Governance Manager & Clerk to the Governing Board

Overview

We are seeking a highly organised and proactive Governance Manager and Clerk to support the work of our Governing Board.

Start Date: July 2026 (or as soon as possible thereafter)

Reporting to: Chair of Governors

Main Purpose:

The Governance Manager and Clerk to the Board is responsible for:

ensuring that the school complies with relevant legislation and regulations
establishing procedures for the sound governance of the school and advising the Full Governing Body (“the board”) on developments in governance issues.
ensuring that meetings of the board and its committees run efficiently and effectively, are properly recorded and that governors receive appropriate support to fulfil their statutory duties.

Duties and responsibilities

Board and Committee Meetings

Facilitating the smooth operation of the school’s formal decision making and reporting machinery, by:

Establishing and delivering an annual programme of board and committee meetings, ensuring that this is appropriately aligned with the school’s business cycle, and enables an effective and timely flow of information and decisions.
Formulating meeting agendas with the chair and headteacher and advising the senior leadership team on the content and organisation of reports and papers for meetings.
Collecting, organising, providing quality control and distributing documents and other papers for meetings in line with the agreed timetable.
Ensuring that meetings are minuted and that action is taken on matters arising.
Preparing minutes suitable for publication on the school website
Communicating board decisions to those required to implement them
Maintaining an ‘actions log’ and ensuring that actions and tasks assigned are managed appropriately and to the required timetable.
Ensuring that board meetings and committees are properly constituted and provided with clear terms of reference.
Arranging and supporting ad hoc meetings such as permanent exclusion panels.

Governance Administration

Ensuring that the school has appropriate and effective governance arrangements in place and that it adheres to these by:

Ensuring the school complies with current statutory and regulatory requirements regarding school governance, including those set out in the Department for Education’s Governance, and the School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2012, acting upon and keeping the chair informed of relevant developments as necessary.
Drafting required governance documents including the Instrument of Government
Supporting the Chair in managing the recruitment, appointment and succession planning for governors.
Organising an induction programme for new governors.
Maintaining accurate registers on behalf of the board including Register of Interests, governors’ attendance, gifts and hospitality etc.
Ensuring that statutory school policies are reviewed on a regular basis, in accordance with requirements and the scheme of delegation and, where necessary, submitted to the Board for approval.
Working with the senior leadership team to ensure that, where appropriate, governors can review and input into key documents at an early stage and that this is factored into planning.
Ensuring that governance-related information available on the website is up to date and meets all statutory requirements.
Dealing with correspondence received by the Chair and/or the board.
Building and maintaining a good working relationship with London Borough of Ealing’s school governance team, attending training and briefings where appropriate.

Governance Advice and Guidance

Acting as the principal adviser to the Board on governance matters, by:

Providing clear, logical and impartial advice on governance-related matters to the chair, governors and Headteacher as required, seeking third party advice if necessary.
Updating the board on changes to legal or statutory requirements and their implications, providing recommendations on action to be taken where appropriate.
Acting as the first point of contact for governors, providing advice and support, and responding to and handling sensitive issues as they arise.
Advising and assisting governors with respect to their duties and responsibilities.
Advising governors about training and development needs and opportunities, including organising training as required, and maintaining a log of training completed.
Supporting the Chair in improving the effectiveness of the board and its committees and related activity, including board member reviews.
Sharing experience and best practice with colleagues across the school.

Salary

Salary: NJC Points 26–28, 7 hours per week, term time only (hybrid working arrangement) Actual Salary (including London Allowance): £7,015–£7,342

Supporting documents

Deadline and how to apply

For an informal conversation, please contact Carol Gleeson: cgleeson@islipmanorhigh.org.uk

Applications should be sent to: recruitment@islipmanorhigh.org.uk

Equal opportunities

We are committed to building a staff team that reflects our diverse community. We particularly welcome applications from underrepresented groups, including Arab, Asian, Black Caribbean, Black African and Traveller of Irish Heritage backgrounds. A blind shortlisting process is used.

Job reference: