Finding an academy trustee that’s right for you – our process

When you register an academy trust vacancy with us, we follow a six-step process to find the right academy trustee for you:

  1. Initial call: Your academy trust chair speaks with one of our expert advisers to fully understand your needs.
  2. Role description: We prepare and finalise a role description based on your requirements. Find an example on our academy trustee job board.
  3. Search: We conduct an extensive search for suitable volunteers, using our database, advertising, and partner networks to find the best match. We may tailor our search tools based on your specific needs and location.
  4. Interviews: We interview all shortlisted volunteers to assess their skills, expertise, and commitment.
  5. Candidate profile: We share the profile of the best candidate for your academy trustee role.
  6. Introduction: Once you express interest in the candidate, we introduce you to the volunteer. After that, you can engage directly with them. If the match isn’t right, we’ll reassess and repeat the search if needed.

Detailing the process of finding an academy trustee

After receiving your recruitment requirements, we’ll arrange a call between your academy trust chair and one of our expert advisers. We’ll share our diary booking system to find a suitable time. It’s important that the academy trust Chair and/or a Member is present for this initial call.

While academy trust executives can join, the process should be led by the Chair, Member, or a designated board nominee. If more than one person from the academy trust will join the call, please let us know in advance so we can set up the necessary conferencing facilities.

After the initial call

After the call, our adviser will finalise your requirements and start searching for suitable volunteers, focusing on your specific needs. We’ll send the CV of one candidate per listed role for the Chair/Member to review. We select the best match based on skills and experience, and will only share another candidate’s CV after receiving feedback on the first one.

Academy trusts should not contact candidates directly, even if contact information is visible on the CV. If you wish to proceed with a direct introduction, please inform the Trustee Recruitment Service team, and we’ll arrange it quickly. After the introduction, you can engage directly with the volunteer. Please keep us updated on any progress or planned appointments.

How long will the process take to find an academy trustee?

The timing of the recruitment process can vary due to several factors. Depending on your needs, skills focus, location, and deadlines, we may find a suitable match quickly for you to interview. However, each case is unique, and our process is tailored to your situation.

Sometimes, if there’s low interest in a role, we may need to try different approaches to find a good candidate. Our team will keep you updated and informed throughout the process.

Academy trust testimonials

Want to find out how academy trusts we have worked with in the past rate our service?

Find out more below.