Home / Roles / Director of Governance | Hereward College Hereward College is a further education college like no other, seeking a qualified and experienced governance professional who can ensure that outstanding governance and compliance continues to underpin their outstanding provision. Location: Coventry, West Midlands (hybrid / college based) Working hours/weeks: 37 pw / 38 wks. pa Who we are Based on a single campus in Tile Hill, Coventry, Hereward College is a unique further education college which has been delivering specialist education for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) since 1972. Rated Good by Ofsted in 2023 – with Outstanding student behaviour and high‑needs provision – we’re nationally recognised as a leader in SEND education. We support around 340 learners aged 16+, including predominantly day students but also residential. We offer a wide range of curriculum pathways, work experience, career support, and independent living skills. We are proud of the impacts we achieve with 44% of our learners progressing into paid employment – over 35% above the national average. “We have a really special atmosphere across the organisation. I meet all new members of staff, and every one of them tells me how struck they are by the atmosphere and the way this place makes them feel.” Paul Cook, Principal, Hereward College About the role Working hours/weeks: 37 pw / 38 wks. pa At Hereward College, our mission is simple: deliver outstanding, individualised education for learners with special educational needs and disabilities, while supporting their families. To achieve this, we rely on a culture of ambition, inclusion, and success – guided by a dedicated senior leadership team and with the support of a committed Board of Governors. Outstanding governance underpins everything we do. It ensures compliance, safeguards data, protects our values, and keeps the student experience at the heart of every decision. That’s why the Director of Governance plays such a pivotal role in our leadership team. As our lead advisor on governance, you’ll:

Act as the bridge between the Chair and our Principal & CEO. Coordinate effective communication between the governors and our staff. Ensure regulatory compliance, data protection and exemplary governance practice. Support the Board in shaping organisational culture and strategy. Fulfil a vital role as the moral compass of our organisation.

Our 2024 external governance review highlighted that our Board “impacts on college strategy, effectiveness, and outcomes” and provides robust assurance to stakeholders. Looking ahead, we have ambitious plans – expanding partnerships, growing student numbers, and developing our subsidiary – all underpinned by a strong governance culture. With the complexities of specialist SEND provision, your leadership will be critical to our continued success. Who we are looking for As our new Director of Governance, you’ll be a visible and collaborative member of our senior leadership team. You’ll play a pivotal role working both as part of the team and independently when required. We’re looking for a motivated self‑starter who shares our values and passion for supporting learners with SEND. You’ll need to be approachable, confident, and an excellent communicator who engages positively with staff, governors, and learners alike.

Experienced and qualified governance professional. Proven ability to scrutinise policies, challenge processes, and drive improvement. Strong relationship‑builder with credibility at senior level. Skilled in governor induction, training, and skills audits. Committed to ensuring governance reflects diversity and supports strategic ambitions.

In this role, you’ll act as the ‘conscience’ of the College – providing independent, high‑quality advice on governance, compliance, and ethics, while helping shape organisational strategy. You’ll also represent Hereward nationally, contributing to sector‑wide governance conversations and reinforcing our reputation as a sector leader. While prior FE governance experience is desirable, it’s not essential. What matters most is your ability to quickly understand our regulatory environment and bring the expertise, ambition, and integrity needed to enhance our governance culture. The role requires flexibility as there will be a need for you to attend evening meetings and is predominantly home‑based, although attendance at college will be required at certain key times. Peridot Partners and Hereward 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 consultants at Peridot Partners: If you would like to know more about this role please contact Dan Baxter We are delighted you are considering applying for the Director of Governance role at Hereward College. The College is a vibrant and friendly workplace where the student experience is at the heart of what we do and the decisions we make. The successful candidate will lead our governance function, working in partnership with us both in our respective roles of Principal & CEO and Chair of Corporation to ensure that our governance remains of the highest quality, whilst also ensuring that our data is kept secure and that all of our business remains compliant. The ideal candidate will clearly understand the challenges facing the sector and the unique challenges of an organisation designated as a general further education college, but with an almost entirely specialist remit; most of our learners have an Education, Health and Care Plan. The postholder will work closely with our senior leadership team and our governing body. Therefore, we are looking for someone who can work within a senior team to develop robust, efficient and compliant governance processes which lead to a governing body which feels informed, engaged and assured of the positive direction in which the college is moving. A strong governance background is therefore essential, along with experience of data protection, which will also be a key responsibility of the postholder. The College is rated Good by Ofsted and has a Department for Education financial health rating of Outstanding. The College is ambitious for its learners and is working so that all aspects of its provision are rated as Outstanding, and the new Director of Governance will make a substantial contribution to that work. If you have a strong background in a relevant area and wish to work in an organisation that prides itself on supporting learners to achieve their ambitions and will assist in driving us to become one of the best in its sector, then we would welcome your application. Good luck. Geroge TrowChair Elect About Hereward College Hereward College is a further education college like no other, passionate about improving life opportunities for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Our provision is delivered across a range of course areas, including Art & Design, Creative Media, Sport, Business Studies, ICT, Hospitality, Performing Arts & Music, English and Maths. This provision ranges from Pre‑Entry Level to Level 3. Our learners are supported by a dedicated team of 230 staff, many of whom deliver education, training, care and specific therapies. Whilst our learners may have a physical disability, a communication disorder or other learning difficulties, the one thing they will all have in common is a personal ambition to live a happy, independent and successful life. Through the dedication and passion of our staff, we can help our learners realise their ambitions by achieving some wonderful outcomes with our young people. The last few years have been remarkable for Hereward College. The academic year 2021/22 marked the College’s 50th anniversary, and the following year, 2022/23, saw it attain its highest‑ever grading from its main government regulator, Ofsted. In obtaining the grade of outstanding for its High Needs provision and strong for its contribution to the skills needs of its community, the College was confirmed as a sector‑leading provider of post‑16 SEND provision. The College continues to be rated as outstanding for its financial health, and based on its sound management in this area, it has managed to improve the campus resources for teaching and learning despite receiving no significant capital funding from national or local government. New specialist teaching facilities have been created for learners with autism, new catering facilities have been created in partnership with a major local employer, and new outdoor covered areas have been built to better meet the sensory needs of learners. In October 2024, we launched Hereward Training Services, our award‑winning, dedicated training subsidiary, in partnership with Whitbread PLC. This partnership has already seen us deliver supported internships to almost 600 learners with SEND across the country. This partnership is one of many pioneering stakeholder relationships we have, and we count ourselves privileged to work with other partners such as SES Engineering, Warwick University, and the West Midlands Combined Authority. These partnerships enable our young people to gain experience in the workplace within a supported environment. The College learner cohort has increased in size from c.270 at the start of our last strategic planning cycle to a consistent c.320 by the end. During this period, there has also been an increase in the complexity of learners, evidenced by the increased support hours they require, such as from psychologists and other therapists. However, it is a source of great pride within the College that the behaviour of learners has improved over the last few years and is now rated as outstanding. Multiple stakeholders consistently praise the behaviour and attitudes of Hereward College learners and act as a bedrock for highly effective teaching and learning and the attainment of outstanding outcomes. The College recognises its role in being a leader in the field of SEND education. It works with the national organisation Natspec, chairing popular practitioner forums on learner employment and safeguarding, and thus providing support to its membership of over one hundred colleges. The College also chairs the SEND forum for West Midlands Colleges, a new group created in 2023 and focused on highlighting the contribution of SEND learners to the regional economy. The College has also forged its own path as a leader in the development of supported internships by becoming the national delivery partner for the UK’s largest hospitality corporation, Whitbread PLC. This partnership has secured major capital investment into the sector and, over the life of this strategic plan, has the potential to grow to become a national benchmark in how large corporations support learners with SEND. The College also takes seriously its role as a key ally to the regional local authorities. During our strategic plan, the College created bespoke provision to meet the needs of learners where no other provision was available regionally. More than anything else, the College has remained focused on improving the experiences of all its learners, and it will continue to work hard at meeting and exceeding their expectations and those of their families and carers. The College recognises the educational and business benefits of having a diverse community of staff and is working towards building and maintaining an environment which values and celebrates diversity. Equality of Opportunity and Diversity are embedded within the culture and values of the College. We are proud to be a disability confident and mindful employer.

Step‑free access to the building, all key meeting rooms and bathrooms, and an accessible workstation. Accessibility dogs are welcome. Papers and materials can be presented in different formats. A sign language interpreter can be accessed for interviews. Working patterns and locations can be adjusted.

Timetable Closing Date: 9 a.m. Wednesday 5th November 2025Candidates Informed: Thursday 13th November 2025Interviews: Friday 21st November 2025 Peridot and Hereward College are committed to promoting equality and diversity. To help us raise awareness and support a culture that is diverse and recognises and develops the potential of all, we need to appreciate the profile of candidates who apply for positions. We will send you an equality monitoring survey at the point of receiving your application and at the time of placement. This ensures that our processes remain inclusive and equitable throughout, and provides us with important data to help us showcase our impact. The information will be treated confidentially and anonymously and will help us to support our commitment to fair recruitment practice. All information provided will be held in the strictest confidence and will not be shared with anyone, in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 launched on 25 May 2018. #J-18808-Ljbffr