Board Director with background in Finance

The Opportunity

IAPS (Independent Association of Prep Schools)

Board membership

Position:                     Independent Board Director with background in finance

Remuneration:           Pro bono position

Time commitment:    Three full Board meetings per year (approx 3 hours per meeting) plus ad hoc needs

Location:                    Availability to meet in person in Warwick and London

Closing date:             15 December at 12 noon

IAPS is one of the world’s most prestigious associations for school leaders.  It represents world-class headteachers, who lead world-class schools and is proud to work with its members as they deliver excellent standards of education and care to their pupils. IAPS offers personal and professional support to members with a professional development programme designed to develop leaders in their school settings.  There is an elite professional network across the globe and membership is a kitemark of quality demonstrating members offer the highest standards of education.

Founded in 1892 IAPS is the largest independent school heads’ Association in the UK. Throughout its history IAPS has relied on voting members, who are serving Heads, to govern the Association. At the Association’s AGM in 2022 members approved a change in governance so that a new Board could be created which began operating from 1 September 2023.  The Board is now made up of seven current full members of IAPS and five ‘independent’ appointees.  The Independent Board Directors will bring different professional skills to those naturally to the fore in school leaders.

There is currently a vacancy on the IAPS Board for an Independent Board Director who has a background in finance, with a professional qualification in an area such as accountancy or banking.  Applicants will be financially-qualified, and will bring a strong understanding of financial management. They may be a CFO or Finance Director, but could equally come from a variety of backgrounds so long as they have strong financial acumen and strategic level business leadership experience. The successful candidate will be able to leverage their knowledge of finance in a governance setting, challenging Board members when appropriate, and asking the right questions.

Above all, it is important to IAPS that prospective Board members are able to demonstrate empathy with the independent school system and, ideally, the work of IAPS.

Applications are therefore particularly welcomed from those who are Bursars of independent schools. 

Board members will initially be appointed for a term of four years and, thereafter, may offer themselves for re-appointment by the Board for a second term in office for a maximum of four years.

IAPS is not a charity and Board members are company directors of IAPS, which is a private company limited by guarantee without share capital. Board meetings tend to follow a pattern linked to the academic year, though financially the budget is run through the calendar year. The Board normally meets once per term at the IAPS office in Warwick in the autumn term and London in the spring and summer terms. Financial details can be found at Companies House, but the Association is in a strong position with appropriate reserves and it owns the HQ building (part of which it sub-lets).

If you would like to discuss any aspects of the role please contact Tania Botting, current Chair of the IAPS Board, via chair@iaps.uk.