The Dean Trust seeks two new Trustees and an additional Member to join our high-performing board, developing governance, widen our expertise and support our next phase of development.
The Dean Trust is recruiting two Trustees and one Member to join our governance community as we continue our development as a high-performing MAT in the northwest. We are looking for individuals who can bring professional insight, strategic challenge and a commitment to improving outcomes for children across our schools in Manchester, Wigan and Knowsley.
We are particularly seeking Trustees with expertise in HR, estates, legal, digital or cyber and individuals who can broaden the lived experience and diversity of our Board. These appointments will strengthen our Finance & Resources and Audit & Risk Committees and support succession planning for the Pay Committee.
If you want to contribute your skills to a values‑driven trust with a strong reputation for care, community and improvement, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Who we are
The Dean Trust is a multi‑academy trust serving communities across Manchester, Wigan and Knowsley. We are known for our commitment to care, inclusion and strong pastoral support and we are now rebalancing this with a renewed focus on academic rigour and classroom excellence.
Our Trust comprises a mix of primary and secondary schools, each retaining its identity while benefiting from shared systems, consistent expectations and a collaborative approach to improvement. We have recently strengthened our central structures, introduced GAG pooling and refined our financial model to ensure resources are directed where they make the greatest difference.
We are ambitious for our future growth and are developing our next phase of trust strategy with support from external partners.
About the role
Trustees
Trustees at The Dean Trust play a central role in shaping the organisation’s strategic direction, ensuring strong oversight across finance, resources, audit, risk and educational performance. These appointments will strengthen our governance capacity as the Trust refines its academic focus, matures its central structures and prepares for future growth.
We are recruiting two Trustees, each bringing professional insight and constructive challenge to one of our key committees. Trustees recruited in this campaign will contribute to*:
- Finance & Resources Committee – Oversight and assurance of HR, estates, IT and financial strategy.
- Audit & Risk Committee – Scrutiny and assurance of risk management and compliance.
These roles will also support succession planning for the Pay Committee. Trustees help ensure informed decision‑making, strengthen organisational resilience and provide grounded, real‑world challenge to the executive team.
* Please note that we also have an Education Committee, which focuses on curriculum, standards and improvement, though we currently have no vacancies here.
Members
Members provide independent oversight of the Trust’s governance, ensuring that The Dean Trust remains aligned to its charitable purpose and that the Board operates effectively. We are seeking one additional Member to join our existing group of three, broadening the experience and independence of our governance structure.
Members do not engage in operational or committee‑level work; instead, they:
- Appoint and hold Trustees to account
- Provide high‑level scrutiny of governance performance
- Ensure the Trust’s objects and charitable purpose are upheld
- Support long‑term stewardship and organisational integrity
This role is ideal for someone who brings mature judgement, independent thought and a commitment to strong, values‑driven governance.
Who we are looking for
We are looking for individuals who can bring professional expertise, strategic thinking and a genuine commitment to improving the life chances of children and young people. You may come from public services, charity, commercial or regulatory backgrounds; what matters most is your ability to contribute constructively, think independently and uphold high standards of governance.
We are particularly interested in candidates with experience in:
- HR and people leadership
- Estates, capital projects or facilities management
- Legal practice or regulatory compliance
- Digital, cyber security or IT governance
We also want to broaden the diversity of our Board, especially across ethnicity, lived experience and age. We are keen to welcome individuals who bring different perspectives, professional backgrounds and ways of thinking, ensuring our governance reflects the communities we serve and the challenges our schools face.
Our Board is professional, strategic and focused on real‑world business thinking. Trustees should be comfortable reading papers, preparing questions and supporting leaders through informed, balanced challenge. These roles suit individuals who value purposeful governance, who can engage confidently with complex issues and who want to contribute to a trust that is refining its academic focus while maintaining strong pastoral care.
Time commitment
Trustees
- 4 full Board meetings per year
- 3–4 committee meetings (Resources, Audit & Risk, Education)
- A Trust away day
- Optional school visits and informal engagement sessions
Meetings are usually held in the morning (08:00–09:30 start). Hybrid attendance is supported, though in-person attendance is preferred where possible. Committee meetings usually last two to three hours.
We would like new Trustees to observe a Board meeting in December before formally joining.
Members
Members have a light but important governance role, providing independent oversight and ensuring the Trust remains aligned to its charitable purpose. The commitment is modest and focused on key moments in the governance cycle.
Members are expected to attend the annual general meeting and engage periodically with the Chair and governance lead.
To view the role description and person specification, please go to the ‘How to Apply’ tab above, fill in your details and download the candidate pack.
For further information or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Eddie Caviezel Cox | eddiec@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07951 920768
Shaun Eden | shaun@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07951 509128
Welcome from the Chair
Dear Candidate,
A warm welcome to our Trust and thank you so much for your interest in joining our Board as a Trustee. I am very proud to be Chair of a Trust with a clear vision for all our pupils to believe in themselves, achieve their potential and succeed in their journey through life.
Our Trust Board is made up of experienced professionals who make collective decisions about the strategic direction of the Trust, working in partnership with our Executive Team to ensure robust accountability, effective assurance and clarity of direction.
Our Trustees come together with a diverse range of perspectives and expertise. We welcome your interest in joining us and the knowledge and independent judgment you will bring to further strengthen our Board.
Yours sincerely,
Damian McGann
Chair, The Dean Trust
About The Dean Trust
The Dean Trust is a multi‑academy trust with a long‑standing commitment to providing high‑quality education, strong pastoral care and ambitious opportunities for children and young people across our family of schools. Our work is shaped by a belief that every pupil deserves to learn in a safe, supportive and academically aspirational environment and that schools thrive when they combine traditional values with a forward‑looking approach to teaching, learning and community engagement.
Our origins lie in Ashton on Mersey School, which built a reputation for high expectations, strong discipline and a culture rooted in respect, effort and achievement. Over time, additional schools joined the partnership, creating a broader network of primary, secondary and all‑through provision. This gradual expansion led to the formation of The Dean Trust, bringing together schools with different histories, strengths and contexts under a shared mission to improve outcomes and enrich the lives of children and young people.
Today, we oversee a diverse group of schools across several local authority areas. Each school retains its identity and connection to its community, while benefiting from shared systems, consistent expectations and a collaborative approach to improvement. Our schools include large secondary academies, one‑form‑entry primaries and all‑through provision, enabling us to support pupils at every stage of their educational journey. This breadth of provision reflects our commitment to serving varied communities and ensuring that children receive continuity, stability and ambition throughout their schooling.
Our vision is clear: for all our pupils to believe in themselves, achieve their potential and succeed in their journey through life. Our mission is to put pupils first, providing them with experiences that build powerful knowledge, transferable skills, and social and cultural capital. We will invest in the most talented, dedicated workforce, and we will work collaboratively with our partners to nurture global citizens. This is supported by shared values where we demonstrate that we are:
- Ambitious and Aspirational
- Resilient and Determined
- Inquisitive and Dedicated to Learning
- Socially and Globally Responsible
Across all our work, we remain committed to our core purpose: providing children and young people with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to succeed. We value stability, community and care, but we are also willing to evolve, challenge ourselves and pursue improvement with determination. For those joining our governance or leadership, The Dean Trust offers the opportunity to contribute to a thoughtful, values‑driven organisation focused on making a meaningful difference to young lives.
Learn more about The Dean Trust
Accessibility information
We understand that different members of the community have different access needs and have made some modifications to the way we do business to accommodate people from diverse communities and abilities.
We offer the following amenities:
- Step free access to the building, all key meeting rooms and bathrooms and an accessible workstation
- Accessibility dogs are welcome
- Interviews can be held in meeting rooms that support hearing loops
- Papers and materials can be presented in different formats
- A sign language interpreter can be accessed for interview
- Working patterns and locations can be adjusted
To arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Eddie Caviezel Cox | eddiec@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07951 920768
Shaun Eden | shaun@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07951 509128
Thank you for your interest in this role. Please download the Role Description and Person Specification.
Thank you for your interest in this role. Please download the Job Description and Person Specification and Application Form.
To formally apply, please submit the above application form and a supporting statement (ideally maximum 2 sides of A4 each) that clearly outlines your suitability for the role against the criteria provided in the person specification, including your interest and motivation in applying for this position.
Please include your home address, contact email and mobile.
Please ensure that your application is emailed to response@peridotpartners.co.uk, inserting “Application: The Dean Trust — Trustees and Member” into the subject field. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within 2-3 days. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, please contact our admin team.
For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Eddie Caviezel Cox | eddiec@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07951 920768
Shaun Eden | shaun@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07951 509128
As a sector-leading executive search consultancy, we know the importance of creating recruitment processes that are fair, inclusive and free from bias. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a process that values differences.
If you require any job information in an alternative format (e.g. large print), please contact the lead consultant. Please also let us know if you would like to submit your application in an alternative format.
Applicants with disabilities are welcome to contact us in confidence at any stage of the recruitment process to discuss any reasonable adjustments or support that may be required to ensure fair and equal participation.
Recruitment selection processes are based on evidence of competence stated in the person specification and in relation to our values.
Timetable
Closing date: 9 a.m. Monday 26th October
Interviews: Tuesday 3rd November
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
Peridot and The Dean Trust 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.
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