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Non Executive Director x4

Employer
Academy Ambassador
Location
Watford, Hertfordshire WD18 0DD
Salary
Unpaid/Voluntary
Closing date
14 Jan 2019

View more

Sector
Education
Contract Type
Interim, contract & temporary
Hours
Part Time / Job share
Specialist Area
General HR Function
CIPD Membership
CIPD Member

Inclusive Multi Academy Trust (IMAT) is seeking three to four new Trustees/Non-Executive Directors with experience in Branding/Marketing, Legal/Compliance, HR or Real estate/Property to support their growth. Board meetings are held in Watford.

About the trust

Inclusive Multi Academy Trust is currently made up of three primaries schools in Watford, situated within a mile of one another. The trust was established in 2016 through Laurance Haines Primary School, with Cherry Tree Primary and Beechfield School joining the trust in early 2018 following their conversion to academies. IMAT schools serve a community of approximately 1400 pupils in the Watford area, each operating their own nursery.

IMAT is a non-competitive trust where each school has an obligation to support the betterment of every child through collaboration at all levels, whilst maintaining their own identities. The trust has a very diverse pupil population, with a high proportion of its students speaking English as an additional language. IMAT places an emphasis on supporting the mental health and wellbeing of its pupils. The schools all share the belief that a nurturing approach is key to the success of every pupil. The leadership team is focused on continuous school improvement and is driven by outstanding leadership to ensure better financial value, provision and resourcing. They provide a Specific Learning Difficulties Outreach Service offering services to other schools in the area.

The trust plans to expand and attract additional schools. This will form part of the ongoing planning and strategy development of the trust. To support these plans, IMAT seeks three new non-executive directors with Branding/Marketing, Legal/Compliance, HR or Real estate/Property experience to strengthen the board and support the positive progress its schools are making in the community.

Plans for the future

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

1. Collaboration: To ensure a collaborative approach to school improvement across the trust leads to sustain positive academic outcomes for all children

2.  Finance: To establish a strong financial model across the trust that is both sustainable and supportive of the trust’s plans going forward.

3. Growth: To establish a growth strategy in line with developing the reputation of IMAT in order to attract additional schools to the trust.

Trust ethos & values

The IMAT vision is: “Inspiring and nurturing our children and their community to be the very best that they can be.” The trust seeks to ensure that all children feel welcome and valued, by promoting inclusivity and respect for all, thereby developing good citizenship. IMAT schools adopt an innovative and collaborative approach to learning with an emphasis on enjoyment, ensuring that all children are fully equipped for futures in and beyond their further education.

Role Summary Number of positions advertised:

3-4

Roles 1-4 – 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.

Person specification

Successful applicants will have the ability and determination to adapt and transfer their experience to an educational setting. They will have a willingness to devote time, an understanding of the legal duties and liabilities of trusteeship and the ability to challenge, evaluate and interpret information. With IMAT looking to grow as a trust, experience in growth management is desirable as is a strong understanding of corporate governance. The trust is interested in applications from diverse candidates.

The competencies required for this role include:

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

  • Branding/Marketing
  • Legal/Compliance
  • Real estate/Property
  • HR

Desirable

  • Corporate Governance
  • Chair
  • Restructuring
  • Growth Management
  • Succession Planning

Property: With the trust looking to grow, the successful applicant will have significant experience in estate management and the ability to identify centralisation opportunities.

Marketing: The trust seeks a candidate with a demonstrable track record of experience in marketing, branding and development to strengthen the image of the trust and broaden its appeal to other potential schools, as well as to increase enrolment figures in existing schools.

Legal: The successful applicant will have significant experience within the legal sector, with demonstrable knowledge of employment law and the ability to make informed decisions and carry out due diligence.

HR: The successful individual will bring expert knowledge of HR processes, helping the trust to recruit, retain and develop high-calibre staff and leadership. Experience of succession planning is desirable.

As part of their succession planning it is hoped one of the new trustees will want to take on the role of vice-chair or chair within 12-18 months.

Time commitment

6 hours per month minimum.

Location of board meetings and trust website

Board meetings are held at Laurance Haines Primary School, Vicarage Road, Watford, WD18 0DD.

Trust website: https://www.inclusivemat.co.uk/

Governance structure

For more information on IMAT’s governance structure, see: https://www.inclusivemat.co.uk/page/?title=Governance&pid=10

Background on academy trusts

Academy schools, which are charities run independently of local authority control, now account for 74% of secondary schools and 31% 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 775 multi academy trusts of 3+ 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 11th January 2019

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