Trusteeship

Registering Your Interest

We are seeking excellent individuals who can offer their time and expertise to sit on our board of trustees. Formed in 2013, the Wade Deacon multi academy trust currently consists of three high schools, an all through (3-16) school and four primary schools all based in the greater Merseyside region educating approximately 5,900 children between the ages of 3 and 16.

Plans for the future

The key challenges for the board over the next 12-24 months are:

• to further strengthen pupils achievements
• to reinforce good governance through the appointment of additional trustees
• to ensure effective succession planning for strong governance
• to embed the trust’s procedures and practices
• to ensure that the trust’s growth strategy is measured and realistic

The Academies Handbook indicates that effective governance is based on six key features:

• Strategic leadership that sets and champions vision, ethos and strategy.
• Accountability that drives up educational standards and financial performance.
• People with the right skills, experience, qualities and capacity.
• Structures that reinforce clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
• Compliance with statutory and contractual requirements.
• Evaluation to monitor and improve the quality and impact of governance

Trustees

Trustees – or non-executive directors – are both charity trustees and company directors of the trust. The board of trustees manages the business of the trust and may exercise all their powers. The trustees ensure compliance with the trust’s charitable objects and with company and charity law.

Trustees are responsible for maintaining stability during growth and the management of a dynamic structure. The role also includes contributing to financial planning for sustainability and holding the Trust Executive team to account.

What does the role offer?

• a chance to develop your own personal skills
• access to a programme of free training in respect of education/governance matters
• a sense of achievement in helping make a difference to children reaching their potential
• support and guidance from fellow trustees

Person Specification

In looking to fill these vacancies we are interested in applications from people with the skills outlined below but this is not essential. What is more important is enthusiasm, interest and the willingness to learn.

1. Audit, finance and risk

The trust seeks a trustee with strong audit, finance and risk experience. The ideal candidate will have a background in a charity or non-profit organisation, as well as demonstrating experience from a commercial, retail or industry setting, including evidence of contribution to growing a business, chain of businesses or franchises, as well as experience of head office and organisational development.

2. General roles

The trust seeks individuals who possess a strong ‘general’ skillset from across the business and education spheres. Experience of growth management working in a role with responsibility for corporate governance is desirable.

Commitment

Trusteeship is a voluntary, unpaid role for people who have the energy and skills to make a real contribution to shaping the future of our schools. You do not need to have any specialist knowledge of education. We acknowledge that this is a time commitment on a voluntary basis and we would estimate that the time commitment is approx. 8 hours per month, minimum. We make use of technology to allow for attendance at meetings in person or through ‘Microsoft Teams’. A commitment for a Trustee would normally be to attend during the academic year up to 6 full Board meetings and in addition membership of a committee would require a further 3 to 4 meetings. Meetings are held from 9.30am for approx. 2 to 2.5 hours.

Apply

If you are interested, please complete our application form and skills audit, detailing the skills, attributes and experiences you have that will make you a success. Applications should be addressed to Jonathan Lowe, Governance Lead, email: trust@wadedeacontrust.co.uk or c/o Wade Deacon Trust, Birchfield Road, Widnes, WA8 7TD.