Paul Whiteman has been confirmed as the next general secretary of the NAHT heads’ union.
Mr Whiteman, who has worked as the NAHT’s director of representation and advice for the last five years, was announced as the union’s preferred candidate for the role earlier this month.
The two week window in which other candidates could come forward to challenge for the leadership closed this afternoon, so he is now officially “general secretary-designate” of the 29,000 strong union.
Mr Whiteman will take over in September from Russell Hobby, who in January announced he was stepping down after seven years at the helm.
The straightforward transition at the NAHT contrasts with the Association of School and College Leaders earlier this year, when the executive’s preferred candidate, Chris Kirk, was challenged and beaten by headteacher Geoff Barton in the first general secretary election in the union’s history.
A professional trade unionist, Mr Whiteman spent nearly 11 years representing senior civil servants at the FDA union before joining NAHT.
In an exclusive first interview appearing in this week’s Tes magazine, he discusses his background and what his priorities will be for the union.
“I never knew I would fall in love with school leaders - they didn’t love me much when I was coming through the system I can tell you - but seeing what they do on a day to day basis inspires me,” he told Tes.
