13 July 2026
Originally featured in School Management Plus – Academy Trusts Today: Summer 2026 edition
Multi-academy trusts are operating in one of the most complex leadership environments the sector has experienced. Financial pressures, shifting policy expectations, demographic changes, inclusion priorities, and increased scrutiny on governance all mean that leadership capacity has never mattered more. At the same time, the market for exceptional education leaders remains highly competitive, particularly for trusts seeking individuals who can lead through ambiguity while maintaining organisational culture and educational standards.
Against this backdrop, recruitment can no longer be viewed as a transactional exercise. The most effective trusts are increasingly treating recruitment partners as strategic advisers, rather than one off suppliers, drawing on their market intelligence, benchmarking expertise, succession planning support and understanding of the leadership landscape to inform long-term organisational decisions – this strategic support is becoming a service in its own right.
Moving beyond vacancy filling
Historically, many recruitment relationships within education have been reactive. A resignation is received, a role profile is drafted, and an agency is commissioned to source candidates. While this remains an important operational function, it only scratches the surface of the value an experienced search and recruitment partner can bring.
The strongest recruitment consultancies are constantly engaging with the market. They’re speaking daily with CEOs, CFOs, trustees, governance professionals, school improvement leaders, and emerging executive talent, providing them with a unique perspective on the themes, concerns, and ambitions shaping the sector.
For trusts, this access to real-time market intelligence can be invaluable.
These are not questions that arise only during recruitment campaigns. They’re strategic questions that inform trust design, organisational effectiveness, and future planning.
Using market intelligence to inform decision-making
Recruitment specialists often have visibility across multiple trusts simultaneously and can identify emerging trends earlier than individual organisations. For example, many trusts are now reassessing central team structures in response to growth and financial efficiency pressures. Roles linked to estates, digital transformation, inclusion, safeguarding, and people strategy are becoming increasingly prominent at executive level.
A strategic recruitment partner can help Boards and CEOs benchmark their own structures against the wider market. That benchmarking is not solely about salary – although remuneration insight is clearly important – it is also about role scope, reporting lines, leadership responsibilities, and organisational design.
Trusts considering growth can particularly benefit from this external perspective. As organisations scale, leadership models that worked effectively for a smaller trust may no longer provide sufficient capacity or clarity. Independent benchmarking enables Boards to make informed decisions about future leadership investment rather than relying solely on internal precedent.
Candidates increasingly assess organisations in sophisticated ways. They want clarity on culture, strategic direction, governance relationships, professional development, and organisational maturity. Recruitment partners who understand candidate motivations can help trusts position themselves more effectively in the market.
Supporting succession planning before it becomes urgent
Succession planning remains one of the greatest strategic challenges facing the education sector. A robust succession strategy is also a key indicator of a high-performing multi-academy trust. The Confederation of School Trusts has consistently highlighted succession planning as a critical component of organisational sustainability, reflecting the need for trusts to build leadership capacity deliberately rather than rely on individual postholders.
Many trusts continue to rely heavily on a small number of experienced leaders, while the pipeline into executive leadership remains fragile in some areas. Yet succession planning is still too often discussed only once a departure has been announced. An experienced recruitment partner can play a significant role in helping trusts think more proactively about leadership succession.
This external lens can be especially useful for Boards. Internal leadership discussions can understandably become shaped by familiarity and existing organisational dynamics. A trusted external adviser can challenge assumptions constructively and provide evidence-based observations about the broader leadership market.
Succession planning should also extend beyond CEO appointments. Executive education leadership, finance, operations, governance, estates, and HR leadership all represent critical organisational risk areas if succession pipelines are weak.
Strategic recruitment partners can support talent mapping exercises, advise on leadership development priorities, and help trusts assess where future gaps may emerge. In doing so, they contribute not simply to recruitment outcomes, but to organisational resilience.
A role in trust growth and partnership conversations
As the sector continues to evolve, collaboration and structural change remain high on the agenda. Trust growth, federation arrangements, and merger discussions are increasingly common as organisations seek sustainability, shared expertise, and stronger regional impact.
With visibility across trusts, recruitment partners can provide objective insight into organisational compatibility during growth, partnership or merger discussions. Of course, merger conversations are highly sensitive and must always be approached carefully. However, having access to a trusted adviser with broad market visibility can help trusts think more strategically about alignment and compatibility.
Cultural fit, leadership style, governance philosophy, operational maturity, and long-term vision are all critical considerations in any successful partnership. Recruitment specialists with deep sector knowledge are often well placed to help facilitate early stage thinking and provide objective insight into organisational compatibility.
Benchmarking appraisals and executive performance
Another area where recruitment partners can add strategic value is executive appraisal and performance benchmarking. Boards are increasingly seeking robust, evidence-based approaches to executive performance management, yet benchmarking leadership performance within education can be challenging because trust structures and contexts vary significantly.
It is also important to recognise that Boards themselves have life-cycles. Regular reviews and skills audits are essential to ensure the Board has the right blend of experience and capability for the trust’s current stage of strategy delivery and future planning. This is another area where a strategic recruitment partner can add value, offering external perspective on governance capability and helping identify where new expertise may be needed over time.
A specialist recruitment partner can help contextualise executive expectations by providing comparative market insight. What objectives are other CEOs being measured against? How are trusts structuring executive appraisal processes? What governance approaches are proving effective? How are leadership competencies evolving?
This intelligence can support more informed and balanced appraisal conversations. It can also help Boards ensure that executive expectations remain ambitious but realistic within current sector conditions.
Additionally, external benchmarking can support leadership retention. Exceptional leaders want to understand how their organisation compares within the wider market and whether they are being developed appropriately. Strategic recruitment insight can help trusts remain competitive and responsive.
Top tips for selecting the right recruitment partner
Not all recruitment partners operate in the same way, and for trusts seeking a genuinely strategic relationship, selecting the right partner is critical. The most effective partnerships are built on trust, challenge, credibility, and long-term understanding. Some key considerations include:
Look for sector depth, not just recruitment expertise: A strong partner should understand the education landscape in detail including governance, funding pressures, policy direction, and leadership challenges specific to trusts. The ability to speak credibly with both Boards and candidates matters.
The best recruiters are not simply advertising roles; they are actively engaging with passive talent and maintaining long-term relationships across the sector. Ask how they map markets and identify candidates beyond active applicants.
Choose a partner willing to challenge constructively: Strategic advisers should provide honest feedback, even where it may be uncomfortable. Whether discussing remuneration, organisational reputation, or role design, trusts benefit from partners who bring evidence-based challenge rather than simply agreeing with assumptions.
Evaluate their understanding of culture and values: Technical capability alone does not secure successful appointments. The right partner should invest time understanding organisational culture, leadership style, and strategic ambition to ensure long-term alignment.
Look beyond individual appointments: The strongest recruitment relationships extend beyond a single campaign. Consider whether the partner can also support benchmarking, succession planning, leadership assessment, governance advice, and broader organisational strategy.
Building long-term strategic relationships
Ultimately, the most successful recruitment partnerships are built over time. Trusts that engage proactively with recruitment advisers rather than only during periods of immediate need are often better positioned to respond to change. They gain ongoing access to market intelligence, talent insight, benchmarking data, and external perspective that can strengthen strategic decision-making.
Equally, recruitment partners who truly understand a trust’s culture, values, and ambitions are better able to represent the organisation authentically in the market. That depth of understanding leads to stronger candidate alignment and more successful long-term appointments – they become a strategic asset.
In an increasingly complex education landscape, leadership remains the defining factor in organisational success. Recruitment, therefore, cannot sit solely within an operational HR function, it must form part of wider strategic thinking about growth, sustainability, governance, and culture.
Anderson Quigley’s Schools Practice supports schools and trusts with executive and Board appointments, governance reviews and effectiveness audits, succession planning, and broader advisory support. Working across multi-academy trusts of different sizes and stages of growth, the practice is designed to act as a critical friend and strategic adviser, helping organisations secure the leadership, governance, and capacity they need for the future.
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Hayley has supported the education sector for the last ten years, providing executive search and interim and consultancy solutions to Independent Schools, Academy Trusts, FE Colleges, and Universities. Her specialty is understanding the education sector and connecting talent that is passionate about providing high quality inclusive education. Hayley has built a track record with education leaders and helped many organisations identifying top talent.
Hayley has a passion for education, she is a governor for MAT working closely with the head and trust leaders to ensure excellent levels of education. She previously worked closely with England Rugby Schools to deliver inclusive sport in schools and has strong understanding of the curriculum.
You can email her at hayley.mintern@andersonquigley.com or connect with her on LinkedIn.
