Haberdashers’ Elstree Schools (HES, or Habs) is one of the UK’s leading independent schools comprising Haberdashers’ Boys' School and Haberdashers’ Girls' Schools, both of which run from 4-18 years of age including a pre-prep / prep or junior school and a senior school. The Schools share a 100 acre campus in Elstree, Hertfordshire, and cater for over 2,750 pupils. Together they have a turnover of around £60m and employ 600 staff. 

HES is a strong, happy and supportive community committed to the pursuit of excellence in education. The Schools are academically outstanding, but a Habs education is about more than exams, preparing young people for fulfilment in a world that demands flexibility, creativity, resilience and critical thought. Habs caters for a diverse community and nurtures in its pupils a global perspective and a deep sense of responsibility with the ambition that they will have a profound impact on the world.

The Girls' and Boys' Schools work closely together, offering the best of single-sex education in a co-educational environment which sees each student take at least one A-Level in a co-educational group and benefit from a largely shared co-curricular programme. To establish this co-educational approach, the Governors and Executive recently conducted a full strategic review encompassing the underlying ethos of the Schools; of the curriculum, school day and staff reporting lines. The aspirational Board of Governors and Executive are aligned in a strategy which promotes collaboration, sharing of best practice and an education which is outstanding across the academic, pastoral and co-curricular elements of school life.

An important and unique dimension of Habs is its relationship withThe Haberdashers' Company. Education is of prime importance to the Company, and it is proud to support a family of 18 schools which come in all shapes and sizes - whether a brand new, state academy like Haberdashers’ Borough Academy, opened in 2019, or a centuries’ old independent institution, like Haberdashers’ Monmouth School, founded in 1614. The Company, as Trustee of the various educational charities that support the Schools, is responsible for ensuring that the educational offering for the 10,000 maintained sector students, as well as those in the independent schools, is of the highest quality. It delivers this through the provision of the relevant school estates, financial support for ‘the Haberdashers’ Advantage programme’ and the establishment of excellent governance. The Company's Education Committee maintains close links with the school governing bodies and support is provided for all Governors in the form of professional development and opportunities that arise from the an association with one of the Great Twelve Livery Companies. The support, challenge and professional expertise provided by the Haberdashers' Company is a constant resource for its schools.

Alongside the standard duties of a Governor, this new appointee will play a key role on the Board's Estates, Infrastructure and Sustainability Committee (EIS). With Helen Gough due to step down as Committee Chair next summer, it is expected that this Governor will succeed her from September 2024.

Key areas of responsibility for this appointee will include:

1. Supporting the Schools in delivering the ten year strategy and Phase II of the development projects and realisation of the masterplan (c.£50m spend)
2. Supporting the Schools in articulating and realising their digital and sustainability objectives and the teaching and learning impacts that follow from successful delivery
3. Supporting the Schools and Haberdashers’ Company in the stewardship of the Elstree estate, including its heritage assets and with cognisance of its green belt location
4. In succeeding to role of EIS Committee Chair in September 2024, acting as an ex officio member of the Haberdashers’ Company Property Committee in representing the Elstree Schools
5. As Chair of EIS, lead the Committee in its oversight of: 1) estate development and stewardship; 2); sustainability strategy; and 3) strategic and operational IT infrastructure strategy and operations
6. As Chair of EIS, developing a good working relationship with COO/Heads/Executive Principal and their key Facilities, Operations, IT and related staff
7. Becoming a member of the Committee Chairs Forum, the body for coordinating delivery of the HES annual and long range plans goals

Haberdashers’ Elstree Schools (HES) is seeking to appoint a new Governor with a broad commercial property or estate management background. 

The successful candidate will have experience with the delivery of complex capital and/or infrastructure projects, with a detailed understanding of strategic budget management, stewardship, programme delivery, compliance, and issues relating to sustainability. They could have served as a senior executive overseeing a property portfolio within a large complex organisation or they may be in private practice as a surveyor. Experience with the education sector is not required, nor is a connection with the Haberdashers' Elstree Schools, and the Board is open to considering first-time non-executives. Candidates must be members of RICS.

All successful candidates will have the communications skills, intellect and passion to actively engage with senior staff and the Board of Governors. They will be innovative, collegial and able to challenge. Crucially, they will understand the nature of the governance role and respect the boundary between strategy and operations. Most importantly, they will be passionate about helping Habs’ pupils to flourish.

A full list of the Governors can be found here. Please note that there is a single Board which governs both Habs Boys and Habs Girls. 

The Board is supported by a number of committees which operate across the two Schools, as well as an advisory group for each School.

This role is unremunerated, and reasonable, pre-agreed domestic travel expenses will be reimbursed. There are usually four or five in-person Board meetings and three to five video conference-based Committee meetings per year, plus stakeholder engagement and meetings with the executive. As an ex officio member of the Haberdashers’ Company Property Committee, this Governor will also be expected to attend one meeting per year at Haberdashers' Hall and also to join the Haberdashers' Trustee visit to the Elstree Schools. Additionally, all Governors are expected to spend one day per term in school (which can be combined with meetings) and attend key events across the school year. The appointment is for a four-year term, which can be renewed once at the discretion of the Board.

Candidates will be UK based with the ability to attend in-person meetings at the Schools.

Haberdashers' Elstree Schools 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.