Located in Consett, County Durham, and ranked in the top 5% of vocational providers nationally, Derwentside College provides high-quality education and training which shapes the future and transforms lives. With a turnover of £10m, and 160 staff, it is the largest provider of apprenticeship in the North-East region, and currently rated 'Good' by Ofsted.

Derwentside College is not a typical further education college. The vast majority of the College’s provision is linked strongly to local and regional employers, through the delivery of apprenticeships, but also adult learning programmes which are focused on securing employment for unemployed individuals. The College also has a small but very successful full-time vocational curriculum, which is largely delivered to 16-to-18-year-olds within the local area.  

With a vision to be an outstanding college which is highly valued by its learners and partners, the College plans further growth while refreshing its Board and navigating an ever-changing policy environment. With a new strategic plan ready to be rolled out, and a strong Executive Team in place, now is an exciting time to join the College as Chair of Governors.

The Chair role is pivotal in creating the conditions for overall Board and individual member effectiveness, setting clear expectations concerning the style and tone of Board meetings, ensuring effective decision-making processes and applying the right balance of support and challenge to the Executive Team.  

Essential Criteria:

Strategic planner/thinker:

• The key role of the Board is to determine the strategic direction and educational character of the College and to ensure that its mission and vision statements are realistic and deliverable
• The Chair will have an understanding of the significance of this requirement and be able to rely on previous experiences to ensure the Board fulfils all its obligations

Time Management:

• The Chair will ensure Board meetings operate effectively and that key strategic issues are addressed appropriately
• The Chair will be expected to work with the Principal and Chief Executive to ensure there is a timely flow of accurate, high quality and clear information available to Board Members

Ability to Influence:

• The Chair will be crucial in shaping the culture in the boardroom, building a diverse Board that makes a positive contribution to the College and its students
• The Chair will be expected to encourage participation from Board Members in discussion and debate, drawing on their skills, experience and knowledge

Establishing Relationships:

• The Chair will develop a productive working relationship with the Principal / Chief Executive and the Executive Team
• The Chair will develop a good working relationship with the Clerk and other Board Members

Protocol — meetings etc.:

• The Chair will be required to chair Board Meetings as well as some ad hoc Committees and Task Groups and have meetings with the Principal / Chief Executive on a fairly regular basis
• The Chair will also be required to represent the College at NE Regional Chairs Group meetings

As the long-serving Chair, Tony Edwards, steps down from the role, Derwentside College seeks an innovative new Chair with senior leadership experience to guide the College through its next chapter.

The successful candidate will possess excellent communication, interpersonal, and time management skills. The College welcomes applications from individuals who possess these skills, as well as significant senior leadership and board experience. Individuals from any background will be considered, whether commercial, for example, a Managing Director or CEO of a private sector business, or an education background (awarding bodies, Ofsted, schools, further or higher education). All applications are welcome. 

Individuals interested in the opportunity do not necessarily need to have experience in an organisation of similar size to the College, nor to have previous Chair experience. However, they should have some experience of operating at board level and be familiar with how a board operates. Additionally, while not requiring an accounting qualification, they should be able to interpret financial information and apply knowledge to inform strategic development. Further, the Chair should have a genuine desire to improve the life chances of students and a strong affinity with the College's mission and vision. Ideally, they should bring some understanding of the important role that further education plays within the region and understand how the College contributes to the economy.

Above all, the successful candidate will share Derwentside College's core values of trust, respect, excellence, enjoyment, and enterprise.

A list of current Board Members can be found here.

There are nine Board meetings per year, each of which last around 2.5 hours. In addition, there will be an annual meeting for one hour with each Board Member, four annual North-East Regional Chairs Group meetings, visits to the College, regular meetings with the Principal, as well as ad hoc engagement. Although thew new Chair does not have to sit on sub-committees, they may also wish to attend some of those meetings. Overall, the estimated time commitment is two to three days per month. This will vary throughout the year, however, and the Chair will need to show some flexibility. The appointment is for a four-year term, renewable once. The role is unremunerated but reasonable, pre-agreed expense will be reimbursed.

Candidates will be UK based, and preferably within the North-East of England, given the need to attend meetings at the College’s campus in Consett, County Durham.