Governor Development Officer

Leicestershire County Council; Leicester; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Leicestershire County Council is seeking a proactive Governor Support and Development Officer to join the Education Effectiveness Service. You will provide expert guidance to governors, trustees, clerks and school leaders, enabling boards to fulfil statutory duties and drive school improvement.

The role emphasizes delivery of high-quality training, development programmes and governance resources, with strong focus on safeguarding, collaboration with partners, and continuous improvement across

Qualifications

• Experience of supporting, advising or working with governing boards, committees, trustees, school leaders, or other stakeholder groups, with a good understanding of governance principles, accountability, and statutory responsibilities within education.
• Willingness to attend appropriate training and development. Knowledge of the education sector and relevant legislation, guidance and policy, including school governance frameworks, safeguarding responsibilities, and the wider educational landscape.
• Experience of planning, developing, and delivering training, briefings, or development programmes, adapting content to meet the needs of diverse audiences and evaluating impact.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear reports, guidance, and correspondence, and to build positive and professional relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Strong organisational and administrative skills, including experience of managing multiple priorities, coordinating meetings or events, maintaining accurate records, and working to competing deadlines.
• Demonstrable ability to provide high-quality advice, support and problem-solving, exercising sound judgement, diplomacy and confidentiality when dealing with sensitive or complex matters.
• Proficiency in using digital systems and Microsoft Office applications, together with a commitment to collaborative working, continuous professional development and improving outcomes for children and young people through effective governance.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert advice and practical support to governing boards, trustees, clerks and school leaders.
• Lead and deliver high-quality training and development programmes for governors and governance professionals.
• Develop and share governance intelligence, resources and communications, including newsletters, briefings and guidance materials.
• Promote safeguarding as a governance priority, ensuring governors understand and discharge safeguarding responsibilities while maintaining compliance with statutory requirements and guidance.
• Represent the Governor Support and Development Service at meetings, events and professional networks.
• Build and maintain relationships with a wide range of stakeholders to strengthen strategic leadership, accountability and governance effectiveness.
• Support continuous improvement across Leicestershire schools and academies.

Skills

Governance knowledge

Training delivery

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Diplomacy & confidentiality

Digital systems proficiency

Collaboration

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Organisation: Leicestershire County Council

Work Location: County Hall, Leicester Rd, Glenfield, Leicester LE3 8RA

Salary: £29,550 - £32,055 per annum (pro rata for part-time)

Working Hours:37 hours per week

Contract Type: Fixed term contract - 2 years. Secondment arrangements supported.

Closing Date: 25th September 2026

Interview Date(s): 5th October 2026

Leicestershire County Council is committed to making a real difference to the lives of children and young people. Achieving this ambition relies on strong, effective governance across our schools and educational settings, supported by dedicated and skilled professionals who contribute to our exceptional education community.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a dynamic and committed Governor Support and Development Officer to join our Education Effectiveness Service within Children and Family Services.

This rewarding role offers the opportunity to work closely with governing boards, school leaders, and academy trustees, providing high-quality advice, guidance, training, and development support. You will play a key role in strengthening governance across Leicestershire, helping governors and trustees to fulfil their statutory responsibilities and drive continuous improvement in educational outcomes.

About the Role

The successful candidate will have a sound understanding of school governance, education policy, and accountability frameworks. Experience of developing and delivering training, building positive relationships with stakeholders, and supporting volunteer-led governance structures would be highly advantageous. We are looking for an enthusiastic and proactive individual with excellent communication and organisational skills, who is committed to promoting effective governance and supporting education settings to achieve the best outcomes for children and young people.

We are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and effective Governor Support and Development Officer to provide expert advice, guidance and practical support to school governors, trustees, clerks, and school leaders, enabling governing boards to fulfil their statutory responsibilities and contribute to school improvement.
The successful candidate will lead and deliver high-quality training and development programmes for governors and governance professionals, helping them build the knowledge, confidence and skills needed to perform their roles effectively. They will champion high-quality governance across schools and academies, supporting governing boards to strengthen strategic leadership, accountability, self‑evaluation, and continuous improvement.

A key aspect of the role is promoting safeguarding as a governance priority, ensuring governors understand and effectively discharge their safeguarding responsibilities while maintaining compliance with statutory requirements and national guidance. The postholder will also build and maintain strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, representing the Governor Support and Development Service at meetings, events and professional networks, and acting as a trusted source of governance expertise.
In addition, the role involves developing and sharing governance intelligence, resources and communications, including newsletters, briefings, and guidance materials, ensuring governors remain informed about legislative changes, emerging priorities, and best practice within the education sector.

These responsibilities offer a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact on education by supporting and developing the volunteers and professionals who shape the strategic direction of schools across Leicestershire.

About You

To apply for this post, you must:

To apply for this post, you must be able to evidence in your application how you meet the following criteria:

• Experience of supporting, advising or working with governing boards, committees, trustees, school leaders, or other stakeholder groups, with a good understanding of governance principles, accountability, and statutory responsibilities within education.
• To be able to demonstrate a willingness to attend appropriate training and development. Knowledge of the education sector and relevant legislation, guidance and policy, including school governance frameworks, safeguarding responsibilities, and the wider educational landscape.
• Experience of planning, developing, and delivering training, briefings, or development programmes, adapting content to meet the needs of diverse audiences and evaluating impact.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear reports, guidance, and correspondence, and to build positive and professional relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Strong organisational and administrative skills, including experience of managing multiple priorities, coordinating meetings or events, maintaining accurate records, and working to competing deadlines.
• Demonstrable ability to provide high-quality advice, support and problem-solving, exercising sound judgement, diplomacy and confidentiality when dealing with sensitive or complex matters.
• Proficiency in using digital systems and Microsoft Office applications, together with a commitment to collaborative working, continuous professional development and improving outcomes for children and young people through effective governance.

In addition, we also expect you to shareour commitment to our valuesandto delivering accessible and inclusive services which meet the needs of all of our residents. You will be asked to demonstrate your understanding of these commitments as part of the selection process.

Reasonable adjustments will be considered for applicants with a disability.We are a Disability Confident Employer.

Interested in Flexible Working?

We are open to discussions about flexible working, which may include part time working, job sharing, term-time working, flexible start and finish times, and hybrid working, depending on the requirements of the role and the service. If you would like to discuss the possible flexible working options that might be applicable to this role, please contact the person named below.

For more information or an informal discussion,please contact:

Michelle Veneziale, Interim Governor Support and Development service Lead

Telephone: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

Or

Rebecca Wakeley, Senior Education Effectiveness Partner

Telephone: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]