Leader of Governance, Compliance and Executive Support

We are seeking to appoint an experienced and highly organised individual to provide strategic leadership across the Trust’s governance, company secretariat, compliance and executive support functions. This is a pivotal role, ensuring that the Trust Board, its committees and all Academy Education Committees (AECs) operate effectively and meet all statutory and regulatory requirements.

The postholder will lead on all aspects of the Trust’s governance and compliance infrastructure, overseeing key frameworks, registers, filings and reporting processes. This includes maintaining the Scheme of Delegation, statutory registers, risk reporting, governance cycles, Companies House requirements and the wider policy schedule. They will line manage the Governance & Executive Support Officers, providing clear direction to ensure effective local governance and strong Trust-wide secretariat support. Through strong leadership, robust systems and a commitment to continuous improvement, the post holder will help strengthen accountability, transparency and organisational effectiveness across Place Partnership.

The post holder will also manage Trustee and Member recruitment and supervise the full governance lifecycle, ensuring all stakeholders receive the support they need to fulfil their responsibilities effectively. Working closely with Executive colleagues, Trustees and Academy Leaders, the role will provide expert advice and assurance, ensuring governance arrangements remain effective, compliant and aligned to best practice.

A strong focus on compliance and assurance will underpin the post. The successful candidate will oversee the central complaints function and coordinate with the Data Protection Officer on Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs), Freedom of Information (FOI) requests and other data protection matters. The role will also provide independent challenge and assurance on the effectiveness of Shared Services through oversight of service level agreements, cross-functional agreements and compliance reporting.

Alongside this, the postholder will provide strategic executive support to the Chief Executive Officer. They will prepare briefings, papers and reports for Board meetings, external publications and key stakeholder engagement. A discreet and proactive professional, the successful candidate will act as a trusted point of contact for Board Members, Trustees and external stakeholders, as well as a first point of contact for the Trust via telephone and email on behalf of the Executive Team.

The role will work across both geographical hubs to provide strategic leadership, line management and collaboration on a regular basis. Our West Hub is Wakefield (WF5) and Rotherham (S66).

Term time plus inset and additional days will be considered. Please indicate in your application if your preferred option.

The successful candidate will be:

• An experienced governance, company secretariat or compliance professional with substantial experience within education or another complex organisational setting.
• Highly organised and detail-focused, with the ability to manage complex governance cycles and competing priorities with accuracy.
• A credible and confident adviser, with the ability to provide clear guidance and training on governance, compliance and procedural matters to senior leaders, Trustees and Academy colleagues.
• A capable team leader, with ability to provide clear direction, support and development to others while promoting consistency and professionalism.
• Committed to continuous improvement, with a strong understanding of the importance of accountability, transparency and service quality.
• Proactive, trustworthy and approachable, with the ability to build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Reliable, discreet, and able to handle highly confidential information with integrity.
• Values-led and genuinely committed to the wellbeing of young people, recognising the importance of strong governance in supporting positive outcomes.