Built on the firm foundation of more than 120 years of educating young women, Wycombe Abbey is one of the pre-eminent independent girls' boarding schools in the UK. Located on 170 acres of picturesque parkland in Buckinghamshire, just a stone's throw away from London, the School is home to over 640 girls and is committed to their individual development. Wycombe Abbey is a place where academic excellence, empathy and integrity thrive. 

Founded on Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1896 by Miss Frances Dove, later Dame Frances, a trailblazer who promoted equal opportunities for girls in the Victorian age, Wycombe Abbey continues to embody these ideals today. The School focuses on academic excellence so that pupils are able to secure places at the most prestigious universities globally and also offers a more holistic education through a rich co-curricular program which allows girls to develop their passions and explore new possibilities. 

The School has a long tradition of offering bursary support to its pupils where appropriate and further developing its offering in this area is a key part of the strategic plan. Alongside the School's strategy, Wycombe Abbey now has an exciting comprehensive estates masterplan, expanding the overall estate, a significant part of which are listed at Grade II* and Grade II, including the grounds, which will create a number of strategic opportunities for the School. In addition, Wycombe Abbey plans to further grow its international Schools over the coming years.

Becoming a Member of Council is an exciting opportunity to provide vision, challenge and support as Wycombe Abbey delivers on its ambitious strategy.

Wycombe Abbey is the trading name of a limited company, The Girls' Education Company Limited, and it is also a charity. The Directors of the Company constitute the Governing Council of Wycombe Abbey and are the Trustees of the charity. The Council is accountable to the wider school community. It is responsible for the governance of the School and ensuring that it functions outstandingly. It oversees the School's strategic direction and puts into effect the School's vision by maintaining and keeping its infrastructure up to date. It also ensures that the financial strength of the School is maintained. The Council and the Headmistress work in partnership to achieve the purpose and mission of the School.

Council Member (Accountancy)

In order to maintain a Governing Council with a varied breadth and depth of experience and skills, Wycombe Abbey seeks a Council Member who will help guide the School strategically and provide guidance and oversight in the areas of finance, accountancy and / or audit experience to bring scrutiny to the Council.

The ideal candidate will be a qualified accountant and will need to bring significant auditing experience. They will ideally be an Audit Partner in an accountancy firm or could bring broader financial leadership experience such as a CFO who will have sat or chaired an audit committee. They will bring a strategic and commercial mindset and will have the ability to constructively challenge the Council and the Headmistress. They will be used to operating in a sizeable and complex organisation and have an appreciation for the international element of Wycombe Abbey.

Council Member (Legal)

In order to maintain a Governing Council with a varied breadth and depth of experience and skills, Wycombe Abbey seeks a Council Member who will help guide the School strategically and provide legal guidance and oversight to bring scrutiny to the Council.

The ideal candidate will either be a Partner in a law firm or an in-house General Counsel who will have gravitas and be able to provide high-level legal expertise to deal with complex legal issues. They will be a sounding board for the Council and Headmistress on various legal matters and will have an ability to see the bigger picture. It would be desirable if candidates would bring senior legal experience across at least one of the following areas: HR, financing, compliance with regulators and / or charities. They will be used to operating in a sizeable and complex organisation.

All candidates must have the breadth of experience, communication skills and collegiality to work effectively as part of Council, and with the executive team and additional stakeholders. They will have a keen interest in education and should be strongly aligned with Wycombe Abbey's mission, vision and values.

To find out more about the Board composition, please see here.

The time commitment is four Council meetings and three Sub-committee meetings per year, typically in the evenings or Saturday. Council Members will also be expected to attend some School visits and ad hoc events. This role is unremunerated, and reasonable, pre-agreed travel expenses will be reimbursed. The appointment is for a three-year term, which can be renewed at the discretion of the Board. The successful candidate will need to have the right to work in the UK.

UK-South East (High Wycombe)

Wycombe Abbey welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. Women and those from ethnic minority backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply. 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 diverse candidates can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.