Governance Professional - Willenhall South, United Kingdom - St Chad's Academies Trust

Description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:
Governance Professional


Responsible to:
The Trustees of St Chad's Academies Trust


Line Management:
Director of Operations


Contract Type:
Full Time, Fixed term (18 months term, for review)


Salary:
£30,000 - £32,000 (dependent on experience)


Purpose of role
The Governance Professional will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of governance effectiveness and compliance within the Trust, ensuring governance adheres to best practice, whilst meeting statutory and regulatory requirements:

• supporting the efficient and effective operation of the Trust Board and its Local Academy Committees in line with Trust agreed delegation and policy.

- ensuring governance at all levels is carrying out its functions.
- leading on development of the Trust's governance framework and driving improvements to its systems, processes, and structures
- coordinating the delivery and ongoing improvement of governance support across the trust

The role of company secretary is a strategic position at the heart of governance operations in the Trust with the following specific duties attached to it:

• instil and develop established procedures for sound governance of the Trust.

- ensuring Board meetings and committee meetings are efficient and effective and properly recorded.
- preparing annual company reports compliant with legal requirements.
- providing advice to directors and board members on constitutional and procedural matters
- communicating with other professionals (e.g., lawyers and auditors) and stakeholders (e.g., students, parents, wider public)
- keeping up to date with policy, legal and statutory requirements and managing information effectively
- communicating Board decisions and ensuring actions are implemented by those required to undertake them, reporting back as necessary.
- satisfying all aspects of meeting compliance as stipulated in the Trust's Articles of Association, the Academy Trust Handbook, Company law and Charity Commission guidance, and in accordance with arrangements agreed by the board of trustees.
- maintaining confidentiality and the security of information and documents as required notifying relevant authorities of any changes to membership, ensuring that all statutory and regulatory declarations are made within governed timelines and are kept up to date.
- reviewing the Trust's Articles of Association, proposing, and implementing changes as appropriate
- maintaining a record of attendance at meetings and training sessions by members, directors, local academy committee members and trustees
- ensuring systems and controls are in place to comply with obligations under data protection legislation, safeguarding guidelines and health and safety legislation


Provide advice and guidance on:
- any changes to the board's responsibilities as a result of a change in academy status or changes in relevant legislation
- compliance with education legislation, funding agreements, charity legislation, company law and other relevant legislation and regulations
- risk management process and framework


Main duties and responsibilities
Effective organisation and administration of Trust board and committee meetings
- keeping the Board focused on its core strategic priorities.
- setting the cycle of Trust board and committee meetings and preparing focused agendas
- ensuring all meetings are inclusive and well structured
- satisfying all aspects of meeting compliance as stipulated in the Trust's Articles of Association and the Academy Trust Handbook, and in accordance with arrangements agreed by the Board of trustees.

Advice and guidance
- the respective roles of members, trustees and local academy committee members as required, including their duty to maintain the highest professional standards of conduct and ethics.

Manage statutory information and governance documentation.
- maintaining appropriate records of trust board and local academy committee membership, along with any terms of reference
- maintaining a trust policy register and advising on the policy review and approval cycle
- ensuring copies of statutory policies and other statutory documents such as the scheme of delegation and register of interests are published as agreed (eg on the trust and/or academy website) and in line with statutory requirements
- ensuring that governance-specific risks are included in the trust's risk register
- supporting production of the annual report and governance statement published with the Trust's annual accounts
- managing the flow of information between the trust board and local academy committees and members, maintaining an up-to-date record of local academy committee business
- developing trust-specific documents such as a governance code of conduct and skills matrix
- maintaining the trust's online governance portal or equivalent

Oversee governance membership and structure.
- ensuring the Trust board and its local academy committees are