Clerk to Governors & Compliance Officer at Whitgift School

We are seeking to appoint a full time Clerk to Governors & Compliance Officer.

The Clerk to Governors reports to the Chair of Governors (with close liaison with the Headmaster) and the Compliance Officer reports to the Chief Operating Officer. The hours are full time, with flexibility regarding working hours required.

As the governance professional, the Clerk to Governors is the guide and guardian of the School's governance and ensures that governance is performed at the highest level. The position holder will communicate regularly about governance matters and liaise closely with the Headmaster, members of the Executive Team, and Senior Leadership Team as necessary.

The Clerk will provide professional clerking services to the Governing Body, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements, supporting effective governance, and enabling the School and Governing Body to fulfil their strategic responsibilities.

As Compliance Officer, the individual will support regulatory and inspection compliance, advising Governors and senior leaders on actions required to maintain compliance and supporting leaders responsible for maintaining areas of compliance. They will oversee compliance with the following:

• Independent Schools Standards Regulations (ISSRs)
• National Minimum Standards for Boarding
• UKVI Sponsorship requirements
• DfE and ISI regulatory guidance

The Compliance Officer will provide support to the Senior Deputy and PA before, during, and after inspection visits, keep senior leaders and Governors informed of changes in legislation and regulatory requirements, and conduct internal compliance audits as required.

Whitgift is one of Britain’s leading independent boarding and day schools for boys aged between 10 and 18 years, with approximately 1500 pupils and over one hundred boarding pupils. It is set in an attractive 48-acre parkland site in South Croydon, enjoying excellent links to London, Surrey, and the south coast.

We invite interested candidates to apply as soon as possible as applications will be reviewed on a daily basis, and interviews may take place at any time. This vacancy may close earlier than the stated deadline if sufficient applications are received, so early submission is encouraged.

To apply, please visit www.whitgift.co.uk/vacancies. For any queries, please telephone 02086889222 or email the Human Resources Department at SchoolHR@whitgift.co.uk.

Whitgift School (part of the John Whitgift Foundation) is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Where applicable, applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service and online media checks. It is an offence to apply for a role at the school if you know that you are barred from regulated activity with children. All roles within the school involve contact with children and are therefore classed as regulated activity. Child protection and safeguarding are the responsibility of everyone who works or volunteers in our school. All staff must be committed to providing a safe environment for children and supporting the school's safeguarding ethos.

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Applicants are required to declare all convictions and cautions, even those that are 'spent' unless they are 'protected' under the DBS filtering rules, to assess suitability to work with children. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to disclose information relevant to safeguarding prior to interview.