Portfolio Director - Education, Skills and Employment

St Helena Island, South Atlantic 

3 years FTC available immediately

£80k-£90k pa, depending on experience and qualifications, plus International Supplement 

Enjoying unique lifestyle opportunities, St Helena Island is a self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom. Although better placed to develop economically and socially as a result of opening our international airport in 2017, we are not at the stage of self-sufficiency and therefore remain dependent on UK government aid. 

About the Portfolio 

The Education, Skills and Employment Portfolio is responsible for statutory education provision and lifelong learning, this includes primary and secondary education, lifelong learning, career access and the St Helena Research Institute.  The St Helena Government (SHG) has commenced a decade of education reform and improvement. 

About the role 

The prime focus of the Portfolio Director will be to lead this improvement agenda which will include a reorganization of the way in which Education is delivered across all sectors. You will offer expert professional advice to the Minister for Education, Skills and Employment, and engage with Executive and Legislative Councils, partners and colleagues to deliver the strategic vision. You will own the development of Education, Skills and Employment across primary, secondary and tertiary education plus the lifelong learning sector, including securing COBIS standards in our schools. 

What you’ll do 

Applying your strategic leadership across Education, Skills and Employment, you will define Public Service strategy to develop services that ensure young people are given the best start in life to achieve their potential. As the professional lead for education, you will provide the expertise to ensure effective integration between all functions and services, operating strategically as a member of the Senior Leadership Team and across the Public Service, influencing policies and practice.  

You will also lead the improvement agenda, ensuring resources are utilised imaginatively and cost effectively, enabling a culture of continuous improvement, innovation and evaluation. This will include reviewing and updating Education Ordinance and taking overall accountability for the Portfolio budget.   

What you’ll bring 

Holding a level 6 degree or level 7 masters or with equivalent attainment or experience, you have an appropriate professional qualification, such as a degree in Education or a post-graduate qualification in Education and/ or Education Leadership. 

Your background as a senior manager in Education is extensive and varied, managing organisational experts outside your own professional area and managing complex organisational change processes which have significant resources and strategic impact. You have knowledge and experience of strategic level management and leading high performing teams and of improving efficiency and effectiveness. Your exceptional communication skills, enable you to write policy, plans and complex reports and to engage with employees, managers, partners and elected members. 

In addition, you must demonstrate our core values of fairness, integrity and teamwork and use your diverse expertise and experiences to ensure your time on the Island has the broadest benefit to St Helena.  As an officer funded through the Technical Co-Operation Programme you will be expected to share your knowledge and skills beyond the workplace contributing to workforce, community and capacity development in St Helena. 

Our Benefits Package Includes:

• An International Supplement, full details of which are in the Overseas Vacancy Information at sthelenapublicservicejobs.sh
• Relocation Allowances, full details of which are in the Overseas Vacancy Information at sthelenapublicservicejobs.sh
• Annual Pension Contribution of 7.5% of salary
• Annual Leave of 30 days per annum plus Public Holidays 

How to Apply:

An application form is available at sthelenapublicservicejobs.sh where further information can also be found, or you may contact Kedell Worboys on 0203 818 7610 or via email: shgukrep@sthelenagov.com. 

Applications must be sent to shgukrep@sthelenagov.com and received by 22 March 2025. 

To be considered for this role, you must complete our application form.  Failure to do so will mean that your application will not be considered.  Please do not submit your CV.   

The Public Service positively accepts applications from all members of the community regardless of race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, and will consider all applications on the basis of merit, in accordance with the person specification.