Non-executive director/Trustee at The Auriga Academy Trust

Are you seeking an opportunity to give back to local communities by lending your expertise to education? By becoming a non-executive board director at an academy trust, the range of skills and experience that you could bring could help to improve the life chances of children across the country.

The Auriga Academy Trust in Richmond (TW1 4DQ) seeks four trustees / non-executive directors offering a broad mix of skills across either Finance, HR, Strategic Leadership or education (special education needs, in particular). Board meetings will be held virtually until able to resume in-person.

The Academy Ambassadors programme brings the expertise of the business world onto boards at single-academy and multi-academy trusts (SATs and MATs). Academy trusts exist to improve the outcomes of young people; at the highest levels of governance, they need highly skilled individuals with a variety of experiences to hold executive leadership teams to account. Insights from a wide-range of backgrounds ensure that boards are able to make informed choices on decisions that impact the lives of children and staff.

The Academy Ambassadors Programme is funded by the Department for Education, to match senior business leaders with academy trusts looking to strengthen their boards. By working together, inspirational educationalists and talented business leaders can provide a better future for the next generation.

The opportunity

The Auriga Academy Trust comprises of three separate and distinct academies in the London Borough of Richmond: Capella House is a special school for pupils aged 4-19 specialising in supporting children whose primary or main presenting needs relate to difficulties with speech, language and communication. Clarendon (rated Outstanding) is a community special school for 140 pupils aged four to 16 with moderate learning difficulties, many of whom have additional complex needs, including autism. Strathmore (rated Good) is a community special school for children and young people aged 4 - 19 with severe and complex learning difficulties including those with an additional diagnosis of autism and/or physical/sensory disabilities.

The Trust aims to become a recognised national leader in special needs education and the board seeks four business leaders with board level experience in:

• Financial management/accountability or
• HR or
• Strategic Leadership or
• Education Leadership (especially within Special Education Needs and Disabilities - SEND)

Throughout your term of office (typically 4 years, but this may vary between trusts), you will be an active contributor to key board decisions. Specifically, in the next 12 - 24 months the trust's key focus areas will be:

What's involved?

Board governance in education is a strategic, 'eyes on, hands off' commitment which typically involves attending eleven board meetings per year / 8 hours per month.

You will be responsible for:

• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
• Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the effective and efficient performance management of staff; and
• Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent

As an Academy Ambassador, you will join our ambassador network which provides resources, guidance, networking events and webinars to support you in your role.

All roles are pro bono.

The Academy Ambassadors Programme is committed to supporting boards with inclusive recruitment practices, and we actively encourage applications from individuals from diverse backgrounds.

What next?

Please register your interest now to be considered for the role.

When you select the option to Apply you will be redirected to the Academy Ambassadors webpage where you will find a full role specification with more details of the opportunity and the trust, including details of how to apply for the position.

Please be aware the closing date may change if we have received sufficient applications.