Initio Learning Trust has a fantastic opportunity for a part-time newly created Head of Governance to join their dedicated central team.
Contract: Permanent, 24 hours per week over 41 working weeks (term time, plus 2 weeks)
Full time equivalent (FTE) Salary: Grade 13, £49,282 - £55,459 per annum
Actual Salary: £29,577 - £33,262 per annum
Approx Start: October 2026
Location: You will be based at our central office in Broadstone, and on occasions may be required to travel to our multiple school sites located across Dorset and BCP.
As the Trust’s senior governance lead, you will ensure we operate within an exemplary, legally compliant and high-performing model. This pivotal role offers the opportunity to drive digital transformation and provide strategic oversight, proactive policy development and robust regulatory assurance for a mature Multi-Academy Trust.
Key responsibilities:
Strategic Governance Leadership: Provide authoritative counsel to senior leaders and Trustees, refine our governance infrastructure, and drive digital transformation and KPI frameworks.
Trust Board & Committee Governance: Quality assure the administration of all meetings, offering real-time procedural and legislative guidance to ensure that we meet rigorous evidentiary standards. Our Trust has 5 existing committees, these are: resources, audit and risk, performance and standards, growth, performance management.
Compliance & Assurance: Guarantee absolute adherence to the Academy Trust Handbook and company law, maintaining statutory registers and leading governance risk assessments. This includes Company Secretary duties.
Team Leadership: Mentor and manage our Local School Committee Clerks, elevating professional standards through training, quality assurance and regular appraisals.
Capacity and Capability: Lead recruitment and succession planning for Trustees and LSC members; design and implement a framework to enhance capability.
Financial: Manage the central governance budget, external contracts and SLAs
Stakeholder Engagement: Build trusted partnerships with Trustees, Headteachers and executive teams, fostering an environment of robust accountability and healthy challenge.
Essential knowledge and skills:
ICSA/CGI Chartered Governance Qualification (or working towards/equivalent experience).
Proven governance leadership experience within the education, charity, or regulated sectors.
Expertise in the Academy Trust Handbook, company law and governance frameworks.
Exceptional communication skills with the ability to advise, influence and challenge senior stakeholders.
Strong leadership skills with experience managing governance staff or administrative professionals.
If you are a highly motivated and experienced governance professional seeking an opportunity to facilitate transparent decision-making that supports school improvement and long-term sustainability, we encourage you to apply.
Closing date: 27 August 2026
Interviews: w/c 7 September 2026
Please refer to the attached job description for more details about the role.
If you have any further questions, please contact Shani Davies, Director or People & Culture, by emailing [email protected]
Please Note: the actual salary shown is based on the number of hours and weeks worked and paid annual leave entitlement for an employee with under 5 years' service.
About our Central Team
Inito’s central team consists of groups of specialists who provide the support, guidance and resources to enable our schools to focus on what they do best; delivering excellence in education.
Please visit our Trust website for further information about our vision, values, leadership and our schools https://www.initiolearning.org/
Initio Learning Trust provides:
A supportive and welcoming environment with a genuine commitment to professional development.
A flexible, equal opportunities workplace.
Access to the local government or teachers pension scheme.
Employee benefits including a Health Cash Plan and Cycle to Work scheme.
Initio Learning Trust comprises 17 schools across Dorset, with our head office based in Wimborne. Formed in February 2022 from the merger of The Minerva Learning Trust and Wimborne Academy Trust, we offer outstanding education through every stage of schooling, from nursery through to upper sixth form. We believe in enabling every person to thrive within their role, and our core values of Ambition, Collaboration and Respect underpin the pride we take in offering genuine professional development opportunities for all our staff; and in our focus on staff wellbeing.
