Wales Office - Non-Executive Board Member

Non-Executive Board Member - Wales Office

Body: Office of the Secretary of State for Wales (Wales Office)
Appointing Department: Wales Office
Sectors: Business, Finance & Skills, Charity & Public Sector
Location: Cardiff/London
Skills required: Accountancy, Audit and Risk, Change Management
Number of Vacancies: 1
Remuneration: £8,330 per annum
Time Requirements: Up to 20 days per annum
Closed for Applications: 13/11/2020

This is not a ministerial appointment.

Vacancy Description

The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales is seeking to appoint a Non-Executive Board Member (NEBM) to serve on its Departmental Board and Audit and Risk Assurance Committee.

The term of appointment will be for an initial period of up to three years, which may be extended in further defined periods by agreement. The maximum total term of appointment is six years.

The successful candidate will be expected to take up the position on 4 January 2021.

Role of the Non-Executive Board Member

The role of the Non-Executive Board Member is to play a key part in the effective and successful governance of the Department. The main responsibilities being to:

• Ensure the Departmental Board and Audit and Risk Assurance Committee define the vision, values, culture and strategy of the organisation and set a high standard for ethics and responsible conduct of public business;
• Ensure the Departmental Board and Audit and Risk Assurance Committee maintain appropriate governance and internal controls, including ensuring sound financial, risk and performance management regimes are in place and the Department has the capacity to deliver;
• Actively challenge the Board on key issues including the Business Plan and Strategic Risks;
• Contribute to and attend meetings of other Non-Executive members across central government;
• Ensure the Department’s Senior Management Team is subjected to constructive challenge in respect of the performance of the organisation; and
• Provide counsel, advice and support to the executive team, acting as a sounding board and “critical friend” where necessary.

About the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales

The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales supports the Secretary of State and his Ministerial team in promoting the best interests of Wales within a strong United Kingdom. It ensures Welsh interests are represented at the heart of the UK Government and the UK Government’s responsibilities are represented in Wales.

Person Specification

To be considered for the role, you must be able to demonstrate that you have the qualities, skills and experience to meet all the essential criteria for appointment. These are:

• An understanding of central Government accounting and finance and the role of the audit committee in scrutinising these;
• An understanding of the issues and challenges that Wales faces and the role of the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales in addressing these;
• A detailed knowledge of corporate governance procedures in the public sector;
• Experience of working as a Non-Executive Board Member on the board of a Government Department/Agency of Arm’s Length Body and has guided the strategic direction of that body;
• Sound judgement and an ability to work as an individual and as part of a team, with a constructive style and effective communication skills; and
• An understanding of the Welsh language would be helpful.

All Non-Executive Members, as well as Executive Board Members, are required to uphold the seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have, or be willing to obtain security clearance to Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) level. It usually takes between 6- 9 weeks to obtain the security clearance.

How to Apply

For more details on the role, and to request a candidate information pack, please contact [email protected]

This post is NOT regulated by The Commissioner for Public Appointments.