Trust Governance and Quality Assurance Lead

Trust Governance and Quality Assurance LeadStewardship. Integrity. Impact.

ACT Multi Academy Trust | Hybrid working | Part‑time considered

(Based out of our Trust Offices in St Neots)

At ACT Multi Academy Trust, governance is not something that sits in the background.
It is how we protect children, support leaders, and hold fast to our values when decisions are complex, pressure is high, and clarity really matters.

We are seeking an exceptional Governance & Compliance Lead — not to service governance, but to lead it with purpose, confidence and moral authority.

This is a role for someone who understands that governance is not about control or compliance alone. It is about stewardship: doing the right thing, at the right time, for the right reasons — always in the best interests of children.

ACT is a small but ambitious Church of England Multi Academy Trust, rooted in inclusion, dignity and high expectations. We believe deeply that every child is known, valued and cherished, and that strong governance is one of the most powerful ways to protect that belief as a Trust grows and evolves.

As we mature as an organisation, we are making a clear and deliberate choice:
governance will be a strategic strength, not a hidden risk.

This role exists because we recognise that:

• clarity enables courage,
• good governance protects people as well as organisations,
• and ethical systems do not happen by accident — they are carefully built and maintained.

You will be trusted to bring order to complexity, confidence to decision‑making, and assurance without bureaucracy.

As Governance & Compliance Lead, you will be the Trust’s professional authority on governance, statutory compliance and assurance.

You will:

• take ownership of ACT’s governance framework, ensuring it is clear, coherent and future‑proof,
• lead the development and ongoing refinement of the Scheme of Delegation, ensuring absolute clarity of roles and accountability,
• provide high‑quality clerking and professional advice across the Trust Board, committees and local governance,
• ensure statutory compliance is embedded, visible and robust — not reactive or last‑minute,
• and act as a calm, independent advisor to Trustees, Chairs and senior leaders.

Your work will shape how decisions are made, how risk is understood, and how assurance is provided across the Trust. This is real influence, exercised quietly, professionally and with integrity.

This role is for someone who believes that governance is a form of leadership.

You will be someone who:

• brings clarity where there is complexity,
• is confident working with Trustees and senior leaders,
• understands governance as both a legal and moral responsibility,
• values independence, transparency and ethical judgement,
• and is motivated by purpose rather than profile.

You may come from a MAT, education governance, the public sector, regulation, compliance or another complex environment. What matters most is not the sector you come from, but how you think, how you judge, and what you stand for.

The future of the role

This role has been deliberately designed with growth and longevity in mind.

As ACT continues to mature and strengthen as a Trust, the Governance & Compliance Lead will play an increasingly central role in shaping how governance, assurance and ethical leadership are embedded across the organisation.

Over time, and subject to Trust need and professional development, this role has the potential to:

• evolve into a Head of Governance & Compliance function,
• take on broader strategic responsibility for assurance, risk and governance effectiveness,
• and shape how Trustees, leaders and local governance work together with clarity and confidence.

This is a role where professional judgement, independence and expertise will be recognised and invested in, not constrained.

For the right person, this is an opportunity to:

• build a governance framework that endures,
• develop deep influence and credibility across a growing Trust,
• and shape a governance culture that is values‑led, ethical and future‑proof.

We are not looking for someone to “hold the fort”.
We are looking for someone to build something that lasts.

People choose ACT because:

• values genuinely guide decisions here,
• governance is listened to, respected and acted upon,
• leaders are principled, human and ambitious,
• and people are trusted to do important work well.

We believe in being clear to be kind, in high challenge and low threat, and in building systems that serve people — not the other way around.

At ACT, governance is not about distancing leaders from risk; it is about giving them the confidence to lead well.

This is a role for someone who wants their work to matter — quietly, consistently and profoundly.

If you believe that:

• governance should enable courage, not create fear,
• clarity is an act of kindness,
• integrity is non‑negotiable,
• and ethical systems change outcomes for children —

then this could be the role where your professional expertise and moral purpose truly align.

Full job description and candidate pack available to download below.