Independent Governor and Member of the Corporation Board

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre; England; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational organization is seeking governors to oversee the strategic direction of a College. Ideal candidates will have senior governance experience and a strong understanding of public education. Responsibilities include setting educational goals, approving budgets, and acting as an ambassador for the College. Candidates should be prepared to engage actively in meetings and committees.

Qualifications

• Experience in senior governance or management roles.
• Understanding of complex matters relating to public education.
• Ability to support and challenge effectively.

Responsibilities

• Determine the College’s educational character and ethos.
• Approve annual budgets and financial plans.
• Monitor academic achievement and set retention targets.
• Act as an ambassador for the College.

Job description

Overview

The Board seeks to appoint governors who are passionate about governing a College which meets and surpasses ambitions: of its students, of employers and of the wider community. Governors need to be team players, able to understand complex matters relating to public education and training policy and College performance, responsive and creative, and able to be both supportive and challenging. The Board is particularly interested in hearing from people with senior board experience and senior qualified financial professionals.

Operating collectively, the Board determines the strategy and oversees the progress towards strategic goals. The Board is responsible for financial probity, and for the quality of education and training provided.

As part of a shared corporate responsibility, members are expected to contribute their professional and general management skills to the Corporation in a non-executive role ensuring that there is no interference with the day-to-day management of the College.

The statutory duties of governors are:

• to determine the College’s educational character, mission, vision and ethos which should reflect the needs of the community and accord with Government policies
• to approve annual estimates of income and expenditure
• to ensure solvency, safeguarding of assets and financial probity
• to approve the 3-year development plan and 3-year financial plan
• to raise standards, agree retention and achievement targets, and to monitor academic achievement for the appointment, grading, suspension, dismissal, appraisal and determination of pay and conditions of the Principal any other Senior Post Holders, and Clerk to the Corporation
• to set a framework for pay and conditions of service of all other staff
• to ensure the effective and efficient use of resources.

In addition, governors have a personal responsibility to:

• act as an ambassador for the College
• prepare for, attend, and contribute to, meetings of the Corporation Board and its committees
• become a member of at least one committee which are currently:
  • Finance & General Purposes
  • Audit
  • Nominations, Remuneration & Governance
  • Curriculum, Quality & Students
• participate in training and development events or opportunities as arranged from time-to-time for Governors
• abide by the seven principles of public life as set out in Lord Nolan’s Report on the Standards in Public Life