Regional Communications Officer & Clerk to Governors

Essex Co; Maldon; Hybrid; GBP 18,000 - 22,000; Part time

Job summary

TKAT in Essex is seeking a Regional Communications Officer & Clerk to Governors for the Essex region. Based at Hylands School, Chelmsford, the role offers hybrid working options and is part-time, 32.5 hours per week across 39 weeks per year.

You will lead communications for the Essex primary schools, manage branding and internal comms strategy, and provide essential governance support to Local Governing Bodies, reporting to the Regional Business Manager.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in communications, copywriting, or Public Relations.
• Experience in carrying out complex administrative tasks.
• Working knowledge of marketing procedures and practices.
• Excellent verbal and written communication with strong listening skills.
• ICT experience, design packages, Google Suite and MS Office; updating websites.
• Plan, organise and prioritise workloads under pressure; attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Promote the academies' public image and branding across media.
• Develop and deliver internal comms strategy for Essex primary schools.
• Support governance by advising Local Governing Bodies.
• Manage meetings, agendas, minutes and papers.
• Coordinate lettings and community engagement.

Skills

Communications

Copywriting/PR

Administrative tasks

Marketing knowledge

Education

GCSE English & Maths

Tools

Google Suite

MS Office

Job description

Regional Communications Officer & Clerk to Governors

Job Ref No. ECC2141-149 Position Type: Administration Pay Range: £20,176 per annum

Position Start Date: Immediate Contract Type: Part-time Contract Term: Permanent

Application Close: 04/10/2026 Midnight Date of Interviews: 16/10/2026

Shape Our Future: Regional Communications Officer & Clerk to Governors - Essex Region

Based at Hylands School, Chelmsford, Essex. While working in the region's primary schools and hybrid working options.

The expectation to travel to the Essex primary school in line with business requirements (Travel cost will be remunerated in line with the Trust's travel policy)

• Heybridge Primary School, CM9 4TU
• Maldon Primary School, CM9 5DQ
• Stapleford Abbotts Primary Academy, RM4 1EJ
• Willow Brook Primary School and Nursery, CO4 0DT

Role:Part-Time, 39 weeks per year, term time plus inset days, must have availability for a flexible working pattern. 32.5 hours per week. Monday to Friday 8.30am-3.30pm, with flexibility to accommodate late afternoon meetings.

Are you ready to embrace a dual role where your expertise in communication directly impacts the success and reputation of a leading educational trust, while your administrative excellence ensures critical strategic governance runs seamlessly?

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced professional to join our team in the Essex region. This unique, part-time position combines two critical functions: promoting the professional image of our academies in the public domain and providing indispensable procedural guidance to our Local Governing Bodies.

The Opportunity: Expert Communications & Culture Champion

Communication has a powerful impact on our sense of identity, meaning and connection. As an experienced professional in communications, copywriting or PR, you will be pivotal in ensuring our Essex group of primary schools stays connected and thrives.

You will step in as the expert in communication for our academies. This includes the challenge of supporting the creation, ownership, and execution of the internal comms strategy across our group of Essex primary schools. Teaming up with our trust's People & Culture colleagues, you'll foster a culture of sharing and recognition through fresh, varied communications for a diverse community and workforce. You will report to our Regional Business Manager, with links to our brilliant People & Culture team (who own generalist HR, including L&D, recruitment, and payroll) and the Director of Opportunity and the academies' Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

Key Responsibilities: Two Roles, One Vision

Your time will be strategically split between actively promoting our educational mission and maintaining the integrity of our governance structure.

Public Relations, Marketing & Communications:

• Brand Gatekeeper:Act as the brand gatekeeper for all public-facing documents and ensure the academies' brand standards are adhered to in all communication media.
• Strategy & Delivery:Map out and deliver the academies' marketing strategy across the academic year, including events, admissions, and open days.
• Digital Leadership:Manage the academies' social media platforms, promoting news and events in line with safeguarding and branding requirements whilst ensuring the schools adhere to statutory requirements through their websites.
• Community Cohesion:Work collaboratively to increase community cohesion with communities local to the academies.
• Fundraising:Work with the Director of Opportunity and the academies' SLT to identify funding sources and prepare and submit timely bids.
• Lettings Management:Manage and oversee lettings at each academy, acting as the day-to-day point of contact.

Governance and Clerking:

• Advisory Guidance:Advise the Local Governing Body (LGB) on its core functions, regulatory framework, governance legislation, and procedural matters before, during, and after meetings.
• Meeting Administration:Work with the Chair and Headteacher to prepare focused agendas, liaise for papers, ensure meetings are quorate, and draft/circulate accurate minutes.
• Compliance:Ensure statutory policies are in place and revised when necessary, and update GIAS websites to accurately reflect the structure of the LGB.
• Membership:Advise on the expiry of a governor's term of office and maintain up-to-date records of governors (e.g. pecuniary interests and training).

What You'll Bring: Expertise, Values, and Drive

Because we're relying on your expertise, we can only consider applicants who have strong experience in truly leading communications or a closely associated field in Primary school Public Relations and/or as a Clerk to Governors.

Essential Experience & Skills:

• Strong experience in communications, copywriting, or Public Relations.
• Experience in carrying out complex administrative tasks.
• Working knowledge of marketing procedures and practices.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, with strong listening skills.
• High level of ICT experience, including design packages, Google Suite, and/or MS Office/word processing, as well as the ability to update our websites
• Ability to plan, organise, and prioritise workloads under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Excellent attention to detail, aligned with brand standards.
• English and Maths to GCSE/Standard Grade or equivalent (at least Grade 4/C).

About our four primary schools in the Essex Region.

Heybridge Primary Schoolcurrently has 405 pupils ranging from 4 - 11 years old. We have a bright, modern building, which is well equipped and is set within unusually generous grounds with playing fields and gardens. We are a friendly and engaging school with strong connections amongst our local community. To find out more, visit ourwebsite.

Maldon Primary SchoolOur staff team is committed to providing a secure, happy and calm environment in which all children are able to thrive socially, emotionally and academically. We are a friendly and engaging school with strong connections amongst our local community, to find out more visit ourwebsite.

Stapleford Abbotts Primary Academy, a small, happy and successful Primary Academy, set on the borders of Essex and Havering in beautiful grounds, serving the community of Stapleford Abbotts since 1887. We are a friendly and engaging school with strong connections amongst our local community. We offer a supportive and nurturing environment for our staff as well as enthusiastic and incredibly well-behaved pupils. Our mission statement is Success for all, and we trulybelieve that a team approach between staff, children and parents is the best way to educate children for their lives ahead. To find out more, please visit ourwebsite.

Willow Brook Primary School and Nurserycurrently has 198 pupils ranging from 3 - 11 years old. At Willow Brook Primary School and Nursery, we ensure every child receives a well-rounded education, develops a lifelong love of learning and achieves their best. Our latest Ofsted Report (Nov 2022) recognised that children in Nursery and Reception classes are immersed in language. We are at the heart of the local community. To find out more, visit ourwebsite.

About TKAT

The Kemnal Academies Trust (TKAT) is one of the largest Multi-Academy Trusts in the South & East of England with 45 Primary and Secondary Academies in the TKAT Family. Our ultimate aim is to ensure we drive educational standards through the provision of outstanding teaching, leadership and learning for all. Within the#oneTKATfamily, the shared and common purpose is to work together as a community of schools to ensure that every child, whatever their background, receives a high quality education. We place a high value on collaboration;'achieving more together', giving staff the opportunity to come together and learn, ensuring a shared sense of purpose across our network and by sharing expertise across the TKAT family.

We have a flexible approach to interviews and can offer a range of dates and times to suit your personal circumstances.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early should we receive a significant number of applications.

Safeguarding

TKAT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Offers of employment will be subject to the full safer recruitment process, including an enhanced disclosure and barring service check.

TKAT recognises the value of enabling our employees to develop their career and balance this with their commitments and interests outside of work. In TKAT we promote flexible working practices and opportunities to promote a positive work life balance.

Our Commitment - Equal, Inclusive, Diverse

TKAT is committed to inclusion, diversity and equality of opportunity by encouraging and welcoming differences, listening to individual experiences, aspirations and accomplishments and learning how to grow better together. We welcome applications from all suitable candidates, regardless of any protected characteristic.

Access to interview

Be Who You Are at TKAT - should you be selected and invited to interview please let us know if you require us to adapt the recruitment process to enable you to participate as your authentic self. We want applicants to be able to engage with us in ways that support who they are and we are committed to making adjustments within the recruitment process and within the workplace.

All appointments are subject to safer recruitment requirements to ensure the safeguarding of children and young people. All positions will involve appropriate checks and clearances.

Documents

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Clerk to Governors

Copford Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School, Colchester Closing: 18/09/2026 Midday

Clerk to the Governors

Dunmow St Mary's Primary School, Great Dunmow Closing: 30/09/2026 Midday

Clerk To The Governing Body

South Benfleet Primary School (Academy Trust), South Benfleet Closing: 02/10/2026 Midnight