DNEAT Trustee

Role Purpose

As highly valued volunteers, Trustees are responsible for governing a charitable company and directing how it is managed and run. They are both charity trustees and company directors who ensure that the trust complies with all legal and statutory requirements, working closely with governance professionals where appropriate.

Upholding the 7 principles of public life (Nolan Principles), Trustees work together to fulfil the purpose of the trust board:

·        Strategic leadership: defining the vision, fostering the trust’s culture and setting the strategy.

·        Accountability and assurance: robust and effective oversight of trust operations and overall performance.

·        Strategic engagement: oversight of relationships with stakeholders, ensuring decision-making is supported by meaningful engagement.

Your commitment

Trustees make a positive and meaningful contribution to the board by:

·        Attending (hybrid) meetings (typically 4 full board meetings each year), reading papers and preparing effective questions for the senior executive leadership in advance.

·        Sitting on at least one subcommittee e.g. Education Standard & Performance and becoming a Link Trustee in a specific field of expertise e.g. safeguarding or SEND.

·        Actively contributing to the setting of the trust’s strategy and maintaining effective oversight of the delivery of executive led related plans.

·        Building and maintaining positive and effective relationships within the trust, including with senior executive leaders, colleagues on the board of trustees and Governance professionals.

·        Being an active source of challenge and support to the Chief Executive and senior team.

·        Willingly acquiring the knowledge that you need to be effective in their role, with an ongoing commitment to training and development, keeping up to date with sector developments.

Trustee responsibilities

·        Set the trust’s strategic aims and objectives

·        Develop the trust’s Christian vision and strategy

·        Establish a culture of high educational standards that promotes staff and pupil wellbeing

·        Make sure all pupils have access to a broad and balanced curriculum

·        Monitor provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

·        Monitor educational performance of the trust’s academies, using a range of data sources

·        Drive a culture of continuous improvement and best practice

·        Ensure stakeholders (parents/carers, pupils, staff and the local community) are informed and consulted as appropriate

·        Approve the budget for the academy trust and, where relevant, for academies within the trust

·        Monitor and evaluate the trust’s financial performance

·        Approve and review trust policies, and hold staff to account for their implementation

·        Ensure the trust is compliant with legal requirements, including that all statutory policies and documents are in place

·        Ensure robust risk management policy and procedures are in place and that risk control measures are appropriate and effective.

·        Ensure the trust complies with laws that apply to charities and companies, and with its funding agreement

·        Carry out the appointment and performance management of the Chief Executive

·        Monitor and evaluate the trust’s staffing structure(s)

·        Monitor health and safety across the trust

·        Work with those involved in local academy governance, supporting and holding them to account

·        Confidently act as an ambassador for the trust with a wide range of stakeholders

Skills and Experience

Essential:

·        Think strategically and recognize the differences between strategic and operational decisions and accountability. 

·        Effectively communicates at all levels and across all mediums.

·        Analyses and leverages data to provide constructive and respectful ‘challenge’.

·        Undertakes effective problem solving and decision making objectively and impartially.

Desirable:

·        Prior roles within an education setting and an understanding of education policies and school improvement.

·        Prior governance roles at Board level.

·        Finance and accounting experience.

·        Experience in people leadership and management, including approaches to staff wellbeing, performance management, recruitment, retention and EDI.

·        Senior level change/project management experience.

·        Technology background.

·        Risk management expertise.

·        Legal, regulatory and compliance experience, particularly knowledge of charity law.

·        PR and marketing background.

Trustees are asked to uphold the Christian ethos of the Trust, but we welcome individuals of all faiths and none.

Benefits to you:

·        An opportunity to shape the strategy one of the top 20 largest school trusts in the country and drive delivery of the best possible education standards for children.

·        Develop and enhance skills including strategic planning, financial oversight, governance and Board level decision making within a values led organisation

·        Be able to leverage your knowledge and skills to meaningfully give back to your local community and build positive new relationships within it.

·        Be part of a dynamic team, expanding your professional network to aid personal and professional growth.