Governors

City of Wolverhampton College; Wolverhampton; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

An educational institution in Wolverhampton is seeking committed individuals to join its Corporation Board as Governors. This rewarding role involves shaping educational strategy, ensuring financial sustainability, and supporting the governance of the College. Ideal candidates will have expertise in finance, risk, or business operations. The position requires approximately 12 hours per month commitment, including meetings and training.

Responsibilities

• Approval of the College's mission and annual budgets.
• Oversight of performance and remuneration of senior leaders.
• Contributing to high-quality education and training across the College.

Skills

Qualified finance professionals

Risk and audit leadership

Business operation leadership

Oversight of large-scale projects

Safeguarding expertise

Non-executive board experience

Job description

Overview

City of Wolverhampton College is looking for dynamic and committed individuals to join its Corporation Board as Governors. Becoming a Governor is a rewarding opportunity to use your professional skills and experience to make a tangible difference to education, our local communities, and the lives of diverse groups of learners. As a Governor, you will help determine the organisational culture, educational character and strategic direction of the College, while safeguarding its financial health and long-term sustainability. The Board, led by the Chair, determines the mission, budgets, and the performance and remuneration of senior leaders, and sets frameworks for staff pay and conditions to ensure the College remains an excellent place to work and study. Our latest governance review recognised the board as high-performing with a positive impact on strategy, effectiveness and outcomes.

Your impact as a Governor will be wide-reaching: from safeguarding the use of public funds and ensuring strong governance, to setting and monitoring targets that drive student retention, achievement, and success. In short, you will help ensure every learner has the opportunity to reach their potential.

Role and responsibilities

Governors hold responsibility for approval of the College’s mission and annual budgets, oversight of performance and remuneration of senior leaders, and setting governance frameworks. The Board also sets staff pay and conditions to help maintain an excellent environment for staff and students. You will work as part of the Corporation Board to shape strategy and ensure long-term sustainability, including financial stewardship and safeguarding public funds. You will contribute to ensuring high-quality education and training across the College’s provision.

Who we are looking for

• Qualified finance professionals
• Professionals working in senior compliance, risk and audit-focused roles
• Leaders within local employers and the wider business community, ideally running business operations that complement the College’s curriculum strategy
• People with oversight and responsibility for large-scale capital development projects and facilities management in large, complex organisations
• A professional with expertise in safeguarding
• Experience as a non-executive board member is welcome, especially where related to time on audit or finance committees within complex organisations

Time commitment and meetings

The role requires commitment and active participation. Governors meet five times per year in person on Thursdays from 5 pm, with additional committee and strategy sessions across the year. Preparation, attendance, and engagement are essential, as is a willingness to attend College events and undertake training. On average, the role involves around 12 hours per month.

About the College

City of Wolverhampton College operates from two main campuses in Wolverhampton (Paget Road and Wellington Road) and delivers over 300 qualifications across full-time, part-time, apprenticeships and higher education. We have specialist provisions for polymer training, rail, and electric vehicle maintenance, delivered from satellite sites at Telford, Dudley, and Bentley Bridge. Each year, we educate around 9,000 students. The College is subject to periodic Ofsted inspection; the most recent inspection (January 2023) rated the College as Good overall, with high achievement rates and strong satisfaction among students and staff. We are progressing with an estate transformation project, including a Construction Innovation Centre and a planned relocation to a new City Learner Quarter campus as part of ongoing development to meet local needs.