Non-executive director at Westfield Academy

Non-executive director at Westfield Academy

Could you be an Academy Ambassador in Hertfordshire?  Westfield Academy seeks 1 non-executives/directors to join its board.

The Academy Ambassadors programme brings the expertise of the business world onto boards at multi-academy trusts (MATs) throughout the country to raise standards of education and improve the life chances of young people, which is critical to our social and economic success.

The opportunity

Westfield Academy, a Single Academy Trust (SAT), seeks a new trustees/non-executive directors with strong strategic finance expertise to further strengthen the governance of the trust. Westfield, a non-selective secondary academy, is recognised locally as a trust for the community that always goes the extra mile for its students. It prides itself as having a “one size doesn’t fit all approach” and seeing the benefits of this reflected in its educational performance. The trust looks to welcome new ideas from future trustees. Board meetings are held in Watford.

The board seeks 1 business leader with expertise in

• Finance
• Audit
• Risk

As a key member of the board you will support the trust in achieving the following over the next 12 – 24 months:

1. Financial Stability: To ensure the Trust achieves finance stability to allow it provide outstanding teachers and build on the student outcomes to date (progress8 0.38 Above Average in 2019)
2. Governance: To broaden the expertise of the trust body with non-executive trustees who are committed to an inclusive education.
3. Partnership: To improve the partnership with the senior team and supporting its own evolution to meet changing needs.
4. Increasing student numbers: Westfield Academy's new premises are built for c.1600 students – the trust currently has c.1000.
5. Sixth form: The sixth form is seen as a priority for the trust over the next few years as overall outcomes are currently judged as Requires Improvement.

What’s involved?

Board governance in education is a strategic, ‘eyes on, hands off’ commitment which typically involves attending c. six board meetings per year/6-8 hours’ time 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 Ambassadors alumni network which provides resources, guidance, networking events and webinars to support you in your role. All roles are pro bono.

What next?

Please send a copy of your CV and details of your location to us, either through this website or directly to academyambassadors@newschoolsnetwork.org. A full trust specification is available at https://www.academyambassadors.org/board-opportunities.

We strongly recommend applying as early as you can to have the best possible chance of being considered as we may change the closing date if we have received sufficient applications.