Are you aernance professional who thrives on influencing strategic decision‑making?
Do you enjoy shaping high-qualityernance frameworks and advising senior leaders with confidence and independence?
Are you looking for a flexible, senior role where your expertise genuinely makes a difference to a Trust?
A respected and values‑driven Multi Academy Trust based in Cumbria is seeking to appoint an exceptionalernance Lead. The Trust ismitted to delivering high‑quality education across its schools and ensuring strong, ethical, andplianternance at every level. This is a professional role offering the opportunity to shape and strengthenernance across the organisation.
Your new role
Asernance Lead, you will provide strategic leadership ofernance across the Trust, ensuring that all statutory, regulatory, and constitutional requirements are met. You will act as the principalernance adviser to the Board of Directors, the Chair, the CEO, and the Executive Team, offering authoritative guidance onpliance, assurance, and effective decision‑making.
This is a part-time, permanent position (20 hours per week) with flexibility to work from home, alongside attendance at Board meetings in Carlisle and occasional meetings within Trust schools.
Key responsibilities include
1. Providing independent, expert advice on charity andpany law, the Academy Trust Handbook, Articles of Association, funding agreements, andernance best practice
2. Ensuring the Board operates effectively, reflects the Trust’s mission and values, and maintains strong assurance and decision‑making discipline
3. Leading the development and continuous improvement of the Trust’sernance framework, systems, and processes
4. Acting as Clerk to the Board: planning cycles, preparing agendas, coordinating papers, minuting meetings, and tracking actions
5. Managingernance records, statutory publications,panies House and GIASpliance, and the Trust’sernance information online
6. Overseeing Boardposition, appointments, induction, and annual effectiveness reviews
7. Identifyingernance risks, advising the Chair, and ensuring these are reflected in the Trust’s risk register
8. Line managingernance support staff and promoting high standards of professional practice across the Trust
What you'll need to succeed
You will be an experiencedernance professional with the confidence and credibility to advise senior leaders and Directors. You will bring:
9. Degree level education or equivalent professional experience
10. A recognisedernance qualification or active progress towards one
11. Experience within a Multi Academy Trust, regulated public sector environment, or Catholicernance context is desirable.
12. Significant experience clerking and advising Boards or seniorerning bodies
13. Strong working knowledge of charity andpany law, academy trusternance, and assurance frameworks
14. Excellent writtenmunication and minute‑taking skills
15. High levels of integrity, independence, and professional judgement
16. The ability to influence, challenge constructively, and manage sensitive orplex issues
17. Amitment to continuous professional development and inclusiveernance
What you'll get in return
18. Apetitive salary of between £47,181 – £48,226 (pro‑rata salary based on 20 hours per week)
19. Flexible hybrid working
20. A supportive, values-driven environmentmitted to professional development