Non-Executive Director/Trustee at Tove Learning Trust

This is an opportunity to contribute to the community within Northamptonshire by becoming an Academy Ambassador. Tove Learning Trust seeks a new non-executive director/trustee with demonstrated experience in one or more of Finance/Audit, Risk, Property/Real Estate to join its board and add further strength to its governance structure. The trust is likely to adopt a hybrid approach to board meetings in future, with some held online and others at Sponne School in Towcester when safe to do so. 

The opportunity

Tove Learning Trust consists of ten academies, three primaries and seven secondaries, situated across Northamptonshire, Milton Keynes, Birmingham and Coventry. A new Department for Education approved free school (secondary) is planned to open in 2023. The trust has grown over five years and acquired two more academies at the start of the current academic year.

The schools are spread across the West Midlands, Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, thus serving different local communities. The schools in the West Midlands and those in Milton Keynes have a higher proportion of children from disadvantaged backgrounds than those in Northamptonshire. This means that overall, the trust has a sizeable proportion of children that are supported with pupil premium funding, do not have English as their first language or have special educational needs.

The board seeks a business leader with senior-level experience in any of the following areas:

• Financial Management OR

• Audit OR

• Risk Management OR

• Estates/Facilities Management 

The trust welcomes applicants with a keen interest in using their valued skills and expertise to support the development of the Academy Trust Board and improve education for children. Successful candidates are likely to be able to draw on their experience from working in complex, multi-site organisations and be able to work effectively as part of a team. Ideally, candidates should have experience as a board level director in a business with c£50million turnover.

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

• Sustainable and manageable trust growth. Tove Learning Trust has had a rapid period of growth and needs to consolidate current systems and processes to embed new schools into the organisation.

• Developing an IT strategy programme to support improvements to teaching and learning and business support.

• Improving outcomes for all pupils and ensuring that individual and collective progress data is positive when compared to other pupils nationally and locally. Responding to the challenge of supporting pupils back in school after a prolonged period of lockdown due to Covid; delivering excellent teaching and learning and emotional wellbeing.

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 ambassador network which provides resources, guidance, networking events and webinars to support you in your role.

All roles are pro bono.

People from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

What next?

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

A full trust specification is available at the Academy Ambassadors website: https://www.academyambassadors.org/board-opportunities/tove-learning-trust

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