Start Date: September 2025 or as soon as possible

Location: Hybrid / Leaf Trust Shared Services Hub

Salary: Grade 7, £35,235 - £37,938 FTE per annum(Actual salary based on weeks worked and hours: £13,168.67 - £14,178.88 p.a.)

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 16.5 hours per week, term time only (38 weeks – excluding INSET days).

• Working hours can be arranged flexibly across the week, provided they meet the needs of the Trust.
• The post-holder will be expected to attend a full-day, in-person governance desktop review once per term (held on a Friday at the end of each term), as well as occasional evening meetings scheduled throughout the academic year.

Application Closing Date: 07/09/2025

Interview Date: 17/09/2025

The Role

This is a key role within our central team, offering the opportunity to shape and strengthen governance practice across a values-led, community-rooted Trust.

As Governance and Compliance Lead, you will act as Company Secretary and take a lead on governance policy, statutory compliance, and maintaining accurate records and registers. You’ll provide expert advice and professional clerking support to the Trust Board and its committees, while line managing our clerking team across all schools.

You will coordinate statutory panels, lead our termly Chairs’ Network, and support the recruitment, induction, and development of Trustees, Governors, and Members. You’ll also work with local boards to evaluate their effectiveness and support improvement where needed.

This role may suit someone with previous governance experience or an organised and proactive school PA/EA with a strong interest in education and leadership. We are open to developing the right person.

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has governance and compliance experience (ideally in education or the charity sector), or transferable experience and a willingness to learn
• Understands how strong governance enables ethical leadership and improvement
• Is an excellent communicator and confident relationship-builder
• Brings a proactive, detail-focused, and improvement-driven mindset

You may already hold the Level 4 Certificate in Academy Governance, or be willing to complete it (with full funding and support from us). The next cohort begins in October.

This is a unique opportunity to influence trust-wide governance while enjoying a flexible work pattern and strong work-life balance.

Please refer to the candidate information pack for further details about the role and person specification.

About the Trust:

The Leaf Trust is a growing family of 14 Primary and Early Years schools across the Bristol area. We are committed to delivering joyful, inclusive education rooted in the communities we serve—where every child can thrive and experience success.

We celebrate the uniqueness of each school while upholding consistently high standards across the Trust. Our model retains strong, values-led Headteachers and local governance forums, enabling schools to remain connected to their communities and distinct identities.

We believe that effective governance is central to our success. It ensures clear accountability, ethical leadership, and long-term improvement at every level. Our schools benefit from:

• Collective Resource – using shared capacity to serve children better
• Collective Support – strengthening one another through trust-wide collaboration
• Collective Expertise – sharing best practice to become sector leaders; our current focus is becoming a Reading Trust

As we grow, we are developing a governance model that is robust, values-aligned, and strategically focused—providing the perfect opportunity for the right candidate to make a meaningful impact.

Why Work With Us?

As part of The Leaf Trust’s Central Team, you will be part of a supportive and dynamic working environment with access to a range of benefits, including:

A Role with Room to Grow – Help shape and develop governance frameworks and processes in a growing Trust.

A Great Team & Supportive Environment – Join a skilled, hard-working, and collaborative central team with a positive, good-humoured ethos, where your contributions will be truly valued.

Career Development – Access to CPD, training, and professional development opportunities to enhance your expertise.

Employee Wellbeing – Annual wellbeing surveys, a dedicated wellbeing day, and support for work-life balance.

Financial Benefits – Competitive pension packages, access to the Cycle to Work Scheme, and a staff discount platform to help you save on everyday purchases.

We invite you to browse our websites for more information about our Trust

How to Apply

All applicants are advised to refer to the candidate information pack, which includes the job description and specification, before submitting an application. If you feel that your skills and experience match the requirements of this post then please submit an Application Form outlining reasons for applying and suitability for the role. In order to do so, please click the ‘Apply Now’ button. Please be advised, in accordance with our Safeguarding Policy, we do not accept CV’s.

If this job isn't quite the perfect fit for you at the moment, why not set up a job alert for The Leaf Trust or the school via Eteach? This way, you'll stay updated on our latest opportunities as soon as they arise. We're always on the lookout for passionate individuals to join our team. Whether it's now or in the future, seize the chance to be part of a supportive community where personal growth and success are celebrated through an unwavering commitment to excellence. Your next fulfilling chapter could be just around the corner!

The Leaf Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people across all its schools and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Suitability to work with children will form part of the selection process, and all appointments will be subject to comprehensive vetting, including an enhanced DBS check and an online search in line with safer recruitment practices. A copy of our Safeguarding Policy can be found on our website.

Equality and Diversity Statement

We are also dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We encourage applications from all suitably qualified candidates, particularly those from underrepresented groups, as we strive to build a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities served by Leaf schools.