Richard Smith - Meet the team

Richard Smith

Managing Director: Professional Services

Richard is Managing Director of Professional Services at Supporting Education Group, with oversight of Judicium Education, School Business Services and Neo Payroll. He leads the strategic direction and operational performance of these services, ensuring schools and trusts receive expert, reliable support.

Richard brings senior leadership experience across education, HR consulting and legal services. He has worked as an HR Director within multi-academy trusts and independent schools, giving him a strong understanding of the realities school leaders face.

His focus is clear: deliver high-quality services, build sustainable growth and create long-term value for the organisations SEG supports.

Driving growth and transformation

Richard has led business transformation programmes, restructured organisations and developed new service propositions to meet changing sector needs. He combines analytical thinking with practical leadership, enabling teams to deliver consistent results while adapting to new challenges.

His background includes work across education, consulting and the charity sector, as well as media and PR engagement. This breadth of experience strengthens his ability to represent Professional Services at board level and within the wider education community.

Richard’s leadership is grounded in sector knowledge and commercial discipline. He works to ensure that Judicium Education, SBS and Neo Payroll provide trusted, compliant and forward-looking services that help schools and trusts operate with confidence.