Clerk to Governing Board

Job Introduction

About us

Join Oxfordshire County Council on an exciting journey towards Delivering the Future Together, our ambitious transformation programme which will enable us to be an employer, partner, and place shaper of choice.  We’re seeking the right people who can help us get there while embracing our value of ‘daring to do it differently’, as we continue to strive to do better.

In our Children, Education, & Families Directorate, we want every child to have the best possible education and with this goal in mind, we’ve set out to improve and transform our services.

We’ve been consistently rated as “good” by Ofsted, but we are not content with that; we are ambitious and want to do even better! Oxfordshire County Council is a financially stable local authority which is committed to investing in Children, Education, and Families, to ensure that we have the resources we need to make a real difference to the children, young people, and families we work with.  

About the role

The Governing Board has a key role to play in making sure all pupils at a school receive the highest standard of education possible and are able to achieve their full potential.   Professional-quality clerking is critical to the effectiveness of a governing board in fulfilling its core strategic functions.

 As Clerk to the Governing Board, you will play an integral role in providing professional, accurate minutes; business continuity for governing boards and reflect, to the outside world, the effective working of the governing board.  

You will be supported through a development plan and regular meetings with the Clerk to Governors Team Lead to exchange information and keep you up-to-date across the latest changes and updates to make you successful in your role.

Additionally, you’ll work closely and form strong relationships with school governors from a variety of backgrounds, which can be a rewarding part of the role.  

In practice, you are likely to attend an average of six Full Governing Board meetings, usually in the evening, per school each year. Each meeting usually lasts for two hours, but you will spend another eight hours per meeting working from home on preparing the agenda, minutes and any other paperwork.   We ask clerks to support a minimum of two governing boards, but some clerks work for more.  There will be opportunities to clerk additional meetings, such as committees and panel meetings, or provide cover in the absence of other clerks.  The position can be as varied and busy as you like.  

• Salary range;          £15.17 - £16.63 ph, plus holiday pay
• Work location;         Countywide, Oxfordshire
• Closing date: 30th June.  We will be reviewing applications as they come in.  We reserve the right to close the advert once we have enough applications, so would encourage you to apply as soon as you can.

About you

We would like to hear from you if you can:

• Effectively convey and interpret information, both verbally and in writing, ensuring clarity and consistency in minutes, agenda’s and other paperwork.
• Provide good customer service and with your strong organisational skills, prioritise your workload proactively.
• Work on your own initiative and maintain a committed approach to meetings scheduled.   
• Attend meetings located at schools in person.  
• Provide professional support and advice to the governing board to help strengthen the leadership of schools.
• Previous experience and knowledge of the workings of governing boards is desirable but not essential as training will be provided.

Rewards and benefits

• Culture of flexible working
• Technology to support agile working where role permits
• Up to 31 days holiday p.a. plus bank holidays  
• Option to ‘buy’ additional holiday
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to health and wellbeing support
• Membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, with an employer’s contribution of up to 19.9%
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• Local and national discounts for shopping and travel
• Great learning and development opportunities to support your ongoing development

Would you like to know more?

Please see the job description and selection criteria.  For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Ruth Pangu, Clerk to Governors Team Lead at clerking.service@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Application Procedure

To apply, please complete an online application form.  This includes a section asking you to explain how you meet the selection criteria, as specified in the job posting.  You may attach a cover letter and/or CV to your application form, however it is not mandatory.

Our commitment to:
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce. Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or on maternity or family leave. We have a number of staff network groups which provide peer support, education and safe spaces for all.

Our commitment to:
Guaranteed Interview Schemes

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and who meet the essential criteria for the job. For those leaving care without any further education, we guarantee an interview for our apprenticeships. We are also committed to helping and supporting those transitioning from HM Armed Forces to civilian life and guarantee an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.

Our commitment to:
Safeguarding

Oxfordshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.

Our commitment to:
Flexible Working

We are open to discussions about flexible working, which can include flexi-time, full time and part time working, job sharing, nine-day fortnights and annualised hours, depending on the requirements of the role and the service.

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If you encounter any technical issues with the application system, please contact us at: careers@oxfordshire.gov.uk