​By 2030 all schools in the UK will be converted to Academy Trust status with the aim of becoming part of a larger family of schools in a strong attempt to level up school standards.

Around 10,000 (45 percent) of schools have already converted to Academy status following a period of rapid expansion over the past 11 years. Over 12,000 schools still need to transition over the next 8 years.

The benefits of being part of Multi Academy Trusts (MATs) include sharing good practices and providing mutual support within the cluster for each school to improve their standards. Larger MATs can achieve economies of scale which enable them to be financially stable and maximise the impact of a well-supported workforce to drive improvement. Resources and expertise can also be pooled effectively to provide benefits and support to children with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND).

Each MAT will require an executive leadership team to provide strategy and direction. Trustee positions are also necessary for governance and support. This will provide a wealth of interesting opportunities and roles for a multitude of candidates from different sectors. Executive roles will encompass the ‘C’ level of leadership positions including professionals from a finance, technology, and human resources background. Many of these roles will be open to applicants from a diverse range of industries who can provide strong commercial acumen to the trust. Trustee roles will provide an excellent entry-level opportunity to individuals considering non-executive director roles and also appeal to seasoned non-executives.

As we edge closer to 2030 and more schools seek to become part of a trust, we will see existing trusts expanding and new trusts setting up. MATs will need to be competitive and compelling with both opportunity and remuneration as they compete for top talent across leadership, finance, IT, human resources, marketing & communications professionals.

The NRG Executive team have already been engaged in discussions with trusts and also candidates of interest. Indeed, our own Managing Director recently joined a MAT as a trustee earlier this year to share his specialist knowledge of recruitment, general management, and human resources. As this trend gains momentum, we are open and happy to both discuss and partner with other trusts who require our expertise in their recruitment strategy for both specialist and trustee talent.

We would also welcome and be very keen to discuss these opportunities with senior and board-level candidates who are excited at the possibility of applying their skillset to the education sector in a growing commercial environment.