Susan Matheson

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How Susan Matheson went from a DfE secondment to Chief Operating Officer – and why the Maritime Children’s Foundation still drives her work every day

When Susan Matheson joined Maritime Academy Trust in 2018, she thought she would be staying for just one year. After 17 years as a civil servant with the Department for Education, Susan was looking for an opportunity to try something new. When Maritime's CEO, Nick Osborne, offered her a one-year secondment as Operations Director, she jumped at the chance.

"I wanted a role in a MAT, and in 2018 Nick Osborne offered me a one-year secondment as Operations Director," says Susan. "After a few months I was loving it and asked if I could stay – luckily, Nick said yes!"

Susan is now Maritime's Chief Operating Officer, leading teams across finance, HR, marketing, community engagement and estates, while helping to support schools across the Trust.

One of the things she enjoys most about the role is its variety.

"Being COO of the Trust is awesome, as it's a role I've built over the years, with a brilliant team around me," she says. "The work is about continually improving what we do so we can support our schools even more effectively."

Alongside her role as COO, Susan also helps lead the Maritime Children's Foundation, which provides additional support for children and families across the Trust's communities.

"I've always had a strong commitment to social justice and can't imagine working in a role where I'm not striving to make the world just a little bit better," she says. "Recognising that there's a gap in provision for some children and families – and doing something about it – really appeals to me."

Creating the Foundation is something Susan is particularly proud of, but one of her standout moments at Maritime was opening Ebbsfleet Green Primary School in 2020.

"Seeing the children come into the school on the first day, wearing the uniform I helped design and arriving at the school I helped create... that was pretty special."

Today, it is seeing the impact of the Foundation's work that motivates her most.

"I visited one of our Skills Academy sessions recently and was so moved to see around 40 children having such a great time," she says. "Knowing that our work allows opportunities like this is incredibly exciting, and I can't wait to see what more we can achieve."

Looking ahead, Susan is excited by the power of partnership.

"There are so many organisations that want to work with us," she says. "Together, I believe we can do so much."