Governance professionals: our position | National Governance Association

Governance professional is an umbrella term used to describe those who provide independent governance support to governing boards, trust boards and academy committees (often referred to as local governing bodies). The profession incorporates a variety of roles and levels of support, including:

clerks
governance co-ordinators/governance managers in a MAT or service provider
lead governance professionals/head of governance in a MAT or service provider

Governance professionals operating at all levels have a vital role in our education system. Their support and essential oversight results in strong governance, which leads to better outcomes.

Governance professionals are either employed directly by schools or trusts or commissioned as independent service providers under a service agreement. NGA advocates for large and growing MATs to employ a lead governance professional within the central support team, who, in large trusts, is an integral part of the senior leadership team, to meet the demands and complexity of governance across a number of schools.

Recruiting and developing governance professionals

Governing boards, alongside their school and trust leaders, should play an active role in the recruitment of the governance professional at whichever level they are being appointed to. They should seek to recruit a governance professional who either holds a qualification relevant to the level and requirements of their specific role or is committed to achieving this. This should be funded by the board if they employ the governance professional or reflected in the cost of an independent service provider. All governance professionals should be committed to their ongoing professional development and boards should encourage and support this.

Every governance professional should be provided with a job description or service agreement, which:

sets out the purpose of their role, their specific duties and responsibilities
acts as a point of reference for appraisal and for any issues relating to the level of service provided

Appraising and paying governance professionals

Governance professionals working at all levels should have an annual appraisal. The chair, or designated member of the governing board, should be involved in the appraisal of the governance professional at whichever level they are appointed at.

Pay is determined by the employer and should accurately reflect the specific duties and responsibilities set out in the job description or service level agreement. It should also reflect the skills, knowledge and professional experience required, as well as a realistic calculation of hours worked and working conditions. Employers should use benchmarking to inform their evaluation of governance professional pay such as the NGA career pathway.

Maintaining professional independence

The independence of a governance professional should not be compromised. Governance professionals should be prepared and able to advise the governing board to ensure effective governance through advising adherence to legislation, following procedures and enabling well informed decision making. In order to support their independence, NGA does not think it is best practice for a governance professional to be employed in another role in their school or trust. Where this does happen, there must be a clear job description and time allocation for when the individual is acting as the governance professional.

NGA continues to campaign for the professionalisation of the role and to highlight the vital work of governance professionals, which is a key element in the success of any governing board.