The role

We’re looking for an outstanding, passionate and credible District School Effectiveness Adviser (DSEA) to join our Primary Education Services team. In this influential role, you will support and challenge school leaders, drive school improvement, and contribute to raising outcomes for children across a designated district in Hertfordshire.

You will have the necessary skills and understanding to enable you to support, monitor and challenge schools. In addition, you will lead and collaborate with other advisers and external 
partners on school improvement initiatives.

This is a high‑impact role where professional credibility, strong leadership and a deep commitment to improving outcomes for all pupils - particularly the most vulnerable - are essential.

Our ‘working from anywhere’ approach provides colleagues the opportunity to work flexibly in line with their role requirements. This consists of working on-site across various schools and settings in Hertfordshire and neighbouring counties, remote working and, if desired, up to two days per week in our Head Office in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. Occasional visits to our Head Office will be required for meetings. The ability to reach different locations by car will be essential for this role. If you drive, then a full driving licence and appropriate car insurance will be required. As there is a permanent home working element to this role, you will need to ensure you are equipped for home working.

If you would you like to know more information about this opportunity, further information can be found in the job outline.

For an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact Heidi Otranen via telephone (07580 744501) or email (Heidi.Otranen@hfleducation.org).
 

Benefits
  • 28 days annual leave (rising to 31 following five years’ service)  plus bank holidays
  • A range of additional leave (compassionate, emergency, pregnancy related sickness, and disability leave for appointments)
  • Pension scheme (10% employer contribution)
  • Life assurance
  • Cycle to Work scheme
  • Learning and development opportunities including academic sponsorship
  • Occupational sick/maternity/adoption pay
  • Access to HFL Extras, our online platform with a wide range of savings, discounts and cashback opportunities
  • Paid leave entitlement to undertake voluntary work; we especially encourage school governors
  • Hybrid flexible working with support on commuting expenses
  • Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), which provides advice and support, including a counselling service
  • Access to Mental Health First Aiders
  • Modern office facilities with secure parking
How to apply

To apply, please email your HFL application form along with your cover letter to hfl.recruitment@hfleducation.org by 22nd November 2026, alternately apply via our website below.

Please also complete and submit the HFL Equal opportunities monitoring form.

As part of our move towards eradicating unconscious bias within the recruitment process, we ask that you follow the guidance stated in the application forms.

Apply for this position

At a glance

  • Contract: Permanent

  • Hours: 37 hours per week, 52 weeks per year

  • Salary: Up to £71,000

  • Location:  Hybrid working including remote working. Flexibility is required to work across educational settings in Hertfordshire, and neighbouring areas, along with occasional visits to our office in Stevenage

  • Closing date: 22nd November 2026 by midnight

  • Interview date: 3rd December 2026

  • Start date: 12th April 2027

Job outline

District School Effectiveness Adviser - job outline
PDF
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Contact us

hfl.recruitment@hfleducation.org

We are a committed Disability Confident employer and a signatory of the BITC Race at Work Charter reflecting our continuing commitment to be unbiased across our recruitment and workplace practices.

We actively encourage suitably qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply and to join us. We use an anonymous application process to ensure we always select candidates based on their skills and competencies. When two or more candidates have equal merit, the candidate with protected characteristics will have an advantage over others. This tie-breaker approach is described as positive action in the Equality Act 2010 and we believe strongly in the power of overcoming disadvantage.

If you are invited to interview, please be prepared to discuss the subject of unconscious bias with us. These conversations are extremely useful in giving us an idea of what working together will be like.

HFL is an equal opportunities employer, committed to building and celebrating an environment that is inclusive and equitable, in which everyone can flourish, regardless of race, age, sexuality, gender, disability, or status.