Governance Officer and PA to the Principal

Governance Officer and PA to the Principal

• Flexible working arrangements considered

• Full time - 36.5 hours per week

• Actual starting Salary £50,143

• Up to 2% Attendance Bonus

• Occupational Pension Scheme

• Free On-Site Parking & Health & Fitness Facilities

An exceptional opportunity to work at the heart of one of the country's most successful Academies.

Ashcroft Technology Academy is a large, highly successful non-selective secondary school in South West London. We are ambitious for every student and have built a national reputation for academic excellence, exceptional outcomes, outstanding behaviour and attendance, and a genuinely inclusive approach to education.

We are now seeking an exceptional Governance Officer and Personal Assistant to the Principal to join our team.

This is a particularly interesting and exciting opportunity for someone in the early stages of their professional career, or who is an experienced administrator, who is intellectually curious, highly organised and interested in public policy, compliance and how successful organisations operate. The role would suit a recent graduate, or someone with equivalent experience, who wants to develop a career in education, compliance, policy or public administration.

Working directly with the Principal and the Leadership Group, you will have a varied and unusually broad and interesting portfolio of responsibilities.

You will provide high-level administrative and organisational support to the Principal while also taking responsibility for a range of governance, policy, compliance and strategic administrative activities across the Academy. You will work closely with trustees, the Academy's Executive Board, the Leadership Group and external organisations, helping to ensure that the Academy's governance arrangements are effective, well organised and compliant with statutory and regulatory requirements.

The role will involve:

• Supporting the Principal with a wide range of strategic and organisational matters.

• Preparing agendas, papers, minutes and follow-up actions for the governing bodies and Leadership Group meetings.

• Maintaining accurate governance records and ensuring that actions and deadlines are followed through.

• Supporting the development, review and implementation of Academy policies.

• Researching legislation, statutory guidance and regulatory requirements and identifying implications for the Academy.

• Maintaining compliance records, registers and key governance documentation.

• Monitoring deadlines and ensuring that important actions are completed accurately and on time.

• Producing high-quality correspondence, reports, briefing documents and presentations.

• Liaising with Trustees, the Executive Board, the Leadership Group, and external agencies.

• Supporting the Principal with projects and aspects of organisational improvement.

• Providing confidential and highly organised diary, meeting and administrative support to the Principal.

The successful candidate will be expected to read critically, ask intelligent questions, identify inconsistencies, understand complex information and help ensure that the Academy's systems and documentation stand up to scrutiny.

We are looking for someone with exceptional attention to detail, a genuinely enquiring mind and an eagerness to take the initiative. You will have:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• A very high standard of written English and an ability to produce polished, professional documents.

• Outstanding attention to detail and accuracy.

• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills.

• An interest in policy, governance, regulation and compliance.

• The ability to read and interpret complex information and identify what matters.

• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.

• Confidence using IT and excellent digital literacy, including Microsoft Office and document-management systems.

• The ability to learn new systems and processes quickly.

• Discretion and the ability to handle confidential information appropriately.

• The confidence to work with senior colleagues and challenge constructively where something does not appear correct or complete.

• The ability to work independently while also being an effective member of a highly professional team.

If you would like to be a part of this team, further details and an application form are available from our website or telephone us on 020 8812 3553. You should complete the application form electronically and email it to [email protected] to arrive no later than noon on Monday 5 October 2026 (interviews will take place soon after). We reserve the right to bring forward the closing date as applications will be considered on receipt, so early application is advised.

All appointments are subject to enhanced DBS clearance. ATA safeguards children and actively promotes their welfare. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. ATA is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from minority groups and also has full disabled access.