Trustee / Director

SGOSS - Governors for Schools; Derby; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading multi-academy trust seeks a trustee to chair the Finance & Budget Committee. The role requires senior-level financial oversight experience, ideally managing budgets over £65 million. This trustee will play a crucial role in ensuring effective financial governance, supporting children's education in the East Midlands. Experience in audit and prior chairing is advantageous.

Benefits

Valuable experience in senior-level decision-making

Opportunity to impact education in the community

Support for career development

Qualifications

• Experience with budgets over £65 million across multiple sites.
• Ability to provide rigorous scrutiny and challenge to financial management.
• Prior experience in chairing meetings is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Chair the Finance & Budget Committee and oversee financial performance.
• Hold executive leaders to account for educational performance.
• Contribute to strategic decision-making at board level.

Skills

Financial oversight

Audit experience

Leadership

Education

Professional finance qualification (advantageous)

Job description

Transform Trust is a well-established and growing multi-academy trust with 26 primary schools across Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby, and Derbyshire, with two more due to join. The trust brings together a diverse range of schools, including both community and faith settings. Three of the schools are linked to the Church of England, and Zaytouna Primary School is a Muslim faith-designated school.

The trust has a strong track record of improvement, with the vast majority of schools judged ‘Good’ or better by Ofsted, including two that are ‘Outstanding’. Some schools have yet to receive an Ofsted judgement since joining the trust, while Zaytouna Primary School—previously facing serious challenges—has been successfully transformed under the trust’s leadership, and in 2023 was judged ‘Good’ overall with ‘Outstanding’ Personal Development. The school is now thriving and oversubscribed, demonstrating the trust’s ability to deliver rapid and sustainable improvement.

Transform Trust is ambitious for the future. Leaders are exploring opportunities to expand further, including establishing a special or alternative provision school to extend the trust’s impact for children with more complex needs. Several schools already provide specialist units for pupils with SEND, particularly those with speech, language, and communication difficulties.

Financial stewardship across the trust is strong. Schools retain a level of autonomy over their budgets while benefitting from robust central oversight. Monthly financial reports ensure transparency and accountability, with almost all schools operating within budget. The trust holds a prudent reserve of 10%, in line with DfE guidance, and manages an annual budget of around £63–65 million. Financial governance is delivered through a dedicated Finance & Budgets Committee and an Audit & Risk Committee, ensuring compliance, assurance, and forward planning.

Governance at Transform Trust is well-structured. The Board of Trustees currently comprises 10 Trustees, with one place reserved for a representative of the chairs of local governing boards (on a fixed one-year term). The Board draws on experience from education, finance, and business and is highly regarded nationally, with the DfE using Transform Trust as a model of good practice for new and aspiring CEOs.

Transform Trust is seeking to appoint a new Trustee to chair the Finance & Budget Committee. This is a key governance role at a time of continued growth and development for the trust.

The successful candidate will bring senior-level experience of financial oversight, ideally with responsibility for budgets in excess of £65 million and across multiple sites or cost centres. While a professional finance qualification is advantageous, it is not essential. What matters is the ability to provide rigorous scrutiny, challenge, and support to the trust’s Chief Financial Officer and Finance Director—both of whom are qualified accountants—and to ensure resources are used effectively to deliver the best outcomes for pupils. Experience of audit, assurance, or risk management would also be beneficial.

As Chair of the Finance & Budget Committee, the new trustee will also attend the Audit & Risk Committee, enabling seamless oversight of both assurance and financial matters. Prior experience of chairing meetings—either in a professional setting or through voluntary activity—will be an asset, as the role involves leading discussions, ensuring robust governance, and drawing together a range of perspectives.

The Trust Board meets once each half term (six times per year), usually on a Wednesday at 5pm, held online. The Finance & Budget Committee meets once per term (three times per year), on a Wednesday at 3pm, immediately following the Audit & Risk Committee which starts at 2pm. Both are held online. Trustees also take part in a termly strategy session, traditionally held face-to-face in different schools. These sessions provide opportunities for school visits, strategic planning, and trustee training and development.

Joining Transform Trust as a trustee offers a unique opportunity to make a significant contribution to a thriving and values-driven trust. The role will involve working alongside a highly skilled board, at the same time as another newly appointed trustee, and will be supported by a thorough induction programme.

This is an exciting time to join a trust with a strong reputation, clear financial discipline, and ambitious plans for the future. By bringing your expertise in financial governance and leadership, you can help to ensure that Transform Trust continues to provide excellent education and life chances for thousands of children across the East Midlands.

Type of establishment: Multi-academy trust

What does the role include?

As a trustee/director your key responsibilities are to ensure clarity of vision, ethos, and strategic direction; to hold executive leaders to account – both for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils and the effective and efficient performance management of staff; and to oversee the organisation’s financial performance to ensure its funds are directed to the best possible educational outcomes for young people. By volunteering as a trustee/director you will be responsible for contributing to the strategic decision-making of the board, helping the trust to realise immediate and long-term goals, and ultimately ensuring transparency, accountability, and challenge.

What are the benefits?

Volunteering on an academy trust board is a meaningful way to shape young people’s futures and strengthen education in your community. Trustees play a vital role in setting strategic direction and holding executive leaders to account — ensuring schools deliver the best outcomes.Alongside making a tangible impact, you’ll gain valuable experience in senior-level decision-making. This is a great opportunity to support your career development, build a non-executive portfolio, and give back to education.

Further information:

You can also find out more public information about the Trust on the Get Information About Schools Page https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Search?SelectedTab=Groups Transform Trust reference number is 5456. The following webpage also provide useful information and reading to any potential trustee: https://governorsforschools.org.uk/trs/resources-for-academy-trustees/. If you have any questions before applying, please contact our Trustee Recruitment Team on [e-mail]