Required to start as soon as possible.
Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust is seeking a driven and enthusiastic Governance Lead & Company Secretary to join our team. This role could be carried out alongside the Governance Professional Role, that is also currently advertised if the applicant has the necessary skills.
To support the work of schools and the Trustees, Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust ensures the local stakeholder voice is represented and heard through our Advocates in our primary schools and Local Stakeholder Boards with our secondary settings. They provide a local level of access and accountability for our parents and carers designed to build and deepen partnership and connection. This is the place where the individual pupil and parent voice is heard and understood; where the lived experience of our provision and offer is felt and triangulated.
In our primary schools we have Governors and these governance colleagues link directly with the schools to support and act as conduits sharing stakeholder voice upwards to the newly formed Primary Advocacy Board, a sub-committee of the Trust Board. The secondary schools operate Local Stakeholder Boards.
Our Trust comprises of 19 schools, 3 Colleges, 15 Primaries, and one All Through SEMH Special school. Established in 2018, We are situated in beautiful Devon on the out the outskirts of the stunning Dartmoor National Park. The schools vary in size and are all unique. Our schools are a large part of their local communities, and we value those relationships with families and locals.
The Trust was created to enable schools and staff to work closely together in providing the best education possible for our children. We achieve this through meaningful collaboration both within our schools and beyond our Trust to ensure schools are able to secure and sustain improvement.
Our work is built on our shared values and an unwavering belief that education improves the life chances for the children in our care. We aim for everyone in our organisation, staff and children, to be the best they can be and are relentless in our ambition to achieve this. We want our children to look back on their school experience with a sense of achievement and joy and we provide a wealth of additional curriculum experiences to enrich their learning.
We care deeply about the children in our schools and work with kindness, compassion, manners and respect. By modelling and expecting these behaviours from our children, we aim to grow future citizens who will positively contribute to society, creating a brighter future for our world.
Our vision and values are what we build our schools upon, with Ambition, Co-operation & Transformation being at the heart.
As an established Trust, DMAT can offer a wide range of benefits for our employees
• Cycle to work scheme
• Tech Scheme
• Eyecare Vouchers
• Access to Discounts
• CPD opportunities
• Extensive Health & Wellbeing Package
• Long Service Days
• On site Parking – In some locations
• Excellent Training Package
• Employee Recognition Scheme
Why choose DMAT?
DMAT are an inclusive and forward-looking trust, who seek to nurture our children and employees to be the best they can be.
The Governance Lead & Company Secretary is central to governance effectiveness, compliance, and innovation within the trust, supporting trustees and local governing boards to deliver on core strategic functions.
Job Purpose
This Job Description is not intended to be prescriptive, nor exhaustive.
Governance:
• Act as the Company Secretary for the Trust.
• Lead on all matters relating to governance; providing advice, guidance, and support on all governance related business at both local and Trust level.
• Ensure that all layers of governance are operating within the parameters outlined in the Trust’s governance handbook.
• Develop, implement, and monitor the trusts’ governance arrangements through proactively ensuring that governance, locally and at Trust level, meets all statutory and/or regulatory compliance requirements.
• Determine the annual cycle of all Trust business and advise accordingly.
• Support the governance team, supporting the efficient and effective operation of the Trust Board and its committees.
• Identify where governance is working well but also where improvements may be needed to ensure that effective governance arrangements are in place.
• Ensure that the flow of information between the various layers of governance is functioning effectively.
• Lead on the preparation and production of governance reports, including the CEO report, CFOO report, LSB report and CoT’s report to Members.
• Lead on recruitment and retention of all areas of governance.
• Develop and deliver training and induction programmes and arrangements.
• Line manages, support and direct the work of the other members of the Governance.
• Quality assures the minutes and records of local board meetings, providing feedback and additional training as required.
• Communicate key updates, news, and information to the various layers of governance, ensuring that everyone is kept abreast of the latest developments.
• Minute meeting as and when required.
• Recruit new trustees to the Board and oversee a robust recruitment process and induction process is in place.
• Ensure there is a system and process in for local governance representative recruitment and induction.
• Manage the Single Central Record for all governance members.
• Support Whistleblowing Trustee with enacting Whistleblowing policy.
Compliance:
• Provide advice, guidance, and support on matters of compliance, at both school and Trust level.
• Monitor schools’ compliance with statutory and/or regulatory requirements in relation to compliance, ensuring a high standard of challenge and support, standardising and spreading good practice and identifying where local intervention / support is required and following up any actions.
• Lead on the co-ordination of key policies across the Trust, including defining which sit at school and Trust-level, and driving the production, updating and review arrangements of policies.
• Ensure that Department for Education’s Get Information About Schools (GIAS) website is up to date.
• Manage Companies House updates and ensure all statutory deadlines are met.
• Ensure the trust website is complaint with governance and statutory information.
General:
• Write reports and/or presentations for both internal and external audiences as required.
• Have due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and/or young people and to follow the Trust’s safeguarding policies and procedures.
Developing Self and Working with Others:
• Keep up to date with developments across the education sector.
• Be committed to your own professional development.
• Implement successful performance management processes with allocated team of staff.
• Motivate and work with others to create a shared culture and positive climate.
• Treat people fairly, equitably and with dignity and respect.
• Build a collaborative learning culture within the Trust and actively engage with schools to build effective learning communities.
• Acknowledge the responsibilities and celebrate the achievements of individuals and teams.
• Develop and maintain a culture of high expectations for self and others.
• Regularly review own practice, set personal targets and take responsibility for own professional development.
Please see attached job description for further information of the role.
Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds to apply.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
All schools in The Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
The successful candidate will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure Barring Service (DBS).
‘This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020). This means that certain convictions and cautions are considered ‘protected’ and do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website: .’
Please visit our website: to apply for this position
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The successful candidate will be required to come to DMAT HQ to complete mandatory training.
Training Details:
Location: Central Head Office (Wardhayes) 8 Simmons Way, Okehampton, EX20 1PY
Purpose: To provide comprehensive training on company policies, procedures, and systems necessary for successful integration into the role.
Training Schedule: Daily sessions from 9am to 4pm, with breaks provided.
Benefits of Training Week:
• To gain valuable insights into our company culture and values.
• Interact with key stakeholders and team members.
• Acquire essential knowledge and skills to excel in your role.
• Establish a strong foundation for your career growth within Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust.