Head of Governance

St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust

Salary: NJC SCP 45–52 (£56,673 – £65,084 per annum)

Hours: 37 hours per week, full-time, all year round (including evening meetings)

Contract: Permanent

Reporting to: Chief Operating Officer

Location: Trust Headquarters, Port of Liverpool Building, Liverpool, with travel across all SJCMAT schools

Start Date: September 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter

Shape the Future of a Growing Catholic Multi Academy Trust

Are you an experienced governance professional ready to make a lasting impact across a growing family of schools?

St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust is seeking an exceptional Head of Governance to lead a pivotal Trust-wide function at an exciting stage of our growth and development.

This is a unique opportunity to build and lead our governance function, acting as Company Secretary and trusted adviser to Trustees, Members and senior leaders. You will design and implement the governance structures, processes and operating model that will support our growing family of schools while ensuring the highest standards of compliance, transparency and accountability.

Working closely with senior leaders, Trustees, Members, the Archdiocese of Liverpool and external partners, you will help shape the governance architecture that underpins Trust growth and enables outstanding Catholic education across all our schools.

About St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust

SJCMAT is a growing family of Catholic schools serving communities across the North West. Inspired by our mission to provide the highest quality Catholic education, we are committed to ensuring that every child flourishes academically, spiritually and personally.

As our Trust continues to grow, so too does the importance of strong governance. This role offers the opportunity to influence decision-making at the highest level, shape governance strategy across the Trust and create systems that will support our schools for many years to come.

Why this role stands out

Build a Governance Function from the Ground Up

Create and lead a central governance team, establishing the systems, processes and quality standards that will support every school in our growing Trust.

Strategic Influence and Board-Level Reach

Act as Company Secretary and principal governance adviser to the Board, Committees, Members and Executive Team, ensuring governance remains at the heart of effective leadership and decision-making.

Shape Trust Growth

Lead governance due diligence and onboarding arrangements for schools joining the Trust, working closely with the Archdiocese of Liverpool to develop governance structures that support sustainable expansion.

A Mission Worth Serving

Join a Catholic Trust whose purpose extends beyond compliance and regulation. Your work will create the foundations that enable our schools to flourish and deliver exceptional outcomes for children and communities.

What you will lead

The successful candidate will provide strategic leadership for:

1. The Trust-wide governance framework, governance calendar and annual compliance cycle
2. Company secretarial responsibilities and compliance with company, charity and academy trust legislation
3. Governance assurance reporting to Trustees, Members and senior leaders
4. Board, Committee and Member support, ensuring effective governance and high-quality decision-making
5. Director, Governor and Member appointments, skills audits, registers and governance records
6. Data protection coordination and Freedom of Information compliance
7. Governance arrangements for complaints, disciplinary, admissions and exclusions panels
8. Governor and Trustee induction, training and development programmes
9. Governance due diligence and onboarding for schools joining the Trust
10. Policy management, governance compliance and assurance activity
11. Relationships with the Archdiocese of Liverpool, regulators and external governance partners

We are looking for someone who:

1. Has significant governance, compliance or company secretarial experience within an academy trust or comparable organisation
2. Possesses a strong understanding of academy trust governance, company law and charity law
3. Has experience advising Boards, Trustees or senior executives on governance matters
4. Can build credibility and influence at senior leadership level
5. Demonstrates excellent organisational skills and sound professional judgement
6. Has experience managing complex compliance and assurance requirements
7. Has the vision and ambition to build and develop a high-performing governance function
8. Shares our commitment to service, integrity, excellence and continuous improvement

What we offer

1. A unique opportunity to build and lead a central governance function
2. A role that will grow alongside an ambitious and expanding Catholic Multi Academy Trust
3. A professional and collaborative working environment based within our landmark headquarters at the Port of Liverpool Building
4. Flexible and hybrid working arrangements
5. Funded professional qualifications and sector-leading CPD opportunities
6. Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme
7. A structured induction programme and ongoing support from the senior leadership team
8. A Trust that genuinely values governance and invests in its people
9. The opportunity to influence governance, strategy and decision-making across a growing family of Catholic schools

Informal and Confidential Discussion

We recognise that senior leadership opportunities of this nature often prompt questions about the role, the Trust and our exciting growth plans.

For an informal and confidential discussion about the position, please contact:

Khalil Mohammed

Chief Financial and Strategy Officer

✉️ KMohammed@sjcmat.co.uk

📞 0151 332 6717

Khalil would be delighted to discuss the role, the strategic vision for SJCMAT and the significant opportunity this position offers to shape the future of governance across our Trust.