Greenhead College is an outstanding Sixth Form College located in the heart of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. With a long-established reputation for academic excellence and student-centred support, Greenhead has been one of the top-performing providers of A Level education in the country for over 25 years. It is the only Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ sixth form college in Huddersfield and plays a vital role in delivering high-quality academic provision to young people across the region.
The College currently supports around 2,900 full-time 16–19-year-old students, with over 3,400 applications received annually for just 1,550 places, reflecting its popularity and the quality of its offer. Students typically study at least three A Levels, with a smaller vocational provision (CTEC), and benefit from a high-achieving and nurturing environment. Greenhead consistently sees 94% of students progress into Higher Education, with 20–30 students annually gaining places at Oxbridge and was the first college in the country to meet all eight GATSBY benchmarks for careers education.
Greenhead is defined not just by its academic outcomes but by the strength of its pastoral care, emotional support, and enrichment offer, with a strong emphasis on developing well-rounded individuals. A dedicated counselling and wellbeing team, alongside passionate and experienced teaching staff, ensures that each student receives personalised support both inside and outside the classroom.
The College employs approximately 300 staff (full and part time) and has recently completed a transformational £35 million campus redevelopment, increasing its capacity by a further 150 students. The College is financially secure - with a ‘Good’ financial health rating and a £15 million annual turnover.
Greenhead is governed by a Corporation of 20 Governors, who bring a diverse range of skills and experience from the local area. Many have longstanding links to the College, including former students. The Board maintains a high level of engagement with College life and enjoys an excellent working relationship with the College Leadership Team (CLT), which is predominantly recruited from within the College. Governance is active and strategic, with a clear focus on quality, inclusion, and future growth.
The College’s requirements
This is an exciting and rewarding opportunity to shape the future of one of the UK's highest-performing Sixth Form Colleges. With the current Chair stepping down in July 2026, Greenhead College seeks a new Chair of Governors to lead its Corporation and provide strategic direction during a pivotal period in its development. The incoming Chair will work closely with the Principal, Governance Professional, and a diverse and engaged Governing Body, guiding the College through opportunities and challenges with confidence and clarity.
The Chair will be instrumental in supporting the College Leadership Team (CLT) as they respond to increased student demand, deliver the new Strategic Plan to 2030, and ensure continued excellence in education, pastoral care, and financial oversight. The appointment comes at an exciting time for the College, and the new Chair will play a central role in steering its future growth, strengthening its community impact, and reinforcing its commitment to student success.
The Chair of Governors will lead the Corporation in fulfilling its legal responsibilities under the Instrument and Articles of Government. They will set the tone for effective governance, ensuring that the Board maintains high standards of oversight and impact across all areas of the College’s operation. As Chair, they will provide both support and challenge to the Principal and the executive team, fostering a culture of openness, collaboration, and accountability.
A key aspect of the role is facilitating high-quality decision-making. The Chair will ensure that meetings and committee structures are well-organised, purposeful, and outcomes-driven, allowing the Board to make informed and strategic choices. They will also champion the College’s purpose and principles, with a clear commitment to diversity, inclusion, and sustainability. As part of this, the Chair will support the Board’s efforts to monitor progress toward the College’s goal of achieving net zero by 2038; although the responsibility for this area can be delegated to another governor, if appropriate.
Externally, the Chair may represent the Board in key stakeholder engagements, further strengthening the College’s reputation and relationships within the wider community. To support a confident and effective transition, the current Chair has generously offered to remain in post and support the new appointee until July 2026.
Greenhead are seeking an experienced and strategic leader who brings gravitas, vision, and a collaborative mindset to the role. The ideal candidate will be an experienced organisational leader, having operated at chief executive, executive director, or managing director level. They will also bring relevant non-executive board experience - ideally having served as a Chair or Vice/Deputy Chair - within a complex business or not-for-profit environment.
A strong commitment to education, inclusion, and community impact is essential. The successful candidate will be able to uphold high standards of governance, creating an environment in which constructive challenge and meaningful support thrive. They will understand the crucial distinction between governance and management and bring to the role clarity of thought, impartiality, and ethical integrity.
Finally, the Chair will be confident in leading strategic and financial discussions, able to see the broader picture while maintaining a strong focus on the student experience and educational outcomes.
Prior experience in Further or Sixth Form Education is not required, though a genuine interest in supporting young people and contributing to public service is essential. Familiarity with regulated sectors such as the NHS, local government, education, or infrastructure would be welcomed, as would skills in finance, audit, estates, or sustainability.
Greenhead College is committed to safeguarding the welfare of all of its students and staff. The successful candidate will be subject to safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced DBS check. This position is working in regulated activity and therefore exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Applicants will be required to self-disclose particular criminal convictions should they be shortlisted for interview. Further details can be found within the DBS filtering guide at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-filtering-guidance.
In line with KCSIE 2025 guidance, successful candidates will be subject to an online search.
Time commitment and meeting schedule
On average, the Chair of Governors at Greenhead College will dedicate approximately three days per month, equating to around 20 hours, to fulfil the responsibilities of the role. This includes time for meeting preparation, attendance at Corporation and committee meetings, wider engagement with the College community, and active involvement in governance development and succession planning.
The 2025/26 academic year governance calendar includes:
* Four Full Corporation meetings, held in person, typically starting at 4.00 or 4.30pm on Mondays.
* Seventeen committee meetings across five key committees (including Finance, Audit, Curriculum, and others), resulting in a total of 21 meetings throughout the year.
* Two strategy half-days to support long-term planning and development.
While attendance at every committee meeting is not required, the Chair is expected to maintain regular and visible engagement, ensuring strong connections with governors, the college leadership team, and the wider College community. In-person participation is encouraged, particularly for Full Corporation meetings and key strategic sessions. All the Corporation members work to a Corporation and Committee meeting attendance target of 80%.
The Chair will also lead on aspects such as board development, succession planning, and the recruitment of governors with specific expertise (particularly in finance and audit), helping to sustain a diverse and skilled governing body.
New governors at Greenhead benefit from a comprehensive induction and training programme, including support from the Association of Colleges (AoC) and the Education and Training Foundation. Additional onboarding includes a buddy system, campus tours, introductions to key staff, and opportunities to observe board activity early in their tenure.
* Local authority: Kirklees
* Type of establishment: Further education
What does the role include?
Governors work together as a board to provide strategic leadership, ensuring the College Corporation or company is legally compliant, financially sustainable, and delivers excellent value for public funds. FE College Corporations / companies operate as independent charitable institutions, with governors acting as charity trustees and the governing board ultimately accountable for overall performance. The principal regulator of FE and Sixth-Form College corporations is the Secretary of State for Education, and the Department for Education (DfE) works closely with the FE Commissioner and sector stakeholders to both regulate and support FE governance. Where needed, support is provided by the Commissioner’s team of advisers and National Leaders of Governance for FE, who offer peer-led mentoring. To read further about regulation, support and intervention please refer to the sixth-form College Corporations: governance guide, linked within the further reading below. The following webpage provides further information and reading to any potential volunteers: https://governorsforschools.org.uk/fe/the-role-of-a-further-education-governor/.
What are the benefits?
Volunteering on a College Corporation board is a meaningful way to shape learner’s lives and strengthen education in your community. You will play a vital role in setting strategic direction and holding executive leaders to account — ensuring the College delivers the best outcomes. This is a great opportunity to support your career development and give back to education.
Further information:
You can also find out more public information about the College on the Get Information About Schools Page: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Search?SelectedTab=Groups.The College reference number is 130538.After applying you can access our free eLearning ‘An Introduction to Further Education Governance’ in preparation for a role: https://governorsforschools.org.uk/fe/the-role-of-a-further-education-governor/. The Department for Education (DfE) has produced a guide for governors in FE settings. This gives more detail about how governance should look and what the role and remit of governors in this setting will be. View links to this guide and further reading: https://governorsforschools.org.uk/fe/recommended-fe-reading/ If you have any questions before applying, please contact our FE Recruitment Team at fegovernorrecruitment@governorsforschools.org.uk.
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