Regional Director

The Regional Director is a senior leadership role responsible for the overall success of schools within the Central Region. This position holds full accountability for commercial performance, academic excellence, and operational integrity across the portfolio. The Regional Director drives enrolment growth, financial results, and ensures each school delivers an exceptional experience for students and parents while upholding the organization’s mission, values, and brand. Reporting to the Director of Operations or CEO, this role leads Principals, Heads of School, and regional functional teams in academics, operations, finance, marketing, business development, and administration. The Regional Director also fosters strong stakeholder relationships and ensures compliance with quality, safeguarding, and legal standards.

Key Responsibilities

Regional Strategy and Growth:
Develop and implement the regional campus expansion and consolidation plans, including site approvals, relocations, and capacity increases aligned with the five-year growth strategy. Approve major commercial agreements such as leases, land acquisitions, and joint ventures, ensuring financial benchmarks are met before Board submission. Conduct environmental scanning, including PESTLE and market competitor analysis, to identify growth opportunities and protect market share. Manage learning environments, resources, and facilities to support projected pupil growth while staying compliant with evolving legislation.

Academic Excellence:
Oversee teaching staff performance, curriculum planning, and annual educational programs to maintain high-quality education standards. Ensure alignment with the SIQA framework and foster connections with global educators and business leaders to incorporate best practices into regional academic plans.

People, Stakeholder Management, and Succession Planning:
Serve as the public face of the region, maintaining effective communication with the Board, government bodies, parents, students, media, and employees. Build and maintain positive relationships with landlords to safeguard business continuity and brand reputation. Identify, develop, and retain talent across the region, establishing clear targets and job descriptions. Own the succession planning for key leadership roles to ensure continuity and minimize key person risk.

Financial Management:
Lead the annual business plan, long-term strategic planning, and self-evaluation processes for schools, aligning growth with demographic trends and financial benchmarks. Manage regional capital expenditure (Capex), operational expenditure (OPEX), profit and loss (P&L), and financial ratios to optimize profitability and sustainable growth.

Operational Excellence:
Implement effective performance management systems, self-evaluation, and continuous improvement processes across all functions. Identify and mitigate operational risks promptly and optimize quality management calendars in line with academic year requirements.

Quality Assurance and Legal Compliance:
Ensure all schools comply with safeguarding responsibilities, legislative requirements, and statutory obligations. Enforce adherence to legal guidelines and internal policies to uphold business ethics, governance, and organizational legality.

Business Growth, Enrolment, and Parent Experience:
Maximize capacity utilization and meet regional enrolment and revenue targets. Identify new revenue streams and expansion opportunities based on demographic demand. Champion an exceptional student and parent experience to drive retention, referrals, and brand strength by monitoring satisfaction and student outcomes.

Required Qualifications

- Master’s degree in Education, Public Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret KPIs and implement data-driven strategies.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management capabilities.
- Proven commercial and financial acumen, including managing P&L, Capex, and OPEX at a regional level.

Experience

- Minimum of 10 years in educational leadership, with at least 3 years in regional or school network management.
- Demonstrated success in improving academic performance, financial sustainability, and operational efficiency.

Additional Requirements

- This role requires extensive travel across the Central Region to effectively manage and support all schools within the portfolio.