IT;

6. Must be articulate and able to present confidently to audiences in a variety of contexts;

7. Is likely to be familiar with Jesuit schools and Jesuit education, the wider work of the Society of Jesus in the UK and internationally, and Ignatian spirituality; (however, for those not familiar with the Jesuit world, application is still welcome based on experience in Catholic schools, or the schools of other Religious Orders, with a willingness to be inducted into Jesuit education);

8. Is likely to have demonstrated the ability to work in a team, in a wide variety of contexts, with commitment, humility and humour;

9. May have experience of academization.

The Post

This post is part time (0.4fte = 2 days/week) and requires flexibility in days/hours worked.

Appointment is subject to an enhanced DBS safeguarding check, participation in regular safeguarding training, and compliance with the safeguarding policies and procedures of the Jesuit Province and the individual schools.

This post requires travel in the UK and Europe.

The Delegate for Education can work from anywhere in the UK provided that travel to the schools and to London, where the Provincial Curia is located, is feasible.

The postholder must be a practising Roman Catholic in good standing with the Roman Catholic Church. Exemption from the Equality Act 2010 is claimed because the Delegate for Education is expected to lead and speak from his/her own faith experience. The post is a major position of leadership within the Catholic Church and the Society of Jesus.

We welcome informal enquiries/discussion about this post. In the first instance, please contact Fr Adrian Porter SJ at [email protected]

Applicants should complete the application form, and write a letter of application, and supply the names of three referees (two professional and one priest’s reference). The application form is available online: http://jesuitinstitute.org/Jobs/Delegate.htm

The closing date for applications is Friday 19th March 2021.