The new role, which will report directly to managing director Keith Ireland, is being created as part of a Type=articles;Articleid=5773;Title=wider restructure of the council's senior management team;.
In recent years the education department has been managed by a director with joint responsibility for education and enterprise - but it has now been decided that education will be overseen at an officer level by a dedicated director - working alongside the cabinet member for schools, skills and learning.
There have been encouraging signs of improvement this year with the latest Government performance data showing improving Early Years Foundation Stage, Phonics and Key Stage 1 and 2 outcomes for children aged between 5 and 11 in the city.
This comes a year after education standards watchdog Ofsted named Wolverhampton as having the fewest number of good and outstanding primary schools anywhere in the country.
Since then the council has introduced an intensive improvement programme which has seen a dedicated team visit various local schools to provide support, share best practice and develop learning materials. The schools are also working closely alongside one another within cluster groups.
The council has also put in place rigorous monitoring systems focussed on improving standards and identifying underperforming schools so that it can offer support as necessary.
The proposal to create a new director of education will go to cabinet councillors next week for approval as part of a senior management restructure across the council that will save taxpayers £502,000 a year.
Councillor Roger Lawrence, Leader of Wolverhampton City Council, said: "We are absolutely committed to working with schools to raise standards for the children of our city. It is the responsibility of schools themselves to deliver the highest standards, but our role is to offer support to make that happen and challenge where necessary to ensure that it does.
"There are encouraging early signs that our intensive school improvement programme is bearing fruit and performance in early years and primary is improving considerably. By creating the role of director of education, we are demonstrating just how important continued improvement is. We want our children to be attending some of the very best schools in the country.
"I would like to pay tribute to and commend the efforts of headteachers, governing bodies, school staff, parents and children for the progress made over the past 12 months. This forward momentum must continue and I hope the creation of a new director of education offers an assurance to everyone that the council is committed to schools and education in Wolverhampton."
- released: Wednesday 5 November, 2014