The Centre for Education Operational Excellence (CEOE) has appointed Lucy Jones as its new Head of Growth and Engagement.
Joining CEOE on 1 July, Lucy will lead the organisation's engagement with schools, trusts and sector partners, helping to raise awareness of how operational excellence can strengthen educational outcomes by improving the systems and processes that underpin teaching and learning.
Lucy brings more than 20 years' experience across executive search, commercial leadership and education. She began her career recruiting senior operational and technology leaders for global organisations across management consultancy, finance, technology, media and telecoms before founding her own recruitment business.
After a spell in pan-European talent management and community-building roles, she spent a decade in education as a specialist computing and primary school teacher. Lucy later joined a boutique search firm as a founding member and Co-Director advising private equity and venture capital-backed technology businesses in the US and Europe.
Most recently, as Head of Admissions at Akeley Wood School, she gained first-hand experience of organisational growth, integration and operational change during the school's transition from Cognita to Blenheim Schools.
At CEOE, Lucy will focus on building relationships across the sector, growing awareness of operational excellence and supporting schools and trusts to improve efficiency, build capacity and strengthen long-term sustainability.
Lucy Jones, Head of Growth and Engagement, CEOE said:
"I've experienced education from both the classroom and commercial perspectives, and one thing has become increasingly clear to me: operational excellence isn't separate from educational excellence – it enables it.
"Whether it's improving systems, reducing unnecessary bureaucracy or making better use of data and technology, every improvement creates more capacity for leaders to focus on what matters most: improving the life chances of children and young people.
"This feels like exactly the right moment for the sector. As schools and trusts grow in scale and complexity, operational leadership is becoming increasingly important. I'm excited to help shine a spotlight on the pioneering work CEOE is doing and to work with leaders across the sector to build a stronger culture of continuous improvement."
Stephen Morales, Group CEO of CEOE said:
"Lucy's combination of educational, commercial and executive search experience makes her an outstanding addition to the team. She understands the operational challenges schools and trusts face because she has experienced them first-hand, while also bringing insights from organisations where continuous improvement is deeply embedded.
"Her appointment reflects our ambition to help more schools and trusts strengthen the operational leadership that underpins educational success, and we're delighted to welcome her to CEOE."
As part of her role, Lucy will lead CEOE's engagement programme across the education sector, working with leaders through conferences, events, research, thought leadership and professional development opportunities to support the adoption of operational excellence across schools and trusts.
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