Professional Lead Advisor - Leadership and Governance

London Borough Of Hounslow; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in the UK is seeking a Professional Lead for Leadership and Governance to oversee governance functions, advise school leaders, and develop professional learning programmes. The ideal candidate has experience in governance within the public sector, strong leadership, and communication skills. This is a pivotal role that promotes excellence in education across Hounslow.

Benefits

Access to employee benefits

Commitment to professional development

Qualifications

• Educated to at least Advanced level or equivalent.
• In-depth understanding of governance frameworks and statutory responsibilities.
• Proven experience in leading governance functions in the public sector.

Responsibilities

• Lead governor services and advise on best practices in school governance.
• Oversee compliance and strategic planning for governance.
• Design and deliver the Hounslow Education Leadership Programme.

Skills

Governance frameworks understanding

Strategic leadership

Communication and interpersonal skills

Analytical and problem-solving skills

Change management

Education

Degree level education

Advanced level qualifications or equivalent

Job description

About us at Hounslow

We'd love you to join us at the London Borough of Hounslow! Our people are deeply committed to providing excellent services to our residents, doing all we can to make lives as good as they can be.

We are an outstanding council, serving an outstanding borough. With brilliant, visionary leadership, a dynamic Cabinet and a can-do culture, we've built strong partnerships which have transformed how we serve one of London's most diverse boroughs. Hounslow is the world in one place and full of potential. We are stepping up for our residents like never before.

About our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

We live by five core values: Lead with Heart, Do New, Pass on the Power, Harness the Mix and Be a Rock. All our work has equality, diversity and inclusion at its very heart, best articulated in "Harness the Mix". It's about breaking down barriers between our parts and people and unlocking the problem-solving power of our amazing mix of minds. We serve a diverse community, we have a diverse workforce and we are committed to being an inclusive employer.

We work hard to create representation across our workforce and leadership community, we have thriving employee network groups and our learning and development programmes help us lead, model and breathe ways of working that eliminate inequality, inequity, injustice and bias.

As part of this and under our commitments as a Disability Confident Employer, we make reasonable adjustments to accommodate our candidates. There's space for you to tell us what you need within our application form.

Our Benefits

If you join us, you'll have access to a range of employee benefits. Read more about these here.

About The Role

This is an exciting opportunity to be part the Standards, Practice and Partnerships team as a Professional Lead for Leadership and Governance. In this role, you will be leading governor services and advising governors and school leaders to develop best practice in school governance. You will lead on the governance functions, including compliance, strategic planning and risk management.

You will also lead on developing the Hounslow Education Leadership and Professional Development Programme. This part of the role involves developing innovative and evidence-based programmes, based on individuals and teams' needs, to foster collaborative learning through methods such as coaching, training and mentorship.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Standards, Practice and Partnerships team as a Professional Lead for Leadership and Governance.

In this pivotal role, you will provide strategic leadership for governor services and work in close partnership with school leaders and governing boards to develop and embed exemplary practice in school governance.

You will oversee all core governance functions, including compliance, strategic planning, and risk management, ensuring that schools are well-governed, accountable, and aligned with Hounslow's vision for educational excellence.

A key aspect of the role is to lead the design and delivery of the Hounslow Education Leadership and Professional Development Programme, creating innovative, evidence-informed professional learning for school and system leaders. Through coaching, mentoring, and collaborative training, you will nurture leadership capacity, strengthen partnerships, and promote continuous improvement across the education community.

About The Team You Will Be Working In

The Lifelong Learning, Skills & Employment division provides a range of statutory and community services, regulated and non-regulated.

Our vision is for a thriving community where all our residents can engage in and benefit from lifelong learning opportunities - for personal growth, health and wellbeing and economic success.

The division, which sits within the Children's & Adults Services Department, is organised into four operational service areas, each led by a Head of Service and each contributing to the achievement of the Borough's 'limitless' Lifelong Learning Strategy.

As a Professional Lead within the Standards Practice and Partnerships pillar, you are a member of our extended Hounslow Leadership Team, who play a key role in delivering high-quality, resident-focused services.

You provide expert guidance, support and leadership across Hounslow to set high standards for practice and service delivery, ensuring compliance with legal and ethical standards in your area of expertise. You work in a pro-active and collaborative way with other Council services and partners to provide expertise to support the effective delivery of service for residents.

Through collaboration with your senior team, and other leaders and stakeholders, you will advise on best practice and offer strategic insights to support the efficient and effective delivery of services, and the development and implementation of critical initiatives. Your role involves training and mentoring staff in your area of expertise and succession planning for roles which require similar levels of expertise.

You provide regular updates on outcomes to your Service Manager, Head of Service and Director, and as an effective senior team member, you promote a positive, inclusive culture, championing staff development and continuous improvement.

Standards, Practice and Partnership team are focused on collaborative working with primary and secondary schools to:

1. Ensure all children and young people in Hounslow experience the highest quality teaching and learning from practitioners who are highly skilled, valued and supported.
2. Ensure our education and skills system is effectively planned, well-resourced and resilient.
3. Ensure that we create a truly inclusive system where children and young people can thrive.

This role reports to the Principal Adviser for Safeguarding and Governance.

About You

If the points below resonate with you, we'd love you to put in an application:

• Educated to at least Advance level or equivalent (degree level is desirable)
• In-depth understanding of governance frameworks, statutory responsibilities and relevant legislation
• Proven experience in leading governance functions within a complex public sector or local authority setting
• Experience of advising school senior leaders and governing bodies
• Demonstrated success in developing and implementing governance strategies and frameworks
• Proven track record of leading change and transformation initiatives in governance or leadership roles.
• Experience of working with boards, committees, and external stakeholders to ensure effective decision-making and compliance
• Strong strategic leadership and management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and build relationships at all levels.
• High-level analytical and problem-solving skills
• Committed to continuous improvement and professional development
• High standards of integrity, ethics, and professionalism
• Collaborative and inclusive leadership style
• Resilient, adaptable and able to respond effectively to change.

When Interviews Will Be Held And Who To Contact

The key information you need about the role should be in the Role Profile, but if you have any further questions about the role, please contact:

Email: [e-mail]

Interviews for this job will be held during week commencing 5th January 2026.