Improving the life chances of young people, particularly the disadvantaged, is critical to the UK’s social and economic success.

An education powerhouse is forming in the North as academy trusts seek to improve

outcomes for young people and to close the gap with the South. The skills and

experience of business leaders can help these trusts and their pupils to succeed.

Academy Ambassadors provides a free, bespoke service matching business

people and professionals with multi-academy trusts looking to strengthen their

board. Since 2013, the not-for-profi t programme funded by the Department for

Education has introduced over 1,200 business people and professionals to trust

boards.

Non-executive director roles in education for business leaders

Working together for a better future

Finding the right board role for youYou can get involved by applying for a specifi c board opportunity or register your interest in joining our pool of candidates.

One-to-one support from a senior Academy Ambassadors adviser is provided to match you to the right role. With an offi ce in Manchester and advisers across the North, Academy Ambassadors can help to identify a role that fi ts your location,

experience, availability and interests.

Find the latest board opportunities at: academyambassadors.org

You can fi nd out more by emailing your CV / LinkedIn profi le to academyambassadors@

newschoolsnetwork.org

e: academyambassadors@newschoolsnetwork.org

t: 0161 638 8604

www.academyambassadors.org | @academyamb

Academy Ambassadors is part of New Schools Network ©

8th Floor, Westminster Tower, 3 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SP

Charity number 11321221 A Northern Powerhouse Schools Strategy, Department for Education, 2016

2 OECD PISA Excellence and Equity in Education, 2015.

We are the

largest economy

...but our system ranks in the

twentieswhen judged on the educational performance of our 15-year-olds in the world 2

The number of secondary schools judged to be good or outstanding

1

in the South and East is 81%, compared with only 70% in the North

“Business expertise is transferable and it is so rewarding to give a little time and lots of experience and see that help in the

fl ourishing of an academy that helps so many.”

MARK BOWER-DYKE, CHAIRMAN, BE WISER GROUP

T H E S M A L L P R I N T:

• Non-executive directors usually

contribute between six and twelve

hours per month in board meetings

and preparation.

• Most appointments are made for a

term of three to four years. However

the length of your term will be agreed

on appointment.

• Board positions recruited via Academy

Ambassadors are pro-bono and are

not remunerated.

• All candidates working with Academy

Ambassadors are expected to meet

the standards of conduct detailed in

the DfE Model Articles of Association

and the Nolan Principles of Public Life.

• For more information and

terms and conditions go to

academyambassadors.org

Q&A Will I make a difference?Non-executive directors have infl uence and impact in academies. Their authority

is backed by the devolved funding, accountability and control inherent within the

academies’ organisational structure.

“It wasn’t until I engaged with Academy Ambassadors that I found out there was a

route for someone like me to use business skills to help make a diff erence.”

PHIL JONES, CHAIR OF PONTEFRACT ACADEMIES TRUST AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF NORTHERN POWERGRID

What is the feedback from organisations already involved?Multi-academy trust non-executive directors say that their trust role provides intellectual

challenge and develops their leadership capability. High-calibre leaders are attracted

to the role and nine in ten would recommend it to others.3 Organisations already

involved include BT, PwC, Lloyds Banking Group and Rolls Royce. The programme is

endorsed by the Institute of Directors (IoD) and the Confederation of British Industry

(CBI).

What does an academy trust board do?Non-executive directors lead strategy development and then hold the executive to

account for delivery of the business plan. Multi-academy trust boards face the same

challenges as any business board: defi ning a compelling vision and strategy; operating

within fi nancial constraints and creating a strong and effective governance structure.

What skills are required?

AuditingPreparation of statements of

fi nancial activity, investments

and taxation

Branding and MarketingDevelop and manage

messages for stakeholders

CEO and General ManagementMonitor appropriate levels of

scale and complexity for the

organisation

Change / Growth ManagementDeliver improvement, growth

and transformation

Corporate GovernanceFacilitate effective and prudent

management

Entrepreneur / FounderManaging businesses and

creating systems for new

organisations

FinanceAlign budgets to organisational

priorities

Human ResourcesEnsure the right staff are

motivated and incentivised to

perform

IT / TechnologyManage effi ciencies in IT

procurement and organisation-

wide integration

Legal and ComplianceSupport with due diligence,

land acquisition, complex

personnel cases and regulatory

challenges

Property and Real EstateManaging multi-site structures,

capital development and asset

portfolio experience

RiskDelivering sustained

improvement, managing risk3 populus research 2016.

Some of the organisations already involved:

What are academies and academy trusts?Academies are autonomous schools that are funded directly by the government. Over

50% of children are now educated in an academy. The number of academies has

expanded rapidly from 200 to over 8,000 since 2010 with two-thirds coming together

to create multi-academy trusts (MATs).

Academies aim to raise standards so that children are better prepared for all stages of

life. Each trust has a board that includes non-executive directors (NEDs) from outside

education.

Why become a non-executive in education?

“Corporate Britain has a huge role to play in education and particularly in bringing leadership skills and experience to academy trusts. I encourage academy trusts and business leaders to come together through Academy Ambassadors.” S I R PA U L M A R S H A L L , F O U N D E R O F M A R S H A L L WA C E L L P A N D C H A I R O F A R K S C H O O L S

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