Governance Advisors Job Description

Job Title:Senior Governance Advisors

Employed by:REAch2 and Reach4 Academy Trusts

Salary:£40-47,000, plus LGPS pension

Contract type: 2 x permanent, full-time posts

(part-time applications also considered; nature of work is particularly suited to a term-time contract)

Location:Flexible; postholders will be based out of a REAch2 or

Reach4 academy as near as possible to their home plus will be able to work from home; across the two appointments, we will look to reflect the geographic spread of the two trusts:

REAch2

  • East Anglia:north east Essex Suffolk
  • North Central:north London, south Essex, HertsReading
  • South Central:Croydon, Bexley, Kent Sussex
  • West Midlands:Staffs, Warwickshire, Birmingham Telford

Reach4: initially based in South Yorkshire, developing nationally.

Reporting to:Head of Policy & Governance

Governance Advisors – job description

Context

REAch2 was established in 2012 and is now the largest and most successful primary-only academy trust in the country, operating across Greater London, the South East, East Anglia and the West Midlands. Reach4 was established in 2015, based initially in South Yorkshire and developing a national footprint, to work across both primary and secondary phases. The trusts are both Multi-Academy Trusts, fundamentally autonomous with a small number of members/trustees in common.

As academy trusts, we are accountable to central government and the regulators of both charity and company law for:

•the educational outcomes and welfare of approaching 20,000 children;

•the livelihoods of close to 4,000 employees;

•the management of over £110 million of tax payers’ money each year; and

•the stewardship of public buildings and land worth close to£300 million.

The quality and effectiveness of our governance is pivotal to ensuring all of those resources are used most effectively in delivering the very best learning opportunities for children and best value to the tax payer. In this context, we believe there simply cannot be enough challenge, as a key ingredient for our collective, organisational development and success.

At the heart of governance in our academy trusts is the non-executive team, operating at several different levels, holding the executive to account for their day-to-day management and leadership and the outcomes for pupils that are secured. Ultimate accountability lies with our trustees and the CEO as Accounting Officer, but a fundamental principle for us is that effective governance is best delivered as close as possible to the point of impact of decisions. For this reason we operate a governance policy and structure that delegates significant accountability to our local governors, at individual academy level. Given the growth and scale of the trusts, we have introduced Regional Boards to provide an intermediate level of challenge and scrutiny, led by non-executive Regional Ambassadors who bring a wealth and breadth of professional skills and experience to the role.

For more background, including detailed remits for our Regional Boards, Local Governing Bodies (LGBss), Transition Boards and Intervention Boards, see pages 7-8 and

Main purpose of roles:

The job holders will be responsible for the strategic development of governance across the Trusts,advising both non-executives and other central/regional executive teams, with a particular focus on 2-3 geographical regions. Responsibilities include the following:

1)To provide advice, guidance and support on the effective servicing of the following:

a)Transition Boards and Intervention Boards - part of the conversion/transition process with focus on the governance aspects of the Action Plan for an individualAcademy and the establishment of Local Governing Bodies (LGBs); postholders may act as members of such boards.

b)Regional Boards/Committees - a tier of highly qualified regional non-executive ambassadors who provide oversight and challenge at regional level and review proposed appointments of new trust-appointed local governors.

c)Other Committees, governor forums and associated meetings both in person and on-line.

2)To act as the first point of contact for chairs of governors and clerks on statutory, constitutional or procedural requirements and monitor and communicate changes to the Academy.

3)To assess independent legal advice and input from other third parties where appropriate and consider/communicate implications of any relevant developments in national or trust level policy.

4)To be the first point of contact in all strategic matters relating to governance including succession planning and self-evaluation.

5)To oversee the process for Board and Committee Membership changes and liaise with the New School Network’s Academy Ambassadors service and other avenues to recruit top quality Regional Ambassadors, and liaising within the region for any new headteacher or chair of governor representatives.

6)Provide leadership to the independent contracted clerking service facilitating the maintenance and development of governance best practice for day-to-day activities including agenda preparation, timely distribution of minutes, statutory filings and maintenance of statutory records and registers.

7)To develop and deliver continuous professional development (CPD) for local governors, and Regional Board members, including through leadership of and consultancy with experienced local governors (including two designated National Leaders of Governance) and Regional Ambassadors.

8)To participate in periodic governance reviews which look at governance policy, structure and practice.

Role and responsibilities in more detail

Focusing particularly on 2-3 geographical regions, whilst also shapingstrategic governance developments across the trusts:

a)To lead on providing advice, support and an effective contact point for local governors and their clerksto maximise quality and impact of governance at academy level. This will include:

  1. maintaining a database and related intelligence of local governors and clerks, plus details of committee structures
  2. Providing leadership tochairs of governors and clerks including through regular communications to relay developments, news and opportunities
  3. advising local governors, clerks and members of trust staff on statutory, constitutional or procedural queries relating to governance
  4. liaising with chairs of governor representatives on the Regional Boards to facilitate regular governor forums both in person and on-line
  5. developing and/or facilitating the sharing of useful resources such as protocols, role descriptions, annual planning etc
  6. close support to or direct membership of Transition Boards (part of the academy conversion process/follow-up) particularly in relation to their role in setting up a full LGB
  7. close support to or direct membership of Intervention Boards in those rare cases where the trust (and sometimes DfE) have serious concerns about leadership and standards including the quality of governance
  8. advising on and directly assisting in recruitment of potential local governor candidates and facilitating Regional Board decisions on recommendations for new trust-appointed local governors.

b)To facilitate the optimal operation of the Regional Boards to get the most out of the scrutiny and challenge of our highly qualified regional non-executive tier. This will involve:

  1. recruiting new Regional Board members as and when required, using the New School Network’s Academy Ambassadors service and other avenues to recruit top quality Regional Ambassadors, and liaising within the region for any new headteacher or chair of governor representatives
  2. providing leadership to the independent contracted clerking service and other central/regional teams in the executive to support the effective preparation for, meetings of and follow-up to Regional Boards and committees, in particular the smooth flow of communication with local governors and the trust board
  3. liaising with the chairs of each Regional Board/committee, trustee counterparts and heads of central/regional teams in the executive to facilitate the best possible relationships/links and advise on management of work streamsand specific issues, to ensure governance oversight/challenge – this will on occasion include highly sensitive casework requiring careful liaison both internally and externally
  4. strategic engagement with Regional Boards on succession planning, self-evaluation and the implications of any relevant developments in national or trust level policy, accessing independent legal advice or other third party input where appropriate.

c)To develop and deliver continuous professional development (CPD) for local governors and Regional Board members, including through leadership of and consultancy with our most experienced local governors (including two designated National Leaders of Governance) and Regional Ambassadors:

  1. maintaining an on-going evidence base for the development needs of those involved in local and regional governance
  2. designing and delivering cost-effective, high impact CPD initiatives, both in person and on-line and including mentoring and coaching for new governors especially new chairs. This will involve a strong emphasis on facilitating governor-to-governor support – where appropriate, tailored by role (e.g. chairs/vice-chairs, trust-appointed governors, clerks), by phase (e.g. induction for new governors or Regional Ambassadors) and by region/locality
  3. encouragingand facilitatingexperienced chairs of governors to become National Leaders of Governance, while developing similar in-house systems for peer support internally
  4. providing signposting to and advice on third party information, advice and CPD services for governors.

d)To shape the strategic development of governance within the Trusts, including

  1. advising both non-executives and other central/regional teams on how to involve local and regional governance effectively in key functions and processes
  2. leading on a governance risk framework/process, including active self-assessment by individual LGBs, to inform Regional Board oversight and executive actions
  3. shaping our governance policy review – we are due to review current approach in the summer term, this role would focus on the local and regional engagement in that review and follow-up including high level advice to our trustees on options to refine our policy, structure and practice.

Key Internal Relationships

The academies are the heart of the trusts. Along with other senior managers, the Governance Advisors will develop effective working relationships with headteachers, chairs of governors, other governors and clerks. They will also foster supportive and effective working relationships with members of the relevant Regional Boards, in particular the Chair, the other Regional Ambassadors and the three chair of governor representatives.

The Governance Advisors will be line managed by the Head of Policy and Governance who reports to the Business and Policy Director. They will work closely with the multi-disciplinary regional teams led by our most senior educationalists (Executive Principals within REAch2, Directors of Education within Reach4).

Person specification

Thispersonspecificationoutlinesthecompetenciesexpectedofanexperienced/fully-trainedGovernance Advisor.Thetworight-handcolumnsprovideguidanceon the relative priorities in selecting and appointing candidates to these posts.

Essential qualities:

  • Flexible and prompt approach - ensure issues are dealt with appropriately and effectively.
  • Keen eye for detail
  • Ability to absorb and manage a large volume of information
  • Ability to work to tight deadlines
  • Ateam player with strong /inter-personal and organisational skills.

(E=Essential,D=Desirable)

Theme / Competency / E / D
1 / Skills,knowledge andaptitudes / Youshouldbeabletoprovideevidenceofthefollowing:
•Knowledgeofprinciples of good governance, regardless of sector, with experience of putting principles into practice;
•Knowledgeof governance in the schools sector, educationallegislation,guidanceand legalrequirements;
•Knowledge oftherespectiveroles and responsibilities of key players in Reach governance policy, plus nationally of theTrust,external regulators and other stakeholders;
•Goodlistening,oralandliteracyskills;
•Ability to build relationships and exercise influence
•ICTincludingkeyboardingskills;
•Organisingowntimeandworkingtodeadlines;
•Organisingmeetings including experience of chairing formal meetings;
•Recordkeeping,informationretrievalanddisseminationofgoverningbodydata/documentation,to thegoverningbodyandrelevantpartners;
•Usingtheinternettoaccessrelevantinformation;
•Developingandmaintainingcontactswithoutsideagencies;
•Knowledgeofequalopportunitiesandhumanrightslegislation;
•Knowledgeofdataprotectionlegislation. / E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E / D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D D
2 / Qualifications training and experience / You should:
  • Have a degree or equivalent;
  • Be able to demonstrate your ability to work across geographical and organisational boundaries, including in self-led small groups and more formally defined teams and networks;
  • Be able to demonstrate a willingness and ability to lead your own professional development effectively;
  • Have been a school governor, worked closely with school governors and/or with academy trustees;
  • Have a relevant qualification or have completed relevant accredited training, not necessarily within the schools sector e.g. teaching, training, leadership, inspection, audit
  • Have workedinanorganisational culturerequiring initiative andself–motivation.
/ E
E
E / D
D
D
3 / Personalattributes / Youshould:
•Beapersonofintegrity;
•Beabletomaintainconfidentiality;
•Beabletoremainimpartial;
•Haveaflexibleapproachtoworkinghours;
•Besympathetictotheneedsofothers;
•Be willing and able to drive organisational learning and change
•Haveapositiveattitudetopersonaldevelopmentandtraining;
•Havegoodinterpersonalskills;
•Be confident in engaging with a wide range of often very highly qualified non-executives giving their time with an expectation of being able to have a tangible impact.
•. / EEEEE
E
E
E
E
4 / Specialrequirements / Youmust:
•Beabletoworkattimesconvenientto local governors and Regional Board members, includingeveningmeetings;
•Beabletotraveltomeetings taking place in the regions where the trusts operate, occasionally staying overnight where necessary;
•Be available to be contacted by local governors and Regional Board members at mutually agreed times, including evenings.
•Have a driver’s licence and car and be willing to drive for work particularly when public transport options are lacking; the standard HMRC mileage allowance is payable. / E
E E
E

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Annex: our governance at a glance


Annex: governance communications cycle

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