13th October 2026
St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust based in Liverpool comprising of six primary and four secondary academies needed to recruit an outstanding Chief Operating Officer to join its senior leadership team.
St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust based in Liverpool comprising of six primary and four secondary academies needed to recruit an outstanding Chief Operating Officer to join its senior leadership team.
Recognising the importance of the appointment, the trust wanted to reach beyond the active candidate market and engage experienced senior leaders who may not have been actively considering their next move.
Edwin People were appointed to deliver a comprehensive executive recruitment campaign having already worked closely with CEO Andrew Truby providing ongoing support focused on the trusts continued growth.
This gave our team a deep understanding of the trust’s value, ambitions and culture allowing us to be best placed to conduct a national executive search with targeted candidate engagement and a professionally managed selection process.
Working closely with the trust, we developed the job description, person specification, recruitment advert and campaign messaging, ensuring the opportunity was positioned effectively within the senior leadership market.
Alongside the advertising campaign, our executive recruitment team led a national search, proactively identifying and approaching potential candidates from across the country. This included detailed candidate engagement to assess experience, aspirations and organisational fit, while providing candidates with a clear understanding of the trust and the opportunity.
Edwin People managed engagement throughout the campaign and supported the trust through the interview and assessment stages, helping to deliver a professional, robust and well-organised recruitment process.
The national search and recruitment campaign resulted in over 20 applications and five candidates being interviewed, the trust successfully secured an outstanding Chief Operating Officer.
By combining advertising with proactive executive search and detailed candidate engagement, Edwin People helped the trust access a broader senior leadership market and provided support throughout the journey, from defining and positioning the opportunity through to assessment and appointment.
"The recruitment of a senior executive is one of the most important decisions an organisation can make, and Edwin People was instrumental in helping us secure an outstanding Chief Operating Officer.
Working in partnership with us, Edwin People developed a job description and person specification tailored to our requirements and strategic priorities. Dion then oversaw the recruitment process from start to finish, demonstrating professionalism, integrity and a relentless focus on quality.
He managed candidate engagement exceptionally well, maintained excellent communication throughout and ensured that our interview and assessment process was robust, well organised and professionally delivered. His positive attitude, proactive approach and meticulous attention to detail made him a trusted partner throughout the recruitment.
I would not hesitate to recommend Dion and Edwin People to organisations seeking expert support in the recruitment of senior leaders."
Andrew Truby, Chief Executive Officer, St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust
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