Jane Cunliffe is Chief Operating Officer at the Department for Education in the civil service. She is responsible for several functions that support both DfE and the wider education and skills sector, including capital programmes, digital, data and technology, HR, finance, commercial, and estates.

Jane is also on the DfE Leadership Team and acts as the Leadership Team sponsor for the Education and Skills Funding Agency. Prior to this role, Jane was Chief Financial Officer for Oxfam GB, leading finance, legal, and governance functions and managing the impact of the Covid pandemic on Oxfam’s operations, including the retail network.

Jane started her career in the civil service in the Department for Education, and worked at Cabinet Office, HM Treasury and the Department for Work and Pensions.

She has held two voluntary roles – a prior role as trustee for the Howard Partnership Trust, a multi-academy trust in Surrey, and is currently a trustee and chair of the Audit and Risk Committee at St Mungo’s homelessness charity.