Bedford College Group - Board Members

Welcome

Thank you for your interest in joining our Board.

The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College, and in March 2023 with Central Bedfordshire College, forming the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 19,000 students passing through our doors each year.

Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit.

To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough which offer IT training.

Our latest Ofsted report underscores our achievements and unwavering commitment to both student success and aligning with industry demands. Our overarching ambition remains steadfast – to deliver unparalleled educational experiences for our students and to offer exceptional professional growth opportunities for our staff. Having recently joined the Group, I am excited in embarking on a fresh chapter in its journey.

We are seeking to appoint three new board members who will demonstrate our core values:

Valuing teamwork: We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
Improving continuously: We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on best practice and learning from others.
Student centred: At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
Inclusive: We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
Open and caring: We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage and support each other.
Nurturing educational excellence: We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.

We currently have increased need for skills and experience from the fields of further education, education policy and HR combined with strategic leadership experience.

These are voluntary positions with the opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of students and staff at TBCG, providing successful applicants with valuable board and strategic leadership experience to enhance your own professional development, whilst working with a diverse group of talented individuals.

If you would like to have an informal conversation, please do contact our recruitment partners at Anderson Quigley.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Yiannis Koursis
OBE CEO

About

The Bedford College Group is the seventh largest college group in the country, serving a population of 1.1 million. With an income of more than £80 million, students numbers in excess of 19,000 and a workforce of nearly 2,000, we are proud to be able to support the communities we serve and the wider region through providing education to help individuals, employers and wider society flourish.

Our offer encompasses further, technical and higher education, as well as apprenticeships and workforce training. Whilst each college has its own unique environment they are all united by a common purpose: To help individuals, communities and society flourish through education by raising aspirations and reducing inequality to create a sustainable future.

Our purpose, vision & values

Our purpose:

To help individuals, communities and society flourish through education by raising aspirations and reducing inequality to create a sustainable future.

Our vision:

To be the best and most authoritative post-16 educator in the south east midlands.

Our values:

Valuing teamwork: We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
Improving continuously: We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
Student centred: At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
Inclusive: We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
Open & caring: We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
Nurturing educational excellence: We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions

Awards and accreditations

Beacon award win for Group: The Bedford College Group has won the prestigious Beacon Award in The National Centre for Diversity Award for Inclusive Learning Leadership. Read more.
Bedfordshire Chamber Awards 2022: The Bedford College Group took the top prize in the Bedfordshire Chamber Business Awards for being the best “Equality Trailblazer” in the county. Read more.
Achieved Matrix Standard 2022: The Bedford College Group has re-confirmed its Department for Education “Matrix” standard. Read more.
Stonewall Gold Award: The Bedford College Group has been awarded gold for its LGBTQ+ inclusion work both on campus, and in reaching out to the wider community. Read more.

Our community

The Bedford College Group serves the communities of Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and the wider South East Midlands.

Serving our student, staff and wider local communities is at the heart of our objectives. Our staff and students take part in a range of activities across their local communities and we have outlined five aims that we hope to achieve from our community engagement.

Objectives

. To promote and support education and training: The Prince’s Trust Northamptonshire Teams achieved outstanding results with 100% of the young people on the programme achieving in 2020-21. Find out more.
To participate in strategic partnerships and contribute to local agendas: The Wellingborough Campus redevelopment opened in September 2020, with 480 students enrolled on courses. Find out more.
To share and exchange knowledge and skills: In 2021, The Bedford College Group was a founding member of The Research College Group which represents 10 organisations who lead in practitioner research. Find out more.
To open up our physical environment and resources: School of Fish – the community swim school run by Trinity Arts and Leisure – teaches 700 children per week. Find out more.
To be a good neighbour: As part of our ground-breaking decarbonisation plan, steps were taken to save over 350 tonnes of carbon following major infrastructure upgrades and the opening of our brand-new Connolly Centre for Modern Construction. Find out more

The role

Board Member (AQ3099)

Apply now

JOB DESCRIPTION

Role Title: Governor

Overall responsibilities:

Collectively as part of the Board of Governors, to be accountable to The Bedford College Group’s (TBCGs) stakeholders, to set the strategic direction of TBCG and to monitor the TBCG’s progress towards strategic aims in accordance with the Instrument and Articles and College Code of Conduct as amended from time to time.

Main duties:

Attend Board and Committee meetings and contribute to these (typically six Board meetings and four Committee meetings per year) plus strategy and development days.
Act as an ambassador for the College and Corporation, embodying the TBCG’s values and the Nolan Principles of Public Life.
Complete mandatory training and engage with training opportunities such as regional networking meetings, e-learning and formal training.
In meetings work with fellow Governors and the TBCG’s Directors with accountability for the following main functions:
- Setting and reviewing the TBCG’s strategic plan and objectives, including for example, curriculum, quality, financial, digital and estates.
- Monitoring the TBCG’s performance and achievement of the strategic objectives, and offering constructive challenge to the TBCG’s management team to continually improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment outcomes for students and outcomes for the community.
- Reviewing the TBCG’s equality and diversity plan and challenging the College’s management team to monitor for and address disparities by protected characteristics in all TBCG functions.
- Monitoring the use of resources and challenging the management team to use resources efficiently.
- Ensuring the TBCG remains solvent.
- Setting and approving the TBCG’s revenue and capital budgets.
- Appointing and assessing the performance of the senior post-holders.
- Setting a framework for the employment of all other staff.
- Ensuring that the TBCG is well managed and complies with all statutory requirements including safeguarding and health and safety.
- Appointing (and re-appointing) Governors to the Board based on their skills and contribution.

The Seven Principles of Public Life (Nolan Principles)

Selflessness: Holders of public office should take decisions solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends.
Integrity: Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might influence them in the performance of their official duties.
Objectivity: In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.
Accountability: Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.
Openness: Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.
Honesty: Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.
Leadership: Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

These principles apply to all aspects of public life. The Committee has set them out here for the benefit of all who serve the public in any way.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

All of the following criteria are considered essential.

Skills

Good verbal and written communication skills.
Good interpersonal skills.
Good decision-making skills and the understanding of your own authority levels and responsibility within this.
Good IT skills to include Microsoft Office (Teams, Outlook etc.) and a board portal.
Good analysing and interpreting skills.

Attributes

An understanding of, and commitment to, TBCG’s core business, strategic aims and values.
Confidence in expressing views and engaging in discussions within meetings and communications.
Ability to provide a balanced/unbiased view on all issues requiring discussion, review, decision etc. and constructively challenge the views of others as appropriate.
Ability and commitment to deal with information/data provided confidentially.
Ability to build professional relationships.
Ability to influence appropriately at all levels.
Ability to act as an Ambassador for TBCG, whilst ensuring your position is not used to leverage influence in other forums that would create a conflict of interest.
Ability to take responsibility and exhibit leadership.
Be a person of integrity and high ethical standards.
Possesses a thorough and methodical attention to detail.
Demonstrate the ability to work in line with The Bedford College Group’s values, policies and procedures.

Additional requirements

Ability to travel to all campus locations for meetings, events etc.
A willingness to give free time to prepare for, and attend meetings, events etc.
A clear understanding of the appropriate professional boundaries and relationships that should be formed and maintained with children and young people.

Other duties

Safeguarding – To be responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and for raising any concerns in line with TBCG policy and procedure.
Equality & diversity – To be responsible for promoting equality & diversity in line with TBCG policy and procedure.
Health & safety – To be responsible for following health & safety requirements in line with TBCG policy and procedure.
Training & development – To participate proactively in training & development required by TBCG for your role.

Apply now

Terms of appointment

View our calendar here

How to apply

Anderson Quigley is acting as an advisor to the College, an executive search process is being carried out by Anderson Quigley in addition to the public advertisement.

The closing date for applications is 4 April, 2025.

Applications should consist of:

A full CV.
A cover letter (maximum of two pages) outlining your motivations for the role and how you meet the essential criteria of the person specification.
Please include details of two referees in either your CV or covering letter, though please note that we will not approach your referees without your prior consent and only should you be shortlisted.

Should you wish to discuss the role in strict confidence, please contact Elyse Turner-Pearce at elyse.turner-peace@andersonquigley.com or +44 (0)7808 648 559 or Paul Aristides at paul.aristides@andersonquigley.com.

Timetable

Role closing	4 April
Longlist meeting	11 April
Preliminary interviews carried out by AQ	w/c 14 April
Shortlist meeting	24 April
Final panel interviews	1 May & 2 May

Appointment of the Board Members