We are seeking to appoint an experienced and highly organised individual to provide strategic leadership across the Trust’s governance, company secretariat, compliance and executive support functions. This is a pivotal role, ensuring that the Trust Board, its committees and all Academy Education Committees (AECs) operate effectively and meet all statutory and regulatory requirements.
The postholder will lead on all aspects of the Trust’s governance and compliance infrastructure, overseeing key frameworks, registers, filings and reporting processes. This includes maintaining the Scheme of Delegation, statutory registers, risk reporting, governance cycles, Companies House requirements and the wider policy schedule. They will line manage the Governance & Executive Support Officers, providing clear direction to ensure effective local governance and strong Trust-wide secretariat support. Through strong leadership, robust systems and a commitment to continuous improvement, the post holder will help strengthen accountability, transparency and organisational effectiveness across Place Partnership.
The post holder will also manage Trustee and Member recruitment and supervise the full governance lifecycle, ensuring all stakeholders receive the support they need to fulfil their responsibilities effectively. Working closely with Executive colleagues, Trustees and Academy Leaders, the role will provide expert advice and assurance, ensuring governance arrangements remain effective, compliant and aligned to best practice.
A strong focus on compliance and assurance will underpin the post. The successful candidate will oversee the central complaints function and coordinate with the Data Protection Officer on Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs), Freedom of Information (FOI) requests and other data protection matters. The role will also provide independent challenge and assurance on the effectiveness of Shared Services through oversight of service level agreements, cross-functional agreements and compliance reporting.
Alongside this, the postholder will provide strategic executive support to the Chief Executive Officer. They will prepare briefings, papers and reports for Board meetings, external publications and key stakeholder engagement. A discreet and proactive professional, the successful candidate will act as a trusted point of contact for Board Members, Trustees and external stakeholders, as well as a first point of contact for the Trust via telephone and email on behalf of the Executive Team.
The role will work across both geographical hubs to provide strategic leadership, line management and collaboration on a regular basis. Our West Hub is Wakefield (WF5) and Rotherham (S66).
Term time plus inset and additional days will be considered. Please indicate in your application if your preferred option.
The successful candidate will be:
-
An experienced governance, company secretariat or compliance professional with substantial experience within education or another complex organisational setting.
-
Highly organised and detail-focused, with the ability to manage complex governance cycles and competing priorities with accuracy.
-
A credible and confident adviser, with the ability to provide clear guidance and training on governance, compliance and procedural matters to senior leaders, Trustees and Academy colleagues.
-
A capable team leader, with ability to provide clear direction, support and development to others while promoting consistency and professionalism.
-
Committed to continuous improvement, with a strong understanding of the importance of accountability, transparency and service quality.
-
Proactive, trustworthy and approachable, with the ability to build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
-
Reliable, discreet, and able to handle highly confidential information with integrity.
-
Values-led and genuinely committed to the wellbeing of young people, recognising the importance of strong governance in supporting positive outcomes.
This is an exciting opportunity to join a forward-thinking and ambitious organisation, driven by a genuine passion for the wellbeing, care and education of young people.
Place Partnership represents the voluntary merger of two strong and successful Trusts in South and West Yorkshire: Maltby Learning Trust, established in 2014, and Accord Multi Academy Trust, founded in 2016. Both organisations shared a clear ambition - to grow our families of schools, extend the impact of our work, and ensure more children, families and communities could benefit from high-quality education. We recognise that by coming together, we will create a larger organisation with greater capacity to deliver exceptional learning experiences, strengthen school improvement, and contribute more meaningfully to the wider education system. From 1 September 2026, we will comprise 12 academies, supporting children and young people from early years through to Post 16.
Visits are warmly welcomed and can be arranged. For further details regarding this opportunity, for an informal discussion regarding the role or to arrange a visit, please contact [email protected]
Closing Date: Monday 29 June 2026 at 9am
Interviews are expected to take place on W/C 29 June or W/C 6 July 2026.
Place Partnership is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, further details of which can be found at www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check
Place Partnership is committed to providing a culture of inclusion, respect and equity of opportunity that attracts, supports, and retains high quality colleagues from all backgrounds and across all job roles. Candidates will always be shortlisted based on the content of application against the job description and essential criteria without access to the personal details.
Place Partnership reserves the right to interview sooner than the specified dates above. Applicants will be notified of this where possible. Therefore, early applications are encouraged.
