Chair Designate of the Trust Board

Our Trust
Founded in 2017, The Pinnacle Learning Trust is a multi-academy trust established by The Hathershaw College and Oldham Sixth Form College. Since February 2019, the trust has also included Werneth Primary School, following re-brokerage from another trust and since April 2023, Broadfield Primary School, a local primary school which chose to convert to academy status and join us. In April 2024 we were also pleased to welcome Alexandra Park Junior School to the PLT family. 

Our vision is of a high achieving and locally-focused trust with academies in all phases of education. With an understanding of the proud and vibrant communities we serve and a rigorous culture of high aspirations and strong academic performance, our focus is on transforming the life chances of all our young people. 

We currently educate just under 5000 children and young people between the ages of 2 and 18. 

About the Role

Our long serving Chair of Trustees, Andrew Kilburn, has served the Pinnacle Learning Trust for the last eight years (having previously been Chair of Governors at OSFC for 5 years) and will step down at the end of the summer term in 2025. We are currently seeking an experienced individual, who will initially be appointed as Chair Designate, to provide strategic leadership to our board of trustees and, working closely with the CEO, ensure the delivery of high quality education for all our children and young people.

The successful candidate will participate in a planned handover period with the outgoing Chair in preparation for leading our trust board from September 2025. Once appointed, the Chair will be entrusted to lead the board with dedication and professionalism, ensuring effective governance and accountability and crucially shaping the strategic direction of the trust and promoting our vision, values, mission and ethos.

We benefit from a highly skilled board, comprised of 10 trustees, from a range of careers and backgrounds, including financial and legal services, all phases of education, the NHS and private industry. Our trustees collectively monitor the trust’s development and ensure that the trust progresses its strategic priorities. Further information on our trustees, who play the role of both company directors and charity trustees, can be found on our website here.

Board members meet 6 times a year at full board meetings and annually at a strategy workshop and are expected to join one of the following committees who have delegated responsibilities:

• Audit and Risk Committee
• Finance and Resources Committee
• Standards Committee
• Pay and Remuneration Committee

Additionally, our academies are also supported by their own local governing bodies. Membership of our committees will be discussed prior to appointment and be based on the
candidate’s preference, skill set and current vacancies. Throughout the period of the handover, the Chair Designate will have the opportunity to attend meetings and make a number of visits to our academies in order to gain a sense of how our trust operates.

Supported by our Lead Governance Professional, the Chair will have the responsibility to ensure the board operates in accordance with our governing documents, including our Articles of Association and Scheme of Delegation, as well as sector-specific legislation and regulations. Agendas are planned in advance to ensure they are effective and that board meetings run efficiently. These meetings are always open and there is a culture of healthy debate, with the Chair being pivotal in encouraging contributions from all trustees.

The Chair also meets regularly with the CEO to discuss trust business and takes on an ambassadorial role within the local area and with stakeholders. They will also have contact with our trust’s Members, who have oversight of the operation of our trust.

Who we are Looking For
Our trust’s academies serve families from the full spectrum of backgrounds. Many are deemed disadvantaged with a high proportion of children and families who speak English as an additional language. Our trust is built upon the shared belief that all young people in Oldham and the surrounding areas should have excellent educational opportunities and provision. With this in mind, our next Chair will demonstrate a strong commitment to the board, to young people and to Oldham and its diverse communities. It would be helpful (although not essential) to have an understanding of the local context and experience of leading a large public, civic or private sector business in the region. We hope to benefit from your networking abilities and connections in the local area, as well as your experience in building collaboration across the teams of people you have led previously.

To inspire our board and drive our organisation forward, we seek a visionary leader with prior non-executive board experience. A deep understanding of the distinction between strategic oversight and operational delivery is crucial. Additionally, we value experience in facilitating engaging and productive meetings, ideally in a non-executive capacity, combined with a strong commitment to upholding the highest standards of corporate governance.

It is extremely important to us that our next Chair has the necessary time and capacity to fulfil this fundamental role. You will be fully supported by a highly skilled executive team and other non-executives on the board. Furthermore, there is a whole raft of training and development in respect of education and governance matters via our partnerships with national membership and sector based organisations that can be used to help you develop into your role. It is also important to us that we have a range of different perspectives and diversity of thought on our trust board and that decision makers reflect the communities we serve. As such, we welcome applications from individuals from diverse backgrounds. 

If you are interested in joining us or would like any further information, please contact Danielle Hunt, Lead Governance Professional/Exec PA in the first instance danielle.hunt@pinnaclelt.ac.uk 0161 287 8000. 

We look forward to hearing from you.