Head of Governance

St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Trust; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 54,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

Regular travel to academies

Job summary

St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Trust is seeking a Head of Governance to provide strategic governance leadership, act as Company Secretary and support Trustees, Local Academy Committees and senior leaders. The role focuses on accountability, compliance and organisational effectiveness across 14 schools serving over 6,500 pupils.

You will lead governance frameworks, recruit and develop governors, ensure regulatory compliance, and report governance assurance to the Board.

Qualifications

• Significant experience supporting Boards, Trustees, Governors or senior committees.
• Experience of providing governance, compliance or constitutional advice at a senior level.
• Strong knowledge of governance, regulatory and compliance frameworks.
• Experience of developing policies, procedures and governance systems.
• Excellent organisational, analytical and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate all aspects of governance across the Trust.
• Provide professional advice and support to the Board of Directors, Committees and Local Academy Committees.
• Act as Company Secretary and oversee governance compliance and statutory reporting.
• Lead governor and trustee recruitment, induction, training and development.
• Ensure compliance with Company Law, Charity Law, Academy Trust requirements and other regulatory obligations.
• Develop and maintain effective governance frameworks, policies and procedures.
• Oversee governance systems, registers, declarations of interest and statutory returns.
• Support admissions governance and compliance across the Trust.
• Lead governance reviews, evaluations and continuous improvement activity.
• Coordinate governance support services including clerking arrangements.
• Support the management of complaints and governance-related stakeholder matters.
• Provide governance assurance and reporting to the Board.
• Work with senior leaders to strengthen accountability, transparency and organisational performance.

Skills

Boards & committees support

Governance frameworks

Policies & procedures

Organisational & communication skills

Education

Governance qualification (advantageous)

Job description

Shape Governance. Strengthen Accountability. Support Excellence.

We are seeking an exceptional and highly motivated Head of Governance to join our growing Catholic Multi Academy Trust.

This is a rare opportunity to play a pivotal strategic role at the heart of a successful and ambitious organisation, providing expert governance leadership and supporting Trustees, Local Academy Committees and senior leaders to ensure the highest standards of accountability, compliance and organisational effectiveness.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and working closely with the Board of Directors, you will act as Company Secretary and be the Trust's lead adviser on governance, constitutional and procedural matters. You will help ensure that our governance arrangements continue to support our mission, values and strategic ambitions as we serve over 6,500 pupils across 14 schools.

About the Role

As Head of Governance, you will:

• Lead and coordinate all aspects of governance across the Trust.
• Provide professional advice and support to the Board of Directors, Committees and Local Academy Committees.
• Act as Company Secretary and oversee governance compliance and statutory reporting.
• Lead governor and trustee recruitment, induction, training and development.
• Ensure compliance with Company Law, Charity Law, Academy Trust requirements and other regulatory obligations.
• Develop and maintain effective governance frameworks, policies and procedures.
• Oversee governance systems, registers, declarations of interest and statutory returns.
• Support admissions governance and compliance across the Trust.
• Lead governance reviews, evaluations and continuous improvement activity.
• Coordinate governance support services including clerking arrangements.
• Support the management of complaints and governance-related stakeholder matters.
• Provide governance assurance and reporting to the Board.
• Work with senior leaders to strengthen accountability, transparency and organisational performance.

About You

We are looking for a confident and credible governance professional who combines strong technical expertise with excellent relationship-building skills.

You will have:

• Significant experience supporting Boards, Trustees, Governors or senior committees.
• Experience of providing governance, compliance or constitutional advice at a senior level.
• Strong knowledge of governance, regulatory and compliance frameworks.
• Experience of developing policies, procedures and governance systems.
• Excellent organisational, analytical and written communication skills.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively under pressure.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the confidence to work with senior leaders and Trustees.
• High levels of integrity, discretion and professional judgement.
• A commitment to continuous improvement and excellence in governance.
• A governance qualification, experience within a Multi Academy Trust and knowledge of academy governance frameworks would be advantageous.

Why Join Us?

Working as part of a values-led leadership team, you will have the opportunity to:

• Influence governance across a large and ambitious Catholic Multi Academy Trust.
• Work closely with Trustees, Governors and senior leaders.
• Help shape the future direction of the organisation.
• Lead governance innovation and improvement.
• Make a meaningful contribution to the education of thousands of children and young people.
• Work within a collaborative, supportive and mission-driven culture.

If you are an experienced governance professional who shares our commitment to excellence, service and Catholic education, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Salary: Competitive, circa £54,000 - £58,000 with opportunity for £59,000 - £65, £ 000 for experienced candidate qualified to take on wider compliance responsibilities

Contract: Permanent, Full Time though this role is suitable for part-time, flexible working, compressed hours or job share.
Location: Trust Central Office with regular travel across our academies