Non-Executive Director - Pearson Education Limited

Pearson Education Limited - Non-Executive Director

Description

At Pearson, we’re committed to a world that’s always learning and to our talented team who makes it all possible. From bringing lectures vividly to life to turning textbooks into laptop lessons, we are always re-examining the way people learn best, whether it’s one child in our own backyard or an education community across the globe.We are bold thinkers and standout innovators who motivate each other to explore new frontiers in an environment that supports and inspires us to always be better. By pushing the boundaries of technology — and each other to surpass these boundaries — we create seeds of learning that become the catalyst for the world’s innovations, personal and global, large and small.

Purpose of the Position

The Board of Pearson Education Limited is responsible for the governance of Pearson’s UK education businesses, including the development and administration of qualifications for schools, colleges, higher education and work-based learning settings, plus educational publishing and technologies to support teaching and learning.

Non-executive directors have the same general legal responsibilities to the company as any other director. The Board as a whole is collectively responsible for promoting the success of the company. The Board:

• provides entrepreneurial leadership of the company within a framework of prudent and effective controls which enable risk to be assessed and managed,
• sets the company’s strategic aims, ensures that the necessary financial and human resources are in place for the company to meet its objectives, and reviews management performance; and
• sets the company’s values and standards and ensures that its obligations to its shareholders and others are understood and met.

Core Tasks and Responsibilities

The role of the non-executive director has the following key elements;

• Strategy. Non-executive directors should constructively challenge and develop proposals on strategy;
• Performance. Non-executive directors should scrutinize the performance of management in meeting agreed goals and objectives and monitor the reporting of performance;
• Risk. Non-executive directors should satisfy themselves as to the integrity of financial information and that financial controls and systems of risk management are robust and defensible; and
• People. Non-executive directors have a role in appointing, and where necessary removing, executive directors and in succession planning.

Time Commitment

All directors must be able to allocate sufficient time to the Company to perform their responsibilities effectively. Non-executive directors will be required to:

• Undertake that they will be able to allocate sufficient time to meet the expectations of the role, as set out in their letter of appointment, or as agreed from time to time.
• Disclose their other significant commitments to the Board before appointment, with a broad indication of the time involved.
• Inform the Board of any subsequent changes.

A Non-executive director should seek the agreement of the Chairman before accepting additional commitments that might impact on the time he or she would be able to devote to the role as a director of the Company.

Qualifications

Professional Profile

Training / Competencies Experience

The following are the skills which NEDs need in order to perform their role:

• Passion for education
• High ethical standards
• Willingness to challenge
• Digitally savvy
• Interpersonal skills
• Confidence
• Communication and interpersonal skills
• Leadership and self-awareness, ability to gain respect and attention
• Critical thinking, creativity and strategic awareness
• Business acumen, ability to identify new business opportunities
• An ability to identify potential problems and deal with risk
• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• Governance experience; bringing experience of strategic planning, transformational change combined with financial, risk and performance management
• Experience with large scale transformation projects and managing large scale change programs
• Commercial and/ or finance experience at senior level
• Experience of relationship management internally and externally
• Experience of working within the educational industry is desirable (e.g. schools, further education and vocational, private training/ apprenticeships)

At Pearson, we believe in the power of difference. Harnessing the unique skills, perspectives, and backgrounds of every employee helps us foster innovation and create the most effective solutions for learners around the world. All applicants that meet our professional profile will be considered.

Please note this position can be based anywhere in the UK, travel to London for meetings only would be required on occasion.

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Primary Location: GB-GB-London

Work Locations: GB-London-80 Strand 80 Strand London WC2R 0RL

Job: General Business Operations

Organization: Core

Employee Status: External Worker

Shift: Day Job

Job Posting: Sep 27, 2017

Req ID: 1715565