With specialist campuses in Watford, Hemel Hempstead and Luton, West Herts College Group plays an important role in the regional economies of Hertfordshire and the South East Midlands. The Group believes that further education can be life-changing, and that by working together with its local communities, it can raise shared aspirations, productivity and prosperity. Today, the Group supports around 6,000 young people enrolled on its study programmes, in addition to 450 apprentices and 2,700 adult learners. It has an annual turnover of around £50m, and was deemed to be 'Good' with 'Outstanding' features in its last Ofsted inspection. 

The Group offers a wide range of full and part-time courses, which act as vital springboards into jobs, apprenticeships and further study for people of all ages and demographics. Its campuses are located within an easy commuting distance of London, so students have access to employers in the city as well as building a network across Hertfordshire, Luton, Bedfordshire and beyond. Reflecting its community ties, it offers work experience with over 700 local businesses. 

In recent years, the Group has embarked on sizeable capital development projects, including the £70m redevelopment of the Watford campus. Additionally, since 2017, the College has invested £30m delivering a general further education college and specialist engineering and construction centre in Hemel Hempstead. In September 2022, the College opened a new £28m general further education college building in Luton, and is progressing plans to further develop the site with a new construction and engineering centre and sports hall which will be delivered in 2024.  

This is an exciting time to be joining the Group. Amid economic uncertainty and the proposed reform of the UK's qualification landscape, the Group will remain agile, adaptable and fundamentally focused on how it can best serve its students, local employers and the wider economy. This is all captured in its latest Strategic Plan 2023-2026. 

Within the overall responsibilities of the Corporation, Governors undertake the following:

• The determination of the educational character and the strategic direction of the College, including setting and overseeing its mission and general policies
• Setting strategic aims and objectives and KPIs / targets for management 
• Monitoring the performance of management in meeting strategic objectives and targets
• Carrying out policies and maintaining adequate management information systems with a view to continually improving standards
• Ensuring within the College a climate for creativity; continuous improvement; and responsiveness to the needs of learners, the external environment, the local community, employers, and other client groups
• Ensuring the effective and efficient use of resources and the sustainability and solvency of the College and the Corporation, and safeguarding their assets
• Ensuring the Corporation gives a proper account of its activities and meets reporting requirements
• Selecting and evaluating the Principal, senior post-holders, and the Clerk to the Corporation
• Supporting and advising the Principal / Chief Executive
• Approving annual estimates of income and expenditure
• Ensuring that strategic and action plans with KPIs emanating from self-assessment, inspection and audit reports are stretching but realistic
• Ensuring that the Corporation has in place policies and procedures necessary to fulfil its legal obligations such as safeguarding

Additionally, it is the Chair's role to lead the Corporation Board in the fulfilment of its responsibility to:

• Secure the long-term future of the Group
• Ensure the highest possible standards of governance and regulatory compliance
• Support and, where appropriate, challenge the CEO and executive leadership team to make the Group the best it can be
• Ensure the proper and efficient conduct of Corporation Board meetings

Chair of Corporation

With Phil Thompson due to complete his term in 2024, West Herts College Group is seeking a new Chair to provide overall strategic direction to the Corporation Board. 

The ideal candidate will be a committed and inclusive leader with substantial strategic-level experience gained in any sector. Given the strength of the Board at West Herts College Group, the role would particularly suit someone with a facilitative approach to chairing; someone able to empower the Board and encourage full participation. Candidates need not have any experience in the education sector but they must demonstrate an affinity with the specific mission and focus of the further education sector, and demonstrate a top level understanding of the challenges as well as the opportunities it currently faces. 

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Governor (Finance)

To complement the skills of existing Governors, West Herts College Group seeks a new Governor with a background in strategic-level financial leadership to join its Board. 

The ideal candidate will have operated at the highest levels of complex organisations in a Finance or Audit capacity, for example as a CFO or Audit Partner. The Board is open to first-time non-executives, however board-level exposure as an executive is a minimum requirement. While experience in the education and / or non-for-profit sectors is not required, it is expected that applicants are able to demonstrate an understanding of the challenges as well as the opportunities the further education sector currently faces. Candidates will ideally be financially qualified, however those qualified by experience are welcome to apply also.

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Above all, the successful applicants will be passionate about further education, and will share the College's mission: to give a competitive edge to its students; to create a spirit of enterprise and innovation across its communities; and to stimulate growth in its local economies and communities. 

For a list of current governors, please see here.    

The roles are unremunerated but reasonable, but pre-agreed expenses will be reimbursed. There are eight Board meetings per year which generally occur from 5 - 7pm every second Wednesday of the month (excluding January, April, August and September). Meetings are almost always in-person; six of them take place in Watford, one in Hemel Hempstead and one in Barnfield.

The Chair of Corporation will also attend Audit Committee meetings, of which there are three, as an observer. These meetings take place in-person, usually in Watford, and last from 5- 7pm. They will sit on the Search and Governance Committee, which meets once per year and usually online. The Chair will be expected to maintain regular communication with the CEO and Principal, make periodic visits to the College, and attend celebrations of success such as graduation ceremonies.

The Governor (Finance) will also sit on the Audit Committee and may also, if they so choose, get involved in self-assessment reviews of curriculum areas.

All Board members are expected to make periodic visits to the campuses and attend celebrations of success such as graduation ceremonies.

The appointments are for a two-year term, which are renewable until the Chair/Governor has served for a maximum of eight years. 

Meetings take place in person at Watford, Hemel Hempstead and Luton. Candidates will be UK-based.

West Herts College Group 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.