Trust Governance & Compliance Professional

Christopher Nieper Education Trust are seeking to appoint a highly organised and self-motivated individual, with the enthusiasm and drive to help deliver strong and effective governance and compliance practices. The Trust Governance and Compliance Professional will be an integral part of our small central team. Our Trust and academies need highly skilled and dedicated people who are fully committed to improving the life chances of the children in their care. Every member of our staff has an important and valuable role to play in achieving this. Our Trustees and Academy Governing Boards meet mainly in the evening and all meeting dates are scheduled at the start of the academic year. The successful candidate will be efficient, an excellent communicator and maintain a high level of confidentiality, at all times. The role requires excellent attention to detail, high standards of communication with a strong administrative foundation and experience of supporting meetings.

Key duties include but are not limited to:

·        Supporting and providing a professional clerking service to our Trustees and Academy Governing Boards

·        Providing advice and guidance on governance and compliance matters

·        Supporting and clerking Trust meetings

·        Administration and record keeping

·        Organising meetings, hearings and appeals

·        Maintaining relationships and communications

·        Maintaining oversight of all Trust and academy policies

·        Overseeing compliance of GDPR & Health & Safety in conjunction with the CFOO

·        Overseeing compliance in all areas including websites

·        Working closely with the CEO and CFOO

Purpose 

The Christopher Nieper Education Trust Governance & Compliance Professional will be responsible for the efficient functioning of the Trust through a range of administrative, compliance and governance support tasks.

Job Description

The Trust Governance and Compliance Professional will have a good understanding of school governance, or be willing to learn very quickly, and possess strong administrative and interpersonal skills. The postholder will undertake clerking for the Trust Board and Committees and Academy Governing Board meetings as well as providing high quality governance administrative support and advice. As a member of the Central Team, the post holder will ensure efficient and effective support to academies within the Trust and will work closely with the CEO and CFOO to achieve the Trust’s strategic objectives.

The post holder will be required to work with schools across the Trust. The majority of Academy Governing Board meetings are held in the late afternoon and evenings, therefore the ability to attend evening meetings is essential. The post holder will be based at David Nieper Academy, however, there is the opportunity for some remote working by mutual agreement.

Reporting to: The CEO  

Accountable to: CEO, CFOO, Trustees and Chairs of Governors of the Academy Governing Boards  

Main duties and responsibilities:

Working self-sufficiently, diligently, and pro-actively, the post holder will have the following key responsibilities:

General

·        Develop a comprehensive and dynamic understanding of the Trust’s aims and objectives.

·        Work with and support the work of the CEO and CFOO.

·        Provide a high standard of service and confidential governance administrative support to the Trust including clerking for a number of Academy Governing Boards.

·        Keep up to date with current educational development and legislation affecting academy governance.

·        Maintain up-to-date records of the names, addresses and category of governors and their terms of office.

·        Inform Headteachers, Academy Governing Boards and the CEO of any changes to the membership.

·        Advise governors and appointing bodies in advance of the expiry of a term of office, so that elections or appointments can be organised in a timely manner.

·        Support recruitment of Trust-appointed governors and support academies in recruitment of parent and staff governors.

·        Ensure that an up-to-date register of governors’ business interests is maintained.

·        Ensure that up-to-date governance information is published on websites for each academy and the Trust and on Get Information About Schools.

·        Ensure new governors have access to appropriate documents and induction sessions.

·        Maintain a record of training undertaken by governors.

·        Ensure a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check has been carried out on any governor before appointment and at the point of renewal.

·        Ensure all governors have access to the secure, online governance area and ensure it is kept up-to-date.

·        Advise on the annual calendar of Local Governing Board meetings and tasks.

·        Provide an effective clerking service, including working with the CEO, Chair of Trustees, Headteachers and Chairs on setting agendas, minute taking and maintaining records, for a number of Trust meetings and Academy Governing Boards and as required.

·        Provide procedural and legal advice to Academy Governing Boards during the meeting.

·        Clerk any statutory appeal committees/panels the Local Governing Board is required to convene.

Compliance

·        Be responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance in a number of areas, e.g. scheme of delegation, websites, policies, complaints.

·        Work with the CFOO to oversee Health & Safety across the Trust.

·        Work with the CFOO and our external DPO to oversee GDPR compliance across the Trust. 

Benefits

·        Ongoing training, support and mentoring will be provided

·        Membership of Trust Governance Insight & Confederation of School Trusts

·        Free access to Health Assured Employee Assistance Programme

·        Free onsite Parking

·        Generous discount at the David Nieper Ltd factory shop