Member – Share Multi Academy Trust

Could you help to improve education in Huddersfield by volunteering to become a member at a multi-academy trust?  Share Multi Academy Trust seeks two new members.

Members provide independent oversight to the work of the board of trustees to ensure suitable accountability for decision making and strategy. As multi-academy trusts (MATs) grow and develop, they face significant challenges. This role enables professionals to use skills and experience gained throughout their career to help trusts across England and improve the life chances of young people. All roles are pro bono.

The trust

Formed in 2011, Share MAT is a friendly partnership, consisting of three secondary and five primary schools in West Yorkshire. The trust’s core belief is about valuing people and helping them to be as successful as they can be. It seeks the input of experienced individuals who are able to assist the creation of robust and sustainable financial and business approaches, to help it meet its objectives for children's development.

SHARE Multi-Academy Trust encourages the sharing of expertise within its family of schools, whether it's on recruiting and retaining good staff or improving the quality of learning; all members of the trust contribute and share experience and best practice, helping to make each school within the trust a better place for staff and pupils. Through supporting and challenging each other, the trust has enriched each member school beyond expectations.

Person specification

The board seeks two members with previous experience in

• Corporate/Charity Governance, or
• Non-executive/ Trustee roles

Applicants should have an extensive and demonstrable background in senior leadership roles, with strategic vision and knowledge of the non-executive director role. Candidates are expected to demonstrate the seven principles of public life set out by Lord Nolan.

What’s involved?

Members have a similar role to the shareholders in a company limited by shares. They provide high-level oversight and scrutiny of the work of the trust board.

Most notably, members:

• define the trust’s charitable object and governance structure;
• amend the articles of association;
• appoint or remove trustees;
• appoint the trust’s auditors and receive the trust’s annual audited accounts; and, ultimately,
• dissolve the academy trust if required.

Members will typically meet once per year with preparation time required. This translates to a commitment of around two hours per month.

Further information on the member role at a multi-academy trust is available on the gov.uk website.

Successful candidates will join a network of Ambassadors: experienced business leaders and professionals who have been appointed to board roles through the Academy Ambassadors Programme. All Ambassadors gain access to resources, guidance, networking events, our annual flagship conference, as well as webinars.

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 here: https://www.academyambassadors.org/board-opportunities/share-multi-academy-trust-0.

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.