Strategic Governance Advisor

The Education Space; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working hours

Job summary

The Education Space is seeking a Strategic Governance Advisor to serve as the primary governance professional for Trust Boards, Committees, and Local Governing Bodies. This role ensures compliance with DfE governance guidelines, ATH, KCSIE, and related frameworks while promoting ethical tech use.

You will provide authoritative advice on statutory duties, record strategic discussions with precise minutes, and drive governance modernization across the service.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Governance Professional or Clerk in an Academy Trust or education setting.
• Expert knowledge of Regulatory Frameworks, demonstrating fluency across DfE governance requirements, the Academy Trust Handbook (ATH), funding agreements, Articles of Association, Schemes of Delegation, and other key governance documents.
• Exceptional minute-taking capability, with the ability to summarise complex debates and capture strategic challenges clearly.
• A thorough understanding of governance roles and statutory responsibilities, including safeguarding.
• A keen appetite to lead in the ethical use of technology, including Artificial Intelligence, with knowledge of data protection and UK GDPR requirements.
• Integrity, diplomacy, strict confidentiality, and the ability to hold senior stakeholders to account.
• Strong problem-solving skills with a strategic mindset.
• Effective communication skills, both verbally and in writing, with trustees, governors, clerks, and other agencies on governance matters.
• The ability to organise and prioritise workload to meet performance indicators and statutory deadlines.
• A commitment to learning and providing advice on company law, education law, and statutory requirements for schools and academies.
• An understanding of the importance of an organised and methodical approach with a keen eye for detail.
• Flexibility to attend meetings outside of standard office hours and on school premises.

Responsibilities

• Provide authoritative advice to Trustees and Executive Leaders on statutory duties, education law, and sector best practices.
• Produce precise, high-level minutes that accurately record strategic discussions and executive challenges.
• Modernise governance through the ethical use of existing and emerging technologies to streamline workflows.
• Actively manage board compliance with statutory requirements, the Academy Trust Handbook (ATH), and KCSIE safeguarding responsibilities.

Skills

Governance expertise

Minute taking

Regulatory knowledge

Data protection

Stakeholder management

Ethical use of technology

Job description

Are you an expert in governance who values flexible working?

The Education Space is seeking a Strategic Governance Advisor to serve as a primary governance professional for Trust Boards, Committees, and Local Governing Bodies. This role is essential in ensuring that Trusts comply with legal, regulatory, and financial frameworks, including the DfE Academy Trust Governance Guide, Academy Trust Handbook (ATH), KCSIE, Charity and Company Law, and DfE Funding Agreements.

This position offers genuine flexible working hours, allowing you to balance your professional and personal life effectively. We expect all employees to work flexibly to meet the needs of our service users and stakeholders.

In this role, you will:

Provide authoritative advice to Trustees and Executive Leaders on statutory duties, education law, and sector best practices.

Produce precise, high-level minutes that accurately record strategic discussions and executive challenges.

Modernise governance through the ethical use of existing and emerging technologies to streamline workflows.

Actively manage board compliance with statutory requirements, the Academy Trust Handbook (ATH), and KCSIE safeguarding responsibilities.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

Proven experience as a Governance Professional or Clerk in an Academy Trust or education setting.

Expert knowledge of Regulatory Frameworks, demonstrating fluency across DfE governance requirements, the Academy Trust Handbook (ATH), funding agreements, Articles of Association, Schemes of Delegation, and other key governance documents.

Exceptional minute-taking capability, with the ability to summarise complex debates and capture strategic challenges clearly.

A thorough understanding of governance roles and statutory responsibilities, including safeguarding.

A keen appetite to lead in the ethical use of technology, including Artificial Intelligence, with knowledge of data protection and UK GDPR requirements.

Integrity, diplomacy, strict confidentiality, and the ability to hold senior stakeholders to account.

Strong problem-solving skills with a strategic mindset.

Effective communication skills, both verbally and in writing, with trustees, governors, clerks, and other agencies on governance matters.

The ability to organise and prioritise workload to meet performance indicators and statutory deadlines.

A commitment to learning and providing advice on company law, education law, and statutory requirements for schools and academies.

An understanding of the importance of an organised and methodical approach with a keen eye for detail.

Flexibility to attend meetings outside of standard office hours and on school premises.

About NPW:

NPW is the ethical partner of choice that keeps the child at the centre of everything we do. We care about our clients and work hard to help them achieve their aspirations. As a not-for-profit mutual organisation owned by our school members, we provide a range of operational, transformational, and innovative services to schools and colleges, allowing them to focus on improving the lives of children and young people. Our services are agile, enabling us to offer bespoke packages that meet individual client needs. Our team delivers a critical compliance service to a diverse range of clients, acting as the first point of contact and managing client relationships.

Key Requirements

• Proven experience as a Governance Professional or Clerk in an Academy Trust or education setting

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and other pre-employment checks. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to equality of opportunity.

We are committed to and champion equality and diversity in all aspects of employment with Newham Partnership Working and the London Borough of Newham. All employees are expected to understand and promote equality and diversity in the course of their work.