Governors City of Wolverhampton College

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City of Wolverhampton College is looking for dynamic and committed individuals to join its Corporation Board as Governors. This is a unique opportunity to help shape the strategic direction of a forward-thinking college whose purpose is to define futures.

With two campuses located in the heart of the city, City of Wolverhampton College offers high-quality education and training to thousands of young people, adults, and apprentices each year. From industry-led vocational courses to professional qualifications and higher education pathways, the College plays a vital role in supporting the region's economy, working hand-in-hand with employers to ensure students gain the skills needed for successful careers.

As a Governor, you will join a diverse and dedicated board responsible for ensuring the College continues to deliver excellence, innovation, and opportunity for all. Governors provide scrutiny, challenges and support to the leadership team, helping to secure strong outcomes for learners and long-term sustainability for the organisation.

Who we are City of Wolverhampton College currently operates from two main campuses in Wolverhampton - Paget Road and Wellington Road - and delivers over 300 different qualifications through a range of full-time and part-time courses, including apprenticeships and HE. We also have specialist provisions for polymer training, rail, and electric vehicle maintenance, delivered from satellite sites at Telford, Dudley, and Bentley Bridge (Wolverhampton). Each year, we deliver education and training to around 9,000 students.

As an education provider, the College is subject to periodic inspection by Ofsted. The most recent inspection took place in January 2023, and the College was rated 'Good' overall, demonstrating the high level of quality that we deliver across the College. This is further demonstrated by our consistently high achievement rates, our growth in our student recruitment numbers and the high levels of satisfaction that both our students and our staff report.

Over recent times, we have been progressing with an exciting estate transformation project, which has already seen us extend our Wellington Road campus to include new training workshops and classrooms as part of our Construction Innovation Centre. Furthermore, in November, we will take the next step on this journey by vacating our Paget Road site and moving into a new state-of-the-art campus - the City Learner Quarter.

These estate developments are just one example of how we continue to evolve and develop our provision, ensuring that the education and training we deliver are of the highest quality whilst led by the needs of our local community, employers and stakeholders such as the West Midlands Combined Authority.

"Becoming a Governor at City of Wolverhampton College has been a rewarding experience. I've been impressed by the college's strong commitment to its students and the local community, and I feel proud to contribute to shaping its future. The role has given me the chance to use my skills in a different way, to work with colleagues with diverse expertise, and to make a positive difference. I would encourage anyone who wants to give something back, while also gaining new perspectives, to consider joining the Board."

Abi Chesterton, Governor, City of Wolverhampton College.

From a strategic perspective, our new strategic plan will be published soon and has been created in collaboration between our Governors and our Senior Leadership Team, led by our Principal & Chief Executive, Louise Fall, who was appointed just over a year ago.

Once this plan is published, attention will turn from development to delivery, and to do this, Louise and her colleagues across the college will be able to call upon the board for their support. Our Board is made up of a diverse range of successful strategic leaders. As our college enters a new phase of its journey, we believe now is the right time to add new perspectives and expertise to our board. As such, we now seek to appoint a number of new members who can provide this in the years ahead.

About the role Becoming a Governor at the City of Wolverhampton College is a rewarding opportunity to use your professional skills and experience to make a tangible difference to education, our local communities, and the lives of diverse group of learners.

As a Governor, you will play a central role in shaping the future of the College, ensuring it continues to thrive and delivers high-quality education and training.

Working collectively as part of our Corporation Board, led by our Chair, Mike Hastings, you will help determine the organisational culture, educational character and strategic direction of the College, while safeguarding its financial health and long-term sustainability. For context, our annual turnover is c.£43m, and we have a formal financial health rating of Good.

Governors at the College hold responsibility for approving such things as our mission and our annual budgets, as well as overseeing the performance and remuneration of senior leaders. The Board also sets frameworks for staff pay and conditions, ensuring that the College remains an excellent place to work and study.

In our most recent external review of governance, our board was recognised as being high-performing and for ensuring that we prioritise the success and well-being of our students. The findings of this review showed our board was highly proficient and consistently had a positive impact on college strategy, effectiveness and outcomes.

Your impact as a Governor will be wide-reaching: from safeguarding the use of public funds and ensuring strong governance, to setting and monitoring targets that drive student retention, achievement, and success. In short, you will help ensure every learner has the opportunity to reach their potential.

Who we are looking for Having considered the current skills composition on our Board, we believe there are several areas of expertise which would add considerable value to our Board. These are:

• Qualified finance professionals
• Professionals working in senior compliance, risk and audit-focused roles
• Those working in leadership roles within local employers and the wider business community, ideally leading business operations of an organisation which complements the curriculum strategy of the college.
• Those with oversight and responsibility for large-scale capital development projects and facilities management in similarly large and complex organisations
• A professional with expertise in the area of safeguarding

Prior experience as a member of a non-executive board is not essential, but it will, of course, be welcomed, especially where this experience relates to time served on an audit or finance committee within a complex business or not-for-profit environment.

The role requires commitment and active participation. Our Governors meet five times per year in person on Thursdays from 5 pm, with additional committee and strategy sessions across the year. Preparation, attendance, and engagement are essential, as is a willingness to attend College events and undertake training. On average, the role involves around 12 hours per month.

Learn more about City of Wolverhampton College Peridot Partners and City of Wolverhampton College are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and our client expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references before any final offer can be made.

For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultantsat Peridot Partners:

If you would like to know more about this role please contact Dan Baxter

Welcome to City of Wolverhampton College, and thank you for your interest in becoming a member of our Board. We are excited to be recruiting new Governors at a pivotal time in the history of the college, with our planned move to new premises at City Learning Quarter in the heart of Wolverhampton now just weeks away.

As a college, we are proud of our excellent track record in providing students with a wide variety of course options, pastoral support and enrichment opportunities. We secured third position out of all GFE colleges in the country for our published outcomes for 2023/24, which is a result of the commitment and hard work of our students and the support provided by our talented team of lecturers and classroom support staff.

As one of our Governors, you will be invited to attend five Board meetings per year, and you may also be a part of one of our committees or task & finish groups. In addition, the college provides strategy and governor development opportunities throughout the year, a tailored induction to your role and access to a range of external training through FE education sector bodies such as the Association of Colleges (AOC). Whether you have prior governance experience or not, we will provide the support you need to take on this important role.

We hope you will consider joining us as we move forward into the next phase of development for the college.

Louise Fall
Principal & Chief Executive

Mike Hastings
Chair of the Board of Governors

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