One of the country's leading modern universities, formally established in 2005 but with a local heritage stretching back some 160 years, Bath Spa is a dynamic university which champions creativity and enterprise across all its activities. Offering a wide range of modern courses across the arts, science, education, social science and business to over 7,000 students, the University employs outstanding academic and technical staff to deliver innovative learning opportunities.

Based in stunning countryside just a few minutes from a World Heritage City, Bath Spa University has graduates who are engaged global citizens and ready for the world of work — 95% of its students are in full-time employment within six months of graduation. In 2020, the University was recognized as the most improved university in the National Undergraduate Employment awards and it recently ranked in the top five creative universities in the country in the Which Student guide.

Bath Spa University offers a wide range of courses (undergraduate, postgraduate, professional development and short courses) and undertakes research across its seven schools: the Bath Business School, the Bath School of Music and Performing Arts, the Bath School of Art, Film and Media, the Bath School of Design, the School of Education, the School of Writing, Publishing and the Humanities and the School of Sciences. The school structure was implemented in 2019 and is designed to support the institutional strategy of delivering a flexible curriculum which is responsive to student needs.

Bath Spa’s purpose is to challenge its students and staff to realise their talent and thrive, for their own benefit and for the wider good. The University is determinedly student-centric, offering innovative teaching and learning, with a strong focus on student support and well-being, as well as expanding research excellence, and state-of-the-art facilities. Bath Spa University embarked on its exciting 10-year strategy in September 2019 (2030 Strategy) and is seeking a new Governor and Chair of Audit Committee to support the senior executive team as it guides the University on its next stage of development.

The Board of Governors is responsible for:

• Determining the educational character and mission of the university and overseeing of its activities
• Overseeing the effective and efficient use of resources, the solvency of the university and for safeguarding its assets
• Approving annual estimates of income and expenditure
• Setting a framework for the pay and conditions of service of staff

Bath Spa is seeking a Governor who will become Chair of Audit Committee. They will bring strong financial acumen and provide guidance to the Committee and wider Board. They will bring a willingness to be challenging but constructive and will provide a high level of scrutiny.

Chairing the Committee which oversees Audit, Risk and Compliance, this person will bring a strong audit background and will be a qualified accountant. They will have senior strategic experience from a similarly sized / complex organisation and they will ideally have previous Audit Committee experience or wider governance experience. Previous chairing experience would be desirable.

Above all, candidates will have an interest in the issues facing higher education and will bring a cognitively diverse, thoughtful and mature contribution to Board and Committee meetings, being principled yet innovative. They will have a strong personal commitment to higher education as a public good and to the values, aims and objectives of the University, combined with the energy and interest to engage fully with the work of the University.

The University has a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and through this appointment process it is the Board’s clear stated aim to develop a candidate pool which includes applicants from all backgrounds and communities. The University particularly encourages applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, disabled and LGBT+ people.

The Board currently has a total of nineteen members drawn from a range of backgrounds, with biographies can be found here.

This role is unpaid but reasonable expenses will be reimbursed including expenses incurred in the course of undertaking the role including, for example, reimbursement of the reasonable cost of care arrangements for dependents where necessary in order to attend a Board or committee meeting.

The Board currently meets five times per year, in addition to an annual away day, and the Audit Committee meets three times per year (usually three hours). Board meetings are held on campus and Committee meetings are normally held virtually. There are additional opportunities for members of the Board to engage with, and support, University life, including attending graduation ceremonies and other University events. Governors serve for a three-year term, which is renewable, subject to a potential maximum of seven years on the Board. 

Future Board meeting dates are currently scheduled as follows: 13 July 2022, 28 September 2022, 15 December 2022, 15 March 2023, 2 May 2023 (Away day), 3 May 2023, and 12 July 2023.

Location: Due to Board meetings being held in person, Bath Spa University expects this person to be able to travel to the University from a reasonable distance and will not consider candidates based outside of the UK.