Governance Lead

**Job Purpose**

To provide advice, support and guidance to the Trust Board and Senior Leadership Team on governance, compliance, and accountability.

The Governance Lead will also act as the Company Secretary for the Trust.

**Responsibilities**

**Provide advice, support and guidance to the Board of Trustees**
- Advise the Board of Trustees on its core functions and Department for Education governance advice
- Advise the Board of Trustees on governance legislation and procedural matters necessary before, during and after meetings
- Seek appropriate legal advice, support and guidance on behalf of the Board of Trustees
- Inform the Board of Trustees of any changes to its responsibilities such as updates to the Academy Trust Handbook or Governance Handbook.
- Advise the Board of Trustees on the regulatory framework for governance
- Advise the Board of Trustees on best practice in governance, including on committee structures and the scheme of delegation
- Produce terms of reference for all committees and the BASCITT and job descriptions for the link trustee roles
- Produce a Board of Trustees code of conduct, visit policy and draft a trustee visit schedule
- Draw up the annual calendar of Board of Trustee meetings and draft annual governance plan in conjunction with the Trust Board and Headteacher
- Work with trustees to ensure they are well prepared to undertake trustee visits, liaising with the Academy in making the arrangements.

**Effective administration of meetings**
- Determines and maintain the protocols for management and development of Governor Hub
- Liaise, as, relevant with the clerk to the Trust Board
- Clerk any statutory appeal committees/panels the Board of Trustees is required to convene
- Ensure effective arrangements are in place for communication with Members, including the facilitation of the AGM if required

**Membership**
- Conduct a Board of Trustees skills audit at least annually
- Advise the Board of Trustees on succession planning for all roles
- Lead on recruitment of trustees and members
- Contribute to the induction of trustees by providing induction materials and ensuring they have an appropriate training plan
- Ensure Disclosure and Barring (DBS) has been carried out on any trustee or member when it is appropriate to do so

**Manage Information**
- Maintain up to date records of the Board of Trustees, members and their term of office, and inform any relevant authorities of any changes to its membership
- Maintain all statutory registers relating to Companies House and respond to appropriate requests concerning the information they contain
- Collate and maintain information about trustees such as any pecuniary interests
- Maintain copies of current terms of reference and membership of any committees, working parties and any nominated link trustees
- Maintain a record of signed minutes of meetings in school, Maintain records of Board of Trustee correspondence
- Ensure copies of statutory policies and other school documents approved by the Board of Trustees are kept in the school and published as appropriate on the website
- Prepare briefing papers for the Board of Trustees, as necessary
- Maintain archive materials for governance
- Ensure the governance section of the Academy website is kept up to date

**Compliance**
- Ensure that the academy complies with the requirements of the Department of Education’s Academy

Funding Agreement, education legislation and regulation, Charities Act 2011, and other relevant legislation such as company law and Companies House requirements
- Ensure the academy complies with its articles of association, and if necessary review, propose and implement approved changes to the academy’s articles of association
- Lead the process of non-financial compliance with the academy’s articles of association, including management of any membership and governance reporting requirements
- Be involved in the co-ordination of the preparation, publication, distribution and presentation of the annual report (including annual accounts). Draft the governance section of the trustee report.
- Manage the Trust’s risk register and risk management policy in conjunction with the Finance &Resources Director
- Ensure that appropriate statutory policies are in place
- Support and advise the Senior Leadership Team when drafting policies to ensure they meet current legislation and good practice.
- To control a register of Trust policies and implement a robust review schedule
- Report to the Board of Trustees on any matters of non-compliance
- Act as the initial point of contact between the Trust and the Department of Education as the principal regulator, Companies House and the Charity Commission
- To provide advice and guidance on the complaints procedure and maintain a register.

**People and Relationships**
- Develop and maintain effective professional working relationships with the Chair, the Board, Members,

Headteacher, SLT and the wider community
- Define and supp