Become a Guardian of Concordia (Member)

We are currently looking for new people to become Members at Concordia and look for a broad range of skills, attributes and experience.  Learn more below about the role of a Member within a Multi Academy Trust

INTRODUCTION FROM OUR CHAIR OF TRUSTEES

Thank you for considering becoming a Member of Trust.  Members are vital in the oversight of a multi academy trust and ensuring that we meet our statutory obligations. We are extremely grateful for each and every person for giving up their time. Learn more about our existing members

ROLE DESCRPTION FOR A MEMBER WITHIN A MULTI ACADEMY TRUST

This role description was published by the Confederation of School Trusts in November 2023 and reviewed in September 2024. It draws extensively on the Department for Education's Academy Trust Governance Guide (March 2024), Annex A – Trust Quality Descriptions (July 2023), Academy Trust Handbook (September 2024) and the Academy Trust Governance Code (October 2023).

Members play a limited but crucial role in academy trust governance. Members are the guardians and custodians of governance in the trust and its vision, values and ethos. The original members are also the first signatories to the articles of association, signalling the foundational nature of their role. As guardians of the trust, members must assure themselves that the governance of the trust is effective and that trustees are acting in accordance with the trust’s charitable objects. While trustees are responsible for setting the trust’s strategic direction, members have the ability to appoint and remove the board. Members are also responsible for other key activities such as amending the trust’s articles of association, changing the name of the trust or winding it up.

There should be a clear separation of the activities of the board and those of members. Members are not involved in the day-to-day business of the trust and are encouraged to be ‘eyes on, hands off.’ It is therefore important for trustees to engage effectively with members and have due regard for their view. Beyond presenting the audited annual report and accounts, the board must also keep members sufficiently informed about the trust’s business, including any key developments and risks, that members can maintain oversight of the board’s performance and step in if governance is failing.

Members ensure the trust is exercising effective governance through a range of powers, including

  • Appointing and removing trustees

  • Appointing and removing members - In extreme circumstances, directing trustees through special resolution to take a specific action when they are unable or unwilling to act in the best interests of the trust

  • Appointing and removing auditors

  • The trust’s articles of association will set out how members are appointed and removed. They do not usually have fixed term lengths.

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

  • Familiar with the trust’s strategic priorities and its charitable objects

  • Broad understanding of national and regional educational priorities and the implications of these for the trust

  • Ability to think strategically about the future direction of the trust and the appropriate composition of the trust board

PEOPLE

  • Ensures the board of trustees has the necessary expertise to fulfil its functions effectively and acts in accordance with the trust’s charitable objects

  • Understands the importance of succession planning to the ongoing effectiveness of the trust board

  • Sets high expectations for conduct and behaviour for all those in governance and is an exemplary role model in demonstrating these

  • Promotes and fosters a supportive working relationship between members and the board

  • Confident to approach the governance professional to obtain advice and support as needed

  • Confident and resilient enough to remove any or all trustees if governance is failing, pursuant to the Companies Act

STUCTURES AND COMPLIANCE

  • Understands the principles of delegation, and specifically the relationship between members and the trust board and the need for clear separation of activities

  • Understands the legal, regulatory and financial context of the trust

  • Understands the principles of audit and assurance

  • Confident speaking up when concerned about non-compliance where it has not been picked up by the board or where they feel it is not being taken seriously

  • Able to identify when specialist advice may be required, such as the commissioning of external reviews of governance

EVALUATION

  • Ability to put the needs of the trust first and is willing to step down or move on at the appropriate time

  • Capable of using regulatory feedback fully to inform decisions about trust development

SUGGESTED METHODS OF KEEPING MEMBERS INFORMED

Members should receive sufficient information to assure themselves that the board is exercising effective governance, but not so much as to be seen as overstepping their ‘eyes on, hands off’ function and blurring the lines between layers of governance. In addition to the annual general meeting required in most articles of associations to receive the accounts, trusts may consider some of all of the following methods of keeping members informed:

  • Mid-year meeting and report from chair of trustees to provide an interim update in advance of the final accounts

  • Regular information from the board via the governance professional, e.g. termly member updates with key trust developments (some trusts share board minutes, but this is not common)

  • Regular but not too frequent meetings with the chair and accounting officer (usually the chief executive)

  • A limited number of board observations

HOW MUCH TIME DOES IT TAKE

We recognise that Members are volunteers. The Trust anticipate that Members will review papers and attend the Annual General Meeting as a minimum.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

If you have now decided you would like to become a Member, please either contact us at [email protected]. 

At this stage, please provide an email or letter introducing your skills and why you would like to become a Member at Concordia.

Following this we will be in touch with you for more information and to arrange an informal meeting to learn more about each other.

Our Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting safety and wellbeing.  If successful, we will then have to carry out some checks, including obtaining a DBS certificate (Disclosure and Barring Service).  We will also request references and carry out a Section 128 check.