Non-executive at Bishop Konstant Catholic Academy Trust

Could you be a Trustee and Academy Ambassador in Yorkshire? The Bishop Konstant Catholic Academy Trust seeks up to four Foundation Trustees to join its board. Board meetings are held in Pontefract when safe to do so.

The Academy Ambassadors programme brings the expertise of the business world onto boards at single-academy and multi-academy trusts (SATs and MATs). Academy trusts exist to improve the outcomes of young people. At the highest levels of governance, they need highly skilled individuals with a variety of experiences to hold executive leadership teams to account. Insights from a wide-range of backgrounds, ensure that boards are able to make informed choices on decisions that impact the lives of children and staff.

The Academy Ambassadors Programme is service funded by the Department for Education, to match senior business leaders with academy trusts looking to strengthen their boards. By working together, inspirational educationalists and talented business leaders can provide a better future for the next generation.

The opportunity

The Bishop Konstant Catholic Academy Trust comprises 15 schools - twelve primary and three secondary - across Wakefield, East Riding, North Yorkshire and Leeds. The trust has welcomed three new schools in 2021 and is planning for their integration as well as supporting the three schools that received 'Requires Improvement' judgements when they were last inspected. The trust seeks to recruit up to four new trustees/non-executive directors to build capacity and add broader skillsets to the board. Consequently the trust is seeking candidates possessing skills, knowledge and experience particularly in Education, Marketing/Branding, Procurement/Purchasing, Estates/Facilities Management, HR and Health and Safety. Owing to the trust's Memorandum & Articles of Association, the appointments will be to Foundation Trustee roles and thus potential candidates must be practising Catholics.

The board seeks up to four senior leaders with board level experience in:

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Education Leadership (Primary and/or Secondary) or
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Estate/Facilities Management / Health and Safety or
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Marketing/Branding or
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Procurement/Purchasing or
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HR



Throughout your term of office you will be an active contributor to key board decisions. Specifically, in the next 12 - 24 months the trust's key focus areas will be:

1 Full integration of three schools that joined the trust in 2021;
2 Supporting those schools that are not yet judged to be 'Good' by Ofsted and equally helping those that are already 'Good' or better (and due for inspection shortly) to ensure they retain or further improve their grading;
3 Continue to prudently manage a complex budget in financially challenging times;
4 Improve the quality of the schools' estate within budgetary constraints.



What's involved?

Board governance in education is a strategic, 'eyes on, hands off' commitment which typically involves attending c. six board meetings per year/10-12 hours' time per month.

You will be responsible for:

* Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
* Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the effective and efficient performance management of staff; and
* Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent

As an Academy Ambassador, you will join our ambassador network which provides resources, guidance, networking events and webinars to support you in your role.

All roles are pro bono.

People from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

What next?

Please register your interest now to be considered for the role.

When you select the option to Apply you will be redirected to the Academy Ambassadors webpage where you will find a full role specification with more details of the opportunity and the trust, including details of how to apply for the position.

Please be aware the closing date may change if we have received sufficient applications.