Director of Governance and Secretary to the Board

Georgina Bailes is Director of Governance and Secretary to the Board at Northumbria

As the Director of Governance and Secretary to the Board, Georgina works closely with the University Executive shaping and delivering the University’s Vision, Strategy and supporting plans.

She provides strategic leadership of Governance Services (Board and Committee, Risk Management, Internal Audit, Business Continuity, Critical Incident Management, Due Diligence, Prevent, Safeguarding) to ensure high standards of governance across the University and the successful delivery of the University Vision and Strategy.

Georgina supports the relationship between the Board and the University Executive, enabling the Board to support delivery of the University Vision and Strategy while maintaining effective governance and high standards of accountability and transparency. She also manages the relationship between the Board of Governors and the Students’ Union ensuring the management and operation of the Students’ Union is consistent with the University’s status as a higher education corporation.

She provides specialist advice on matters of governance to the Vice-Chancellor and Chair of the Board and University Executive

Georgina is the secretariat for the Board of Governors and its Committees with overall responsibility for managing its business and ensuring it meets its regulatory obligations. She is responsible for maintaining formal records and Board Committee decisions and ensuring appropriate and timely input and follow-up.

Georgina is the Prevent Lead and Principle Safeguarding Officer for the University, with overall responsibility for managing referrals to external agencies, liaising with the relevant regulators, statutory authorities and external partners as appropriate and ensuring internal policies, procedures and practices comply with the University’s statutory duty.

She leads the Critical Incident Management and Business Continuity Planning for the University, ensuring appropriate policies, frameworks and procedures are in place to ensure a timely and appropriate response to critical incidents and a coordinated approach to returning the University to delivering its core business. 

Georgina has held numerous roles within the University including Executive Officer to the Vice-Chancellor, Head of Programme Delivery and Head of Change Management.

Prior to joining Northumbria, Georgina has held several public sector roles including Regional Adviser for the Crime and Drugs Team at Government Office for the North East, Policy Adviser (Chief Executive’s Office) at North Tyneside Council and Communities Officer for the North Tyneside Drug Action Team.

Georgina holds a BA (Hons) Criminal Justice from Liverpool John Moore’s University.

Contact the Head of Governance

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