What We Do
Whether we are identifying, assessing, or developing your organisation’s leaders, we have proprietary tools to support your goals. These include our Potential Model, which helps clients understand how to identify and unlock their executives’ full capabilities; our Transformative Leadership Framework, a blueprint for leaders to trigger disruptive change; and our Culture Profile, which helps organisations build a culture of successful innovation. We also partner with Mobius Executive Leadership to create our acclaimed invitation-only Executive Breakthrough Programme — a unique and powerful approach to developing your most senior leaders, as well as our Voyager Leadership Development Programme, an in-house, intensive executive leadership programme tailored for your organisation, and Customised Leadership Immersion, an exclusive programme for CEOs to gain greater levels of self-awareness when facing professional crossroads.
Our Service
At FD Partners, we specialise in the headhunting and appointment of senior leaders across the education sector. By working closely with schools, multi-academy trusts, colleges, and universities, we attract, engage, and connect you with the very best leadership talent on the market.
We’re not just here to fill a vacancy — our goal is to deliver leaders who will shape your organisation’s future. Through market insight, sector expertise, and a deep understanding of your strategic priorities, we provide a tailored headhunting service that removes the guesswork from recruitment and ensures every appointment has a lasting impact.
As trusted partners to a wide range of education providers, we understand the unique pressures, challenges, and ambitions facing the sector. Whether you’re scaling a growing MAT, strengthening leadership capacity in a college, or building out a central services team, our role is to help you secure the talent that makes change possible.
Our Approach
Proactive, Outbound Search
We don’t rely on job boards or LinkedIn adverts. At FD Partners, every assignment begins with direct outreach — targeted headhunting powered by deep sector knowledge and meaningful conversations. Our team is speaking daily with high-performing senior leaders across finance, operations, HR, and governance, many of whom might not actively seek new roles but are open to the right opportunity when approached with insight and professionalism. This outbound, relationship-led approach means we consistently access talent that traditional recruitment methods miss
Specialists in Headhunting, Not Just Recruitment
We don’t just fill roles — we solve leadership challenges. Every assignment is treated as a search, not a sift. Our focus is on approaching individuals with the experience, leadership skills, and cultural alignment your organisation needs. Whether you’re seeking a Director of Finance, a Chief Operating Officer, or a Head of HR, we go to market with precision, strategy, and purpose — ensuring the people we present can deliver impact from day one.
Exclusive, Long-Term Partnerships
We deliver our best work when we operate as an extension of your team. That’s why we favour retained and exclusive partnerships, which allow us to fully immerse ourselves in your culture, challenges, and long-term objectives. With exclusivity, you gain priority access, deeper market coverage, and a confidential, quality-driven search process that protects your brand and delivers the leadership capability you need. Our focus isn’t on volume — it’s on outcomes that truly move your organisation forward.