Governance Support Manager

Neat; Newcastle upon Tyne; Remote; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

NEAT Academy Trust is seeking a Governance Support Manager to join the central team on a permanent, full-time basis (term-time only plus 10 additional days). You will support governance committees, policy management, and information governance across the trust.

You will act as the governance professional/clerk, maintain policy and information asset registers, coordinate FOI/Subject Access responses, and help run the CPD programme for governance volunteers, travelling to trust sites as needed.

Qualifications

• Experience in governance, policy management, and information governance.
• Experience maintaining confidential records and managing competing priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work with senior leaders and governance volunteers.
• Willingness to travel between trust sites and attend after-hours meetings.

Responsibilities

• Act as the governance professional/clerk for designated trust committees and local governing committees.
• Oversee and maintain systems for trust-wide and school model policies, supporting policy authors and consultation processes.
• Act as the Single Point of Contact for information governance, coordinating responses to FOI and Subject Access Requests, and maintaining information asset registers.
• Support the development, onboarding, and annual CPD programme for governance volunteers.

Skills

Governance expertise

Policy management

Information governance

Administrative experience

Communication skills

Stakeholder engagement

IT skills

Tools

MS Office

SharePoint

Job description

This role is permanent, working full time and term time only plus 10 additional days.

We are seeking an organised and knowledgeable Governance Support Manager to join our central team, providing an effective advisory and administration service across corporate governance, policy management, and information governance. Working closely with the Head of Governance, you will:

• Act as the governance professional/clerk for designated trust committees and local governing committees.
• Oversee and maintain systems for trust-wide and school model policies, supporting policy authors and supporting consultation processes.
• Act as the Single Point of Contact for information governance, co-ordinating responses to Freedom of Information and Subject Access Requests, and maintaining information asset registers.
• Support the development, onboarding, and annual CPD programme for governance volunteers.

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Excellent governance practice and expertise, policy and document management, and understanding of information governance legislation.
• Proven administrative experience maintaining confidential records, managing conflicting priorities, and working autonomously under pressure.
• Excellent interpersonal, written communication, and IT skills, with the ability to build strong working relationships with senior leaders, governance volunteers, and external partners.
• Alignment with NEAT values: aspirational, collaborative, inclusive, innovative, responsible, and acting with integrity.
• A flexible approach to working hours, with the ability to attend out-of-hours governance meetings and travel across trust sites when needed.

The NEAT Academy Trust family of schools comprises of eight primary and secondary schools. At the heart of our trust is the aim to nurture, educate, achieve and transform the lives of all young people within the communities we serve across the North East. We have a national research school, which aims to build and strengthen networks of schools throughout the region and help them access effective education research and implement it in everyday practice.

Inreturnweoffer:

• Great opportunities for continuing professional development and a career pathway across our trust.
• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), delivered by Health Assured – the UK and Irelands leading wellbeing provider.
• Cycle to work scheme offering savings on a range of bikes and safety equipment via salary sacrifice.
• Access to free eyes tests for DSE users.
• Opportunities for flexible working. Discounts for large national retailers and local businesses in a wide range of categories including holidays, cars, days out, fashion, insurance and much more.
• Membership of the Local Government Pensions Scheme which the trust also contributes to on your behalf.
• Recognition of previous service with other schools, academies, local government etc.
  Family friendly schemes such as maternity, paternity, shared parental and emergency dependent leave.

NEAT is committed to safer recruitment practice and promoting the welfare of children and expects staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This position is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and a satisfactory Enhanced DBS from the Disclosure and Barring Service is required as part of pre‑employment checks. For shortlisted candidates, we will conduct an online search as part of our screening.