Job outline JOB TITLE: JOB REF: HOURS: SALARY: CONTRACT: REPORTS TO: Company Secretary/Policy Officer HFLMAT CO002 Part time 0.8 FTE (52 weeks per year) Within Band 6: 39,270-66,865 (pro rata) Permanent CEO and Chair of Board of Trustees as Company Secretary RESPONSIBLE FOR: Support to the Executive Team and the Board of Trustees LOCATION: Head Office currently Stevenage JOB CONTEXT The HfL MAT is the first of its kind. It has been described as a SIP MAT a school improvement partner MAT because of the association with the successful founding organisation Herts for Learning Ltd the largest Schools Company in the UK providing school improvement services. We are an inclusive and collaborative Trust, bringing like-minded people together to work together, learn together and succeed together. Schools and academies in Hertfordshire have a long and strong history of working together and shaping the landscape to create an environment in which schools support each other and children thrive. HfL Ltd was co-produced with schools to develop into a company that serves their needs and, in that spirit, the HfL MAT has also been designed with many of the schools interested in joining. There is therefore a strong sense of ownership and belonging to the HfL MAT, which provides a good foundation for its success. The central team will start small, will need to be flexible and heavily involved in making sure the MAT starts well and is built on good foundations. The team will be expected to grow the MAT according to the agreed growth strategy and to manage the process of development. HERTS FOR LEARNING MULTI ACADEMY TRUST Job outline 1
PURPOSE OF THE JOB The company secretary/policy officer role will be responsible for ensuring that the Trust complies with relevant legislation and regulations. You will establish procedures for the sound governance of the Trust and will advise the Trust Board and Committees on developments in governance issues. The company secretary will also ensure that meetings of the Trust Board and its Committees are serviced efficiently and effectively, are properly recorded and that Trustees receive appropriate support to fulfil their legal duties. This post holder is also pivotal in ensuring the MAT has, and implements, robust systems, procedures, policies and practice, to support the operation and growth of the MAT. Working closely with the CEO and central team for the MAT, you will provide and/or coordinate administration to the Board of Trustees, Members and the central team. You will be called upon to lead and support specific projects and this is likely to include the processes for schools joining the MAT. You will take responsibility for communications within the MAT and with external stakeholders. MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY Support the Executive and the Board to develop the Trust in accordance with the Trust Board s stated aims, objectives and values and ensure the Trust adds value for every child, academy and the wider community Provide the Company Secretary function to Members and the Board of Trustees: a. Ensure that the procedure for the election and appointment of Trustees is properly carried out b. Organise board, committee and annual members meetings, compiling and distributing papers in a timely manner, ensuring compliance with the required standards of good governance, ensuring all meetings are minuted and that actions are taken on matters arising c. Assist the Board in overseeing compliance with all relevant statutory and regulatory requirements (including company and charity law), ensuring that board meetings and all board committees are properly constituted and provided with clear terms of reference d. Ensure the Trust complies with its Articles of Association, and that the requirements for registers, statutory returns and annual reports and accounts are met e. Support the Board in reviewing developments in academy governance, assist in the induction of Trustees and facilitate Board performance evaluations f. Support the Executive in preparation for Board meetings and other roles delegated by the Trustees Provide the Data Protection Officer function ensuring systems and controls are in place to enable the organisation to comply with their obligations under UK and European data protection legislation e.g. GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), including activity under the following headings: a. Strategic data protection management b. Compliance c. Risk d. Advice and guidance e. Incident management f. Horizon scanning HERTS FOR LEARNING MULTI ACADEMY TRUST Job outline 2
Manage and/or coordinate administrative support to the Executive including meeting arrangements, agendas, minutes and management of electronic filing and shared folders Support the Executive and the Board to develop and maintain up to date strategic plans, policies and key documents for the Trust including the risk register and scheme of delegation. Ensure that processes are in place to ensure that all policies are compliant, have Board approval and are published as required Ensure that there are clear lines of communication across the MAT and with external stakeholders and that key messages are clearly communicated to all as appropriate: a. Act as a key point of contact for the Trust b. Keep the website and intranet up to date, compliant and accessible to all stakeholders and liaise with designer for changes required c. Ensure that the generic info@ account and telephone line is managed, and queries are directed to the relevant member of the Executive team d. Design templates for documents and presentations ensuring house style used appropriately e. Help to develop and then maintain the information on the intranet for the MAT and any mass communication media f. Support the Executive in presenting and reporting on performance data for the MAT g. Manage key contact information Coordinate the process for new schools joining the MAT a. Manage a database of school interest and recruitment activity b. Organise external project support for school conversions c. Liaise with solicitors, the DfE and relevant local authority contacts d. Guide schools through first steps up to academy order, supplying all relevant information e. Coordinate a due diligence process for joining schools f. Support information events Support the Executive and Board to ensure that the Trust meets all legislative and statutory requirements, including health and safety, safeguarding, data protection, the Master and Supplementary Funding agreements. Support the Executive and Board to keep abreast of national and local policy drivers and changes to legislation, ensuring compliance and anticipating what discretionary aspects will be of benefit to academies across the Trust; helping them to remain on the front foot and identify new opportunities to develop services and types of support that will improve standards and support schools to improve Promote equal opportunities in both the way in which all services are delivered and in sound employment practices. The duties and responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and will be reviewed annually to reflect plans, growth and the development of the Trust. The post holder is expected to accept any reasonable alterations that may from time to time be necessary. In the initial set up phase, the post holder will need to be flexible and complete all reasonable tasks as directed by the CEO. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES The HfL MAT is committed to ensuring that everyone who applies to work for us receives fair treatment and we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of age, disability, race, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership and caring status. We expect HERTS FOR LEARNING MULTI ACADEMY TRUST Job outline 3
all our staff to demonstrate a commitment to advancing equality of opportunity and fostering good relations. DISCLOSURE AND BARRING SERVICE This post is subject to full pre-employment checks and is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Please note that additional information referring to the Disclosure and Barring Service is in the guidance notes to the application form. If you are invited to an interview you will receive more information. HEALTH AND SAFETY It will be the duty of every employee while at work to take reasonable care for the Health and safety of themselves and of other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work. PERSON SPECIFICATION You will be an experienced company secretary, with relevant training in academy governance and data protection. You will be an outstanding administrator, able to develop and put in place well understood policies and procedures and to ensure quality assurance of all activity is robust. You will be a strong communicator, able to communicate orally, in writing and on occasion present to larger audiences. Qualifications and previous experience Educated to degree level or equivalent experience Experience of carrying out administrative support at CEO and Board level Experience of effectively carrying out company secretary function A record of recent and relevant continuing professional development, including company secretary and data protection training Experience of managing communications across a large and or complex organisation Experience of effectively managing at least small scale projects to time and budget Knowledge and understanding Knowledge and understanding of current educational policy and statutory framework in which the MAT is operating as well as relevant policies, legislation and codes of practice related to Company and Charity Law Sound knowledge of using IT across all aspects of relevant work Behavioural competencies and personal skills Strong organisational and administrative skills with an eye for detail Ability to think ahead and anticipate requirements and potential problems Self-motivated and disciplined; outcomes and action focused with a proactive and HERTS FOR LEARNING MULTI ACADEMY TRUST Job outline 4
positive calm approach to problem solving Confident communicator; has skills to communicate with a range of stakeholders including senior leaders across and beyond the MAT. Comfortable dealing with ambiguity and making decisions through a pragmatic mixture of intuition and data A self-starter who recognises the need to investigate topics to enable/support the production of high-quality outcomes whilst working at pace For an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact Alex Thomas (CEO) on 01438 844824 APPLICATION PROCESS ADVERTISING BEGINS: w/c 6 th November 2017 CLOSING DATE: Midnight on Sunday 19 th November 2017 SHORTLISTING: w/c 20 th November 2017 INTERVIEW DATE: w/c 27 th November 2017 START DATE: w/c 1 January 2018 In order to apply for this role, please visit: http://www.hflmat.co.uk/about-us/working-for-us Please download and complete the HfL MAT application form and supporting documents and email to hfl.recruitment@hertsforlearning.co.uk HERTS FOR LEARNING MULTI ACADEMY TRUST Job outline 5