John Edwards
Biography
John Edwards was appointed Director General to Regions Group of the Department for Education on 13 June 2022. John has previously held senior posts both within government and in the local government sector.
He began his career as a teacher of mathematics and senior leader in secondary schools, before moving into local government.
His most recent roles include:
- Interim Chief Executive, Education and Skills Funding Agency
- Director of Funding, Education and Skills Funding Agency
- Regional Schools Commissioner, East Midlands and the Humber, DfE
- Director of Education and Skills, Manchester City Council
Director General, Regions Group
The director general is a member of the Department for Education leadership team, and chair of the department’s People Committee.
The director general is responsible for the leadership and day-to-day management of Regions Group. The group is part of the Future DfE transformation and plays a central role in helping to develop policy across the department that reflects local needs and drives our ambition to become a more place-shaping and focused organisation.
The director general is also responsible for leading on the delivery of commitments within the schools white paper, SEND green paper, and the department’s part in delivering the levelling up white paper, as well as delivery of those recommendations taken forward from the care review.
Previous roles in government
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Chief Executive, Education and Skills Funding Agency
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Director, Funding Directorate, ESFA
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Regional Schools Commissioner for East Midlands and the Humber (jobshare)