Non-executive director x 2

The Futures Trust hopes to grow and improve standards of education across Coventry and plans to strengthen its board with two trustees/non-executive directors, with a core focus on Human Resources and Safeguarding, Strategic Finance as well as general senior management, to help enable the effective growth over the coming period. Board meetings are held in the schools across Coventry.

About the trust

The Futures Trust established in 2015 by the governing body of President Kennedy School, an academy rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, serving a catchment area in North West Coventry. The rationale for the conversion to a multi-academy trust was to work collaboratively with other local schools in order to improve the educational outcomes for young people.

The trust currently has three secondary schools - one ‘Outstanding’, one ‘Good’ and one in ‘Special Measures’ and two primary schools – one ‘Good’ and one ‘Requires Improvement’. There are plans for one more primary school joining the trust in December 2018.

Plans for the Future

The key challenges for the board over the next 12-24 months are:

1. Improving attainment across the whole trust;
2. Securing and developing ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ teachers in all classrooms;
3. Developing and delivering a viable growth strategy for the wider trust;
4. Assessing and strengthening the governance structure of the trust, bringing in suitable skills, expertise and experience as necessary.

The development of a Coventry hub is almost complete and the trust now plans to expand into other geographic areas as part of its growth strategy.

Trust ethos & values

The Futures Trust believes in offering the opportunity to bring together a group of leaders driven by passion, integrity and a commitment to shape the future and enable children who face many barriers to their learning to be successful. The trust’s belief is underpinned by three clear values:

1. Learners First – teachers and leaders totally focused upon the educational benefit of students.
2. It’s About Learning – students, teachers and leaders focused on developing and improving their learning and development.
3. No Barriers – no excuses, only support to ensure students, teachers and leaders maximise their achievements.

Role Summary Number of Positions Advertised: 2 Roles 1&2 – Trustee/Non-Executive Director

Trustees – or non-executive directors - are both charity trustees and company directors of the academy trust; the role is to hold to account the executive and senior leadership team. The board of trustees manages the business of the academy trust and may exercise all the powers of the trust. The trustees ensure compliance with the trust’s charitable objects and with company and charity law.

Non-executive directors will be responsible for maintaining stability and the management of a dynamic structure. The role also includes contributing to financial planning for sustainability and potential growth and holding the CEO/CFO to account.

Under the Trust’s Articles of Association, trustees are responsible for the overall strategic management, development, administration of the schools within the trust. Providing robust scrutiny of its affairs and ensuring it is solvent, well-run and delivering the trust’s outcomes for the benefit of the children, parents and the wider community.

Person specification

The competencies required for these roles include:

Essential (due to multiple roles, candidates may be accepted who possess one or more of the skills below)

• CFO/ Finance OR
• Strategic Human Resources AND
• Change Management OR
• Growth Management OR
• Corporate Governance OR
• Legal/ Compliance

Desirable

• Non-executive/ Trustee
• Risk
• Chair  
• HR: the trust would welcome applicants who have demonstrable experience in managing strategies around Human Resources, in particular with a background in managing an organisation through change and/or growth and stakeholder engagement. Relevant professional qualifications are required.
• Strategic Finance/General management: the trust is keen to recruit individuals with general senior management and/or strategic financial planning experience and relevant professional qualifications.

The trust would especially like to speak to any candidates with knowledge, skills and experience in the area of safeguarding. This is a key area of focus for the trust and additional expertise are highly sought.

Overall the trust seeks individuals who can commit to its values and principles and its academies, possess short and long-term strategic vision and good, independent, judgement. A clear understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship is vital to anyone considering this role, as well as the understanding that a contribution to the trust direction and strategy, and an ability to work effectively as a member of a team, are core aspects of the role.

Time commitment

8 hours per month.

Location of Board Meetings and Trust Website

www.thefuturestrust.org.uk/

Board meetings are held at President Kennedy School, Rookery Lane, Holbrooks, Coventry, CV6 4GL.

Governance Structure

http://www.thefuturestrust.org.uk/attachments/download.asp?file=932&type=pdf

Background on academy trusts

Academy schools, which are charities run independently of local authority control, now account for 71% of secondary schools and 26% of primaries – and their number is growing all the time.

Many of these schools are grouped together as multi-academy trusts (MATs). There are currently 980 multi-academy trusts of 2+ schools.  If the schools are to fulfil their potential, the trusts need non-executives (known in charity law as trustees) to bring a wide range of skills and experience to help guide strategy, ensure their ambitions can be soundly financed and keep their schools up to the mark delivering for their pupils.

“Academy boards must be ambitious for all children and young people and infused with a passion for education and a commitment to continuous school improvement that enables the best possible outcomes. Governance must be grounded in reality as defined by both high-quality objective data and a full understanding of the views and needs of pupils/students, staff, parents, carers and local communities. It should be driven by inquisitive, independent minds and through conversations focused on the key strategic issues which are conducted with humility, good judgement, resilience and determination.”  Source: Governance Handbook, Department for Education (2017)

Trusteeship is a voluntary, unpaid role for people who have the energy and skills to make a real contribution to shaping the future of our schools.  You do not need to have any specialist knowledge of education. 

Applications

Academy Ambassadors is a non-profit programme which recruits senior business leaders and professionals as volunteer non-executive directors onto the boards of multi-academy trusts. If you are interested in applying for the role please send your CV and a short expression of interest detailing which role you are applying for to academyambassadors@newschoolsnetwork.org. Please note candidates should live within reasonable travelling distance of the trust and/or have a link with the region. For more information, please call 0207 952 8556 or visit www.academyambassadors.org. 

Key dates

We strongly recommend applying as early as you can to have the best possible chance of being considered as we may change the closing date if we have received sufficient applications. Applicants should be aware of the following key dates in the recruitment process –

Deadline for applications: Friday, 18 January 2019