The Role

Are you an experienced clerk or have significant experience of attending formal meetings?

Would you like the opportunity to help shape and influence the governing boards on constitutional matters, duties, and powers?

Does a role where you can work flexibly and independently appeal to you?

If yes, we have the perfect role for you!

This is an advert for experienced clerks to fill 5x casual posts.

About the service

Wandsworth Governor Services is a successful and well-regarded organisation offering professional support and advice, including clerking, to school governing boards in Wandsworth and beyond.  As a result of the continuing development of the service, we are recruiting additional clerks.

Governing Boards set the strategic direction, hold school leadership to account and oversee the school’s financial performance. Ofsted consider the quality of a school’s governance to be a key element in the Leadership & Management judgement. We offer a range of support packages to these school governing boards with a focus on clerking, governance advice and information, as well as links to training.

About the role

The clerk’s role is best suited to candidates with an interest in education, strong interpersonal, time management and administrative skills. It offers flexible working both at home and in schools. Increasingly meetings are held face to face but some meetings continue to be held remotely. The role requires you to work independently, but with support from the central Governor Services team.

Your key accountabilities will include the provision of professional advice to Chairs of Governors and Headteachers, as well as support to ensure that governing board meetings run effectively.  You will be expected to take high quality minutes in a set timeframe.  All necessary training will be provided, but applications are expected to be experienced clerks, or have relevant professional skills and an interest in education.

This is for 5 casual positions with no set hours. There is no set pattern for the clerk’s work; you can expect to be busier than one day a week in term time, but not during school holidays.  There will be a demand for short notice meeting cover, or longer-term cover at a designated school.  Demand will vary but governing boards meet mainly mid-week evenings and in term time only. 

Contact details

For an informal conversation about this role, please contact Theresa Palmer (Governor Services Manager) on email at Theresa.Palmer@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk

Benefits

At Richmond and Wandsworth Councils, we care more about how you work and what you achieve, rather than where you work on any given day. The difference you can make to our local communities is what really matters most to us, service delivery must always come first. We have carefully considered agile ways of working to provide the best experience for residents, stakeholders and our staff. Our agile working strategy actively supports and encourages a dynamic work environment and daily working experience. Agile working helps put the needs of our staff at the centre of everything we do, so if specific flexible working arrangements helps you with this, feel free to let us know.

Your wellbeing and the flexible way in which you can work is and will remain a key priority for Richmond and Wandsworth Councils. We want you to thrive and feel empowered in your work!

We recognise the importance of a good balance between work and home life so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working including, working from home and other arrangements. Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore. We also offer a generous holiday allowance of 40 paid days (pro rata) including bank holidays and a wide range of learning and development opportunities.

In addition, we offer a comprehensive range of staff benefits such as membership of the Local Government pension scheme, childcare vouchers, new technology scheme, interest-free loans on annual travel cards, discounts with many leisure activities, restaurants, shops and other establishments.

Indicative Recruitment Timeline

Closing date: 11:59pm Saturday, 16th March 2024
Interview date: Tuesday 19th March 2024

Useful Information: 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Please note that the advertised dates for interviews may change. If they do, we will let you know as soon as possible.

We particularly welcome applications from sections of the community who are currently underrepresented within our teams, including BAME.         

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

Important Information

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaces the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

How to apply?

To be considered for interview your CV and supporting statement must highlight your knowledge, skills and experience listed in the Job Profile located at the bottom of the advert.

If you have any issues with the online service, please email recruitment@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils