Governance Consultant
About the Organisation:
We are currently working with an industry body supporting and representing schools across NSW. They are committed to excellence and opportunities that come with choice, diversity, and independence in education. their purpose is to serve and champion schools by providing high-quality advocacy, guidance, and services. They are member-focused, act with integrity and demonstrate expertise.
The Opportunity:
They are seeking an experienced Governance Consultant to provide expert advisory and consulting services to boards and school leaders across the education sector. This pivotal role requires deep governance expertise, strong consulting acumen, and the ability to work confidently and credibly with senior stakeholders. You will support school boards in building capability, strengthening governance practice, and navigating complex or sensitive issues through tailored advice, professional learning, and governance reviews. This role significantly contributes to advancing effective governance capability across the sector.
Key Accountabilities:
* Board Support and Advice:
Provide high-quality advice to board chairs, principals, and school leaders on governance matters, including board role clarity, policy interpretation, constitutions, and strategic governance practices.
* Professional Learning:
Design, develop, and deliver engaging professional learning programs and workshops for board members and school leaders, tailored to school context and governance maturity.
* Board and School Reviews:
Partner with the Governance Manager to facilitate confidential, chair-commissioned board reviews and contribute governance expertise to school reviews, including documentation analysis and stakeholder engagement.
* Strategic Reviews:
Undertake strategic governance reviews with school leadership teams and boards, focusing on clarity of direction, alignment to ethos, and organisational sustainability.
* Governance Conference:
Collaborate to coordinate, design, and deliver the annual Governance Conference.
* Regulatory Engagement:
Communicate with the regulator, interpret changes, align professional learning, and advise schools on governance compliance matters.
About You:
You are a highly capable and passionate governance expert with significant experience in working with boards, ideally within the education or not-for-profit sectors. You possess a strong foundation in governance practice, potentially gained through a board position, company secretary role, or a senior executive position reporting directly to a board. You are adept at delivering professional advice, conducting reviews, and providing strategic insights to senior stakeholders.
Qualifications, Experience and Knowledge/Skills:
* A degree in law, education, or business.
* Completion of recognised governance training such as the Governance Foundations for Not-for-Profit Directors or Company Directors Course (e.g., AICD, GIA) is highly desirable.
* Demonstrated ability to facilitate professional learning and/or lead consulting engagements.
* Familiarity with the education sector, regulatory frameworks, or partnering with oversight bodies is advantageous.
* Stakeholder Credibility:
Proven ability to work confidently and effectively with senior stakeholders, build trust, and maintain professionalism in complex or sensitive contexts.
* Consulting Acumen:
Strong analytical and advisory skills to diagnose governance issues, synthesise complex information, and offer clear, pragmatic, tailored solutions.
* Communication and Facilitation:
Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to lead discussions, facilitate learning, and deliver clear, concise reports.
* Presentation Confidence and Capability:
Confident and capable in designing and delivering professional learning and facilitating conversations with boards and senior leadership teams.
Working Conditions:
* Willingness to travel across metropolitan Sydney and to NSW regional areas.
Why Join Us?
This is a very exciting and attractive role for someone who is keen to make a significant impact. You will have a lot of autonomy to create and shape the governance product, working with a diverse range of schools from small community boards to large sandstone institutions with ASX-listed board members. If you are passionate about supporting teachers, principals, and boards to create great schools and help grow the next generation of young people, and you are seeking a purpose-driven role outside of purely commercial organizations, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.
Contact - Andrew Douglas