Governance Professional

To provide independent professional governance support and advice to the Trust Board and to manage the Trust's annual governance cycle, helping to ensure that CCT Learning operates an effective, well-organised and compliant governance framework.

The Governance Professional will provide advice to the Chair and Trustees on governance, procedure and compliance. The engagement combines professional governance advice with Trust Board clerking, meeting administration, statutory reporting, policy management, governance documentation and management of the Trust's governance platform.

The engagement is intended to provide continuity and professional oversight of governance throughout the year, rather than being limited to attendance and minute-taking at meetings., Governance advice and compliance

· Advise the Chair, Trustees and Principal on governance matters, including the Trust's Articles of Association, Funding Agreement, Scheme of Delegation and relevant statutory and regulatory requirements.

· Keep the Board informed of relevant changes to academy trust governance requirements, statutory guidance and good practice.

· Maintain an annual governance calendar identifying meetings, statutory requirements, policy reviews, governance documentation and key reporting deadlines.

· Support the Chair in ensuring that Board and committee structures, decisions and processes remain appropriately documented and compliant.

· Provide procedural and governance advice to Trustees as required.

Trust Board meetings

The Trust normally holds four scheduled Trust Board meetings each academic year, one Annual General Meeting (AGM), and typically one or two Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs) where required.

· Work with the Chair and Principal to prepare agendas.

· Coordinate the preparation and collection of meeting papers.

· Publish and circulate agendas, papers and supporting documentation through the governance platform in advance of meetings.

· Attend Trust Board meetings, the AGM and EGMs as required.

· Produce clear, accurate minutes which appropriately record Trustee scrutiny and challenge, decisions and agreed actions.

· Maintain an action and decision log and monitor outstanding actions between meetings.

· Maintain the formal record of Board resolutions and approvals.

Committee governance

The Trust currently operates two principal committees: the Audit & Risk Committee (ARC), normally three meetings per academic year, and the Curriculum Committee, normally three meetings per academic year. Meetings may be held remotely using Microsoft Teams.

Committee Chairs may ordinarily produce their own meeting records/minutes. The Governance Professional will maintain oversight of the committee governance framework and will:

· Maintain the annual committee meeting schedule.

· Ensure committee membership and Terms of Reference remain current.

· Ensure appropriate meeting records and approved minutes are retained within the governance system.

· Track matters requiring escalation or formal approval by the Trust Board.

· Provide governance or administrative support to committee Chairs where reasonably required.

Attendance and minute-taking at every committee meeting is not routinely required unless separately agreed.

Annual governance documentation

Coordinate the annual review and maintenance of the Trust's core governance documentation, including:

· Scheme of Delegation.

· Delegated Authority / Decision-Making Matrix.

· Terms of Reference for the Audit & Risk Committee.

· Terms of Reference for the Curriculum Committee.

· Trustee and Member records and terms of office.

· Committee membership and responsibilities.

· Register of Interests.

· Trustee declarations and relevant annual confirmations.

· Governance calendar and meeting schedule.

· Other governance documentation required by the Trust, DfE or applicable academy trust requirements.

Ensure documents requiring Board approval are scheduled appropriately and that approval and review dates are properly recorded.

Statutory website and governance reporting

· Maintain oversight of the governance information which CCT Learning and Abbey View School are required to publish.

· Undertake an annual review of governance-related website content to ensure required information is present, current and accurate.

· Prepare and maintain the annual record of Trust Board and committee meetings, including attendance by individual Trustees.

· Ensure current Trustee and Member details, roles, appointment information, relevant interests and other required governance information are correctly published.

· Liaise with the school to arrange website updates where required.

· Periodically review published governance information during the year following appointments, resignations or other changes.

· Support completion of relevant governance information required for statutory returns, annual reporting or external scrutiny.

Policy management

· Maintain the Trust's central policy schedule.

· Track policy review and expiry dates and alert relevant policy owners in advance.

· Identify policies requiring Trustee or committee approval and schedule these within the appropriate meeting cycle.

· Coordinate circulation of policies for Trustee review and approval.

· Maintain an accurate record of approvals, review dates and amendments.

· Ensure approved policies are appropriately stored and, where required, published on the school's website.

· Use the governance platform to manage policy review dates and reminders.

Responsibility for drafting operational school policies will normally remain with the appropriate school or Trust lead; the Governance Professional's role is to manage the governance review, approval and recording process.

Governance Manager

Act as the principal administrator of the Trust's governance platform, Governance Manager (previously GVO). Responsibilities include:

· Maintain Trustee, Member and committee records.

· Maintain user access and the governance document structure.

· Upload and organise agendas, meeting papers, approved minutes and governance documents.

· Maintain the policy library and policy review dates.

· Record meeting attendance, actions and relevant governance information.

· Maintain an accessible and appropriately structured governance archive.

· Ensure Governance Manager provides a reliable central governance record for Trustees and appropriate external scrutiny.

Trustee and Member administration

· Maintain accurate Trustee and Member records, including appointment and retirement dates.

· Maintain the Register of Interests and annual declarations.

· Support Trustee and Member appointments, resignations and other changes.

· Ensure relevant governance records and published information are updated following changes.

· Support Trustee induction and maintain appropriate training records.

· Assist the Chair with governance self-evaluation and Board effectiveness activity where required.

External scrutiny and governance assurance

· Support the Chair and Board in preparing governance evidence for Ofsted, DfE, ESFA or other appropriate external scrutiny.

· Ensure key governance documentation and records can be readily produced when required.

· Highlight governance compliance issues or upcoming requirements to the Chair at an early stage.

· Provide professional advice on improvements to governance processes and record keeping., The Governance Professional will work closely with the Chair of Trustees and Principal while retaining the professional independence necessary to provide effective governance advice to the Board.

· Experience of providing governance support to a school, academy trust or comparable organisation.

· A sound understanding of academy trust governance and the respective responsibilities of Members, Trustees, committees and executive leaders.

· Knowledge of relevant DfE academy governance requirements and guidance.

· The confidence to provide independent professional advice to the Chair and Board.

· Excellent written communication skills and the ability to produce concise, accurate governance minutes.

· Strong organisational, administrative and document-management skills.

· Confidence using digital governance and document-management systems.

· The ability to manage an annual governance calendar, statutory reporting requirements and policy schedules.

· The ability to work independently and proactively rather than requiring individual governance tasks to be allocated.

· Appropriate discretion when handling confidential and sensitive information.

A recognised governance qualification, or equivalent relevant experience, would be desirable.

This is an independent contracted engagement and the Governance Professional will not be an employee of CCT Learning. The successful individual or service provider will invoice the Trust for governance services actually undertaken.

The anticipated workload is approximately 130 hours per annum. This is indicative rather than a fixed weekly commitment and is intended to flex across the academic year according to the meeting cycle, annual governance reviews, policy cycles, statutory reporting and other governance requirements.

The fee will be £18-£25 per hour depending on the successful provider's experience and expertise. Reasonable travel costs incurred in attending required meetings or other agreed Trust business will be reimbursed.

A significant proportion of the work can be undertaken remotely. Attendance at specified Trust Board meetings will be required.