EPM Thought Leaders Series: Recruitment - Developing a strong employer brand and a positive candidate journey

13/05/2025
2 - 3pm
Free to attend for EPM and non-EPM customers, and MATNetwork members

LOCATION Virtually through Microsoft Teams

RECOMMENDED FOR Trust CEOs, CFOs, HR Directors, School Headteachers and Business Managers

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How to maximise candidate attraction and conversion

Recruitment in education continues to be a significant challenge. This session will explore what really attracts candidates in today’s competitive market, discuss common recruitment pitfalls to avoid, and identify simple, actionable changes that can increase attraction and conversion rates.

Whether you're struggling to fill vacancies or looking to improve your recruitment strategy, this session will provide practical insights and strategies to enhance your hiring process and attract top talent.

We’ll be asking attendees about the most effective ways to market your School or Trust, the changes they've implemented in their recruitment processes, and the strategies that have yielded the best results.

Join our panel to discuss your experiences, ideas, and solutions.

We'll be discussing: 

  • The recruitment challenge

  • What attracts and deters candidates in today's market

  • Considerations for the competition and your candidate pool

  • How to ensure good candidates are not lost during the recruitment process

  • Simple changes that can be made to increase attraction and conversion.


Why attend?

  • Gain insights: Hear from sector colleagues about the growing challenges and how they impact schools financially and operationally. 

  • Collaborate: Engage in meaningful discussions with peers about overcoming barriers. 

  • Innovate: Discover new ideas and best practices for managing key challenges successfully. 


Chaired by EPM, with input from sector experts, these panel discussions offer a unique opportunity for you to air your challenges, share your experiences, discuss ideas, ask questions and take part in polls in a supportive and open forum. 

We recognise that many senior leaders often experience a sense of isolation. With a limited number of peers to turn to for advice, feedback, or even reassurance, it can be challenging to feel confident that you're on the right path.

But we know that there is a wealth of expertise out there: creative and strategic thought leaders who are finding innovative strategies to deal with the challenges faced by the sector.  

These sessions provide a safe sounding board and an opportunity to discuss topical issues and challenges, share solutions or simply listen in and pick up ideas to take back to your schools and trusts. 

Whether you're a seasoned leader with ideas to share or someone looking to gain actionable insights and fresh ideas, these sessions are designed with you in mind.

 

Meet your host and panel

  • Your Host

    Jen Elliott

    Chief Executive Officer, EPM
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    Having joined the company in 1995 and worked her way up through the business, Jen was appointed CEO in 2017. Jen brings considerable experience of working within the education sector, having worked with some of the UK’s largest MATs. She has supported academy leaders and CEOs with complex staffing issues and worked with the DfE on some of the first MAT conversion projects.

  • Your Host

    Lauren McGuire

    EPM
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    Having initially trained and taught as a primary teacher, Lauren has been with EPM for nearly 7 years and has spent the last 15 years working closely with schools and MATs to improve support services, improve efficiencies and find effective solutions. She now works within our product team and regularly engages with schools and MATs to better understand the sector’s challenges and needs, ensuring that our services are tailored to meet market demands, which is how these sessions were born.
  • Your Host

    Mark Davis

    Blue Apple Education
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    Mark Davis is a highly experienced director, workshop presenter, keynote speaker, and the host of "Out of The Blue," a popular podcast dedicated to school marketing. As the Director of Blue Apple Education, since 2016, Mark has worked closely with school and Trust leaders across the UK to enhance their branding, leading to Trust growth, improved admissions and better staff recruitment outcomes.

    Mark delivers in-person workshops which focus on empowering school leaders with the tools and insights needed to revolutionise their marketing strategies. His sessions are highly regarded for offering practical advice and actionable insights that help schools elevate their presence and outreach.

    In addition to his role at Blue Apple Education, Mark Davis is the co-founder of MATNetworks, a transformative initiative designed to support Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) leaders across the UK. Launched in January 2025, MATNetworks aims to provide a platform for MAT leaders and aspiring leaders to connect, collaborate, and share best practices. Through local forums and conferences, Mark and his team facilitate the exchange of advice and insights, helping to foster strong networks of support within the education sector.