Position Description

The Chair of Trustees will lead the Board of Trustees and work closely with Wembley Multi-Academy Trust’s Chief Executive Officer to uphold the highest standards of educational achievement through effective governance, strategic oversight, and clear leadership.

The Chair of Trustees will ensure the Board operates effectively, with a strong focus on accountability, clarity of purpose, and collective responsibility. Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the Board of Trustees to set the strategic direction of the Trust and maintain focus on its vision, values, and long-term priorities
• Ensuring effective governance across the Trust, including oversight of educational performance, financial sustainability, safeguarding, compliance, and risk management
• Maintaining a constructive and effective relationship with the Chief Executive Officer, providing support and challenge through regular engagement
• Ensuring the Board of Trustees has the right composition, capability, and culture to discharge its responsibilities effectively
• Promoting high standards of conduct, decision-making, and accountability across the Board and its committees
• Ensuring effective delegation to committees and appropriate oversight of their work
• Supporting strong relationships with Local Governing Boards and ensuring governance arrangements remain coherent across the Trust
• Representing the Trust with credibility and building effective relationships with key stakeholders, including pupils, parents, staff, partners, and the wider community

Additional responsibilities

• Chairing Board meetings and setting the tone for effective, inclusive, and well-managed discussion and decision-making
• Serving on the Finance and Audit Committee and, if appropriate, the Pay Committee
• Participating in the quarterly forum with Local Governing Board Chairs

Selection Criteria

Wembley Multi-Academy Trust (WMAT) is seeking a Chair of Trustees from a commercial, public sector, or education governance background. They will bring proven chairing experience, strategic leadership, sound judgement, genuine availability, and a clear commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people.

Essential criteria

• Professional background in a commercial, public sector, or education governance environment
• Proven experience of chairing boards, committees, or other senior strategic forums, with non-executive experience as a current or previous Chair (this may include Committee Chair roles)
• Strong strategic leadership and the ability to provide clear direction at board level
• Sound judgement and the confidence to offer support and constructive challenge in equal measure
• A clear understanding of the distinction between executive and non-executive responsibilities
• The credibility to build trusted relationships with the Chief Executive Officer, fellow trustees, and wider stakeholders
• Genuine capacity to commit the time and attention required for the role
• A strong commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people

Desired criteria

• Experience of governance within a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) or a similarly complex organisation
• Experience of organisational growth, merger, acquisition, or integration activity
• Knowledge of the education sector, although this is not essential

Personal qualities

• Values-led, inclusive, and collaborative in approach
• Calm, balanced, and confident in decision-making
• Personally credible and able to build confidence across a wide range of stakeholders
• Committed to high standards, accountability, and long-term impact

Board composition

For more information about the current Board, please see here.

Diversity

Wembley Multi-Academy Trust welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, belief or disability. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process. In line with the Equality Act 2010, however, the organisation may employ positive action where candidates from underrepresented groups can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.

How to Apply

Find out more using the following link

Terms of appointment

This role is unremunerated, although reasonable, pre-agreed travel expenses will be reimbursed.

The successful candidate will join the Board of Trustees as a Trustee in June or July 2026 before assuming the role of Chair of Trustees in September 2026.

The Chair of Trustees will be expected to attend four Board meetings each year, held in person during the evening, and to sit on one or two committees. Membership of the Finance and Audit Committee is essential, with five meetings each year, and membership of the Pay Committee is optional, with three meetings each year.

The Chair of Trustees will meet with the Chief Executive Officer on a fortnightly basis and with the Clerk on a monthly basis. They will also participate in a quarterly forum with Local Governing Board Chairs.

Nurole process

After we have closed the application window on the Nurole platform, our team of experts carefully assess your application against the criteria outlined in the role specification. We will select a group of the most suitable candidates to present to the organisation, who will then be able to view the full application. We will always get in touch to let you know the outcome of your application.

As the organisation will view the applications without edits, we therefore advise applicants to avoid using ‘see CV’ or ‘please call me to discuss further’ in your application as it may restrict your chances of progressing to the next round. To read more about what to expect from the Nurole process, click here.

Take a look at Nurole guides on how to submit a strong application here.

Connected parties

This organisation has requested that candidates do not contact them directly. Instead, if you know someone at the organisation, please mention it in your Reason for Application. Nurole members who do not respect this may risk having their membership terminated.

Nurole is committed to fairness, inclusivity, and accessibility. If you require any reasonable adjustments or need support to access our website, application process, or interviews, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. You can contact us at [email protected] or by calling +44 (0)20 3637 1012.

Role timetable

Deadline for applications: Midnight (UK time) on the evening of 9th June

Candidates can expect to be contacted by: 23rd June