Director of Governance

Shape the Future of Governance Across Northern Education Trust

Post: Director of Governance

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary Range: Grade 11 SCP 52 – SCP 54 (£70,412 - £74,566 FTE)

Working Type: Full Time, 37 hours per week Base: North Shore Academy, Talbot Street, Stockton TS20 2AY (some travel may be required)

Please note: the post holder will be engaging in regulated activity, working mainly or wholly with children. This position is exempt from the rehabilitation of offender’s act 1974. It is an offence to apply for this role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

Northern Education Trust (NET) is a charitable education trust with an excellent track record for school improvement. The trust currently sponsors 30 academies; 17 secondary and 13 primaries across the North of England in fourteen local authority regions.

Position: Director of Governance

Salary: Grade 11

Reporting To: Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer (Matrix Management)

Contract Type: Permanent, 37 hours per week, whole time

About the role

Are you a forward-thinking governance leader looking to make a lasting impact in education?

At Northern Education Trust (NET), high-quality governance drives student achievement and organisational success. As our Governance Professional, you will act as a trusted expert, advising the board of trustees, committees, and the executive team, on strategic, legal, and operational governance matters.

As our named Governance Professional, this is a pivotal, strategic advisory role designed to steer compliance, drive board effectiveness, elevate risk management, and nurture strong relationships across all levels of trust leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic: Serve as the expert adviser on the Academy Trust Handbook, charity/company law, statutory regulations, and internal governance frameworks.
• Board effectiveness & recruitment: Lead recruitment campaigns and succession planning for trustees and members. Design and implement comprehensive induction programmes and coordinate continuous training.
• Compliance & risk management: Oversee the trust’s assurance framework. Manage the scheme of delegation, declaration-of-interest forms, and statutory filings with Companies House and the DfE.
• Local governance: Build robust, two-way communication channels between central trustees and local academy committees. Oversee escalation processes, including independent appeals and panels (exclusions, complaints, suspensions).
• Corporate & board support: Manage board agendas, produce high-precision minutes, track post-meeting actions, and support corporate transactions such as academy conversions or mergers.
• Line management: Line manage the Data Protection Officer (DPO) and the Communications & Local Academy Council Officer.

What We Are Looking For

We are seeking a proactive, highly organised governance specialist with the confidence to provide robust, objective advice to senior stakeholders. You will be qualified to degree level or hold equivalent senior professional experience with a proven track record advising or clerking boards within a multi-academy trust, education or corporate governance setting. In addition, you will hold a deep knowledge of the Academy Trust Handbook, DFE and Governance legislation, GDPR and charity/company law. The ideal candidate will have excellent diplomacy, sound ethical judgment, and the courage to provide objective advice in challenging situations.

Why Join Northern Education Trust?

• Drive real impact: Directly support our vision and values to improve children's life chances through robust, ethical governance.
• Professional development: Access continuous training and growth opportunities within a supportive central team.
• Collaborative culture: Enjoy matrix support from both the Chief Executive Officer and the Chair of the Board.

Northern Education Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. An enhanced DBS check is required for this role.

In accordance with Keeping Children Safe in Education, an online search will be completed on all shortlisted applicants prior to interview. Any relevant information will be discussed further with the applicant during the interview process.

The trust is committed to considering flexible working requests and to safer recruitment practice. Pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. All posts are subject to enhanced disclosure and barring service checks. We expect all adults to share our commitment to safeguarding and the health and wellbeing of our students.

In order to apply for this position, please visit: https://northerneducation.octo-firstclass.co.uk/candidates/account/login/203418?aisId=12&rmId=3361

For more information, please contact Becky Bishop, Executive Assistant at b.bishop@northerneducationtrust.org

Closing date: 12 noon on Friday 6th November 2026. However, the trust reserves the right to close applications early, potentially after two weeks should a high volume of applications be received.