Governance & Compliance Officer

University Of Chichester (Multi) Academy Trust; Chichester; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

The University Of Chichester (Multi) Academy Trust seeks a professional governance and compliance administrator to provide effective clerking and support across the Trust and its Partnership Hubs.

You will advise Trustees and Governors on governance legislation, maintain statutory records, coordinate meetings and papers, produce minutes, monitor actions, and ensure information is published in line with statutory and Trust requirements.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of governance legislation and statutory guidance.
• Experience supporting boards, committees and governors.
• Strong administrative and minute-taking skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide accurate governance advice to Trustees and Governors.
• Coordinate governance self-evaluation, training and disclosures.
• Prepare agendas, papers and concise minutes for meetings.
• Maintain governance records and publish information in line with requirements.
• Support policy framework development and compliance monitoring.

Job description

Function of the post:

To provide professional, effective and consistent governance and compliance support across the Trust and its designated Partnership Hub(s). The postholder will support the Trust Board, its committees and Local Governing Bodies (LGBs), ensuring that governance arrangements, statutory records, policies, meetings, panels and published information meet Trust, academy and legal requirements. The role will work closely with the Trust Governance & Compliance Manager, Company Secretary, Executive and Central Teams, Trustees, Governors, Headteachers, Academy Operations Officers and other relevant parties.

Principal Accountabilities:

• Provide accurate and current advice and guidance to Trustees, Governors, Partnership Governance Professionals, Chairs, Headteachers and colleagues on governance legislation, statutory guidance, Trust procedures and good practice, escalating complex matters where appropriate.
• Act as a key point of contact for designated LGBs and support the effectiveness of Trust and local governance through clear advice, timely communication, briefing papers and practical administrative support.
• Coordinate governance self-evaluation, annual effectiveness reviews and skills audits, using outcomes to support development, succession planning and the strengthening of governance arrangements.
• Manage governance membership processes for the Trust Board, its committees and LGBs, including appointments, terms of office, elections and re-elections, vacancies, outgoing members and local governor recruitment campaigns.
• Maintain accurate and current governance records, including membership, attendance, training and declarations of interest, and ensure required information is updated on Get Information About Schools (GIAS), GovernorHub, Trust and academy websites and other relevant systems.
• Support the induction and ongoing development of Trustees and Governors, including maintaining induction materials and supporting those taking on specialist or leadership responsibilities.
• Provide professional clerking and governance support for allocated Trust Board, committee and LGB meetings, working with Chairs and senior leaders to prepare focused agendas aligned to the Trust governance calendar.
• Prepare, collate and circulate meeting papers within required timescales; confirm quorum and procedural compliance; produce concise and accurate minutes that clearly record scrutiny, challenge, assurance, risk, decisions, actions and resolutions; and monitor completion of agreed actions.
• Manage meeting and task calendars, governance correspondence, working-party records and evidence of formal approval for policies and other documents.
• Coordinate the Trust policy framework, ensuring statutory and Trust policies are identified, allocated, reviewed, approved, published and retained in accordance with established requirements.
• Lead or support quality assurance activity for statutory website compliance, governance records, policy management, complaints and information held within the Governance & Compliance function, reporting gaps and following through corrective action.
• Liaise with Academy Operations Officers and academy administration teams to ensure academy web pages and governance information remain accurate and compliant with statutory and Trust requirements.
• Oversee and coordinate statutory appeal committees and panels, including complaints, suspensions and permanent exclusions, and admission appeals. Arrange panel membership and documentation, provide procedural support, quality-assure and risk-assess packs, and liaise with all parties to ensure matters are handled promptly and in line with applicable procedures and statutory guidance
• Provide administrative and procedural support in relation to complaints and other sensitive governance or compliance matters, maintaining confidentiality, accurate records and appropriate information handling.
• Contribute to robust systems and processes for the Governance & Compliance function, identifying opportunities to improve consistency, efficiency, control and service quality across the Trust.
• Attend Governance Team meetings, contribute to shared practice and service development, provide cover across the team when required, and support management of the shared governance inbox.
• Complete mandatory training and maintain relevant continuing professional development in governance, compliance and associated statutory requirements.
• Undertake other duties commensurate with the grade and nature of the post, as reasonably required.

Other duties:

You are required to undertake such other duties appropriate to the grade and content of the work as may reasonably be required of you including to understand and actively embrace the Trust’s distinctive sensibility, the qualities, values and characteristics expected of everyone working for our Trust.

The list of duties in this job profile should not be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive and require a flexible approach to work. Please note that, in consultation with you, the Trust reserves the right to update your job profile to reflect changes in, or to, your post. All staff have a role in supporting the Trust’s People Strategy.