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Appointment details

Single Source Regulations Office (SSRO) Non-Executive Board Member

Summary

• Organisation: Single Source Regulations Office
• Sponsor department: Ministry of Defence
• Location: London
• Sectors: Defence
• Skills: Accountancy, Audit and Risk, Business, Technology / Digital, Major Projects, Procurement, Regulation
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 48 day(s) per annum
• Remuneration: £500 per day
• Length of term: 4 Years
• Application deadline: 11:59pm on 17 October 2022

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   9 September 2022

2. Application deadline

   11:59pm on 17 October 2022

3. Sifting date

   17 November 2022

4. Interviews expected to end on

   9 January 2023

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction

The Single Source Regulations Office (SSRO) is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). We play a key role in the regulation of single source, or non-competitive defence contracts. 

When undertaking our statutory functions we aim to ensure that good value for money is obtained in government expenditure on qualifying defence contracts, and that persons who are parties to qualifying defence contracts are paid a fair and reasonable price under those contracts.

The Defence Reform Act 2014 (‘the Act’) created a regulatory framework for single source defence contracts. The framework came fully into force in December 2014, following Parliamentary approval of the Single Source Contract Regulations 2014. The framework places controls on the prices of qualifying contracts and requires greater transparency on the part of defence contractors. The SSRO is at the heart of the regulatory framework, supporting its operation.

We are responsible for:

• Keeping under review the Defence Reform Act and the Regulations and recommending appropriate changes to the Secretary of State.
• Making an annual recommendation to the Secretary of State on the Baseline Profit Rate, Capital Servicing Rates and SSRO funding adjustment to be applied in determining the profit rates of qualifying contracts. 
• Giving opinions and making determinations on questions referred by the MOD and defence contractors, clarifying how the regime applies to qualifying contracts and resolving disagreements.
• Keeping under review the extent to which contractors are complying with their reporting obligations.
• Keeping an up-to-date record of qualifying contracts and receiving statutory reports from defence contractors into the SSRO’s DefCARS database.
• Fulfilling requests by the Secretary of State for analysis of reported data and providing other services or assistance relating to single source defence procurement.

The SSRO publishes guidance on:

• Determining whether costs are ‘Allowable’ under a qualifying defence contract or qualifying sub-contract;
• The six steps to be used when determining the contract profit rate for a qualifying defence contract or qualifying sub-contract
• Preparing reports required under the Act; and
• The determination of penalty amounts to be used by the MOD in issuing penalty notices.

Introduction from the Chair

Dear Candidate,

Thank you for expressing interest in the opportunity to become a non-Executive Member of the Single Source Regulations Office’s Board. The SSRO plays a central role in helping Government to achieve efficient delivery of those defence contracts that are not competitively tendered, whilst ensuring suppliers can earn a fair return. The importance of the UK having the capability to protect our country and its interests has never been more apparent, and this underlines the significance of our role. With more than 2% of UK GDP being spent on defence each year, our work can help to support innovation and growth.

Single source procurement amounts to around half the MOD’s annual procurement spend. It includes the development, acquisition and support of some of the UK’s most significant defence capabilities, including nuclear submarines, combat aircraft and sophisticated weapons.

Since the regime came fully into force in 2015, the MOD has entered into over 450 single source contracts with a total estimated price of some £66 billion, with a wide range of suppliers. As a result, the SSRO engages at the highest level with some of the world’s largest defence contractors, including BAE Systems, Babcock International, Boeing, General Dynamics, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin, QinetiQ, Raytheon and Rolls Royce as well as with the MOD.

Since its formation, the SSRO has built a professional team and has earned a reputation as an independent, evidence-based, expert body. Looking forward, the SSRO has developed its 2025 vision setting out its ambition to be the recognised expert in the regulation of single source contracting and supporting UK defence by working at the heart of a continuously improving regulatory framework. The SSRO has also refreshed its values, to be an independent, transparent, authoritative and inclusive organisation.

If you thrive on contributing to the strategic direction of an organisation in a complex and often ambiguous environment and can demonstrate commercial experience as a senior professional, then we look forward to hearing from you. 

Thank you for taking the time to apply.

Hannah Nixon

Chair, Single Source Regulations Office

Regulation of appointment

This post is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. For more information, please refer to the Commissioner’s website 

Person specification

Essential criteria

Candidates must demonstrate all of the following essential criteria: 

• Commercial experience derived from a professional career at a senior level, particularly of large capital projects;
• Experience of operating as an Executive or non-Executive within current corporate governance good practice and providing challenge and support to the organisation;
• Ability to support a high-performing and inclusive approach to delivery, with a proven ability to balance trusted stakeholder relationships with delivering impartial advice;
• Thorough and contemporary understanding and knowledge of one or more of the following fields
• Public procurement and commissioning;
• Regulation; 
• Commercial contracting and delivery of major programmes;
• Corporate finance;
• Management accounting, cost engineering, risk management;
• Engineering;
• Digital services/data analytics

Desirable criteria

• An understanding of the Defence sector. 
• Knowledge of procurement processes and practice in the public sector.
• An understanding of how central government operates. 
• Understanding of data systems and economic regulation, and the ability to acquire knowledge through investigation.

Application and selection process

How to apply

Please read the attached Campaign Information pack.

If you wish to apply for this appointment, please supply the following:

• A CV (maximum two sides A4, minimum font 12) setting out your career history and including details of any professional qualifications. 

• A short supporting statement in the Expression of Interest form (see below) (maximum two sides A4, minimum font 12) explaining how you meet the essential and desirable criteria (page 4).  Make sure you refer to the contents of this information pack and provide specific examples which demonstrate proven and demonstrable expertise or ability.  Please ensure your full name and the reference number are clearly stated at the top of your CV and additional papers.

• Complete the Expression of Interest form including your supporting statement; contact details for two referees “(by providing their details you are giving consent for us to contact them should you be successful at the shortlisting stage)” and any conflict of interest (see further information below and Annex B). 

• Complete and return via email the Diversity Monitoring form, including stating any political activity.

Note References will be taken up if candidates are shortlisted.  You should ensure that they have given you their permission to share their names with us and for us to contact them when you include them in the EOI.

• If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme, you will need to meet the minimum criteria for the role as determined by the AAP at sift. This will guarantee an invite to an interview.  To ensure fairness, the AAP will not be informed of who has applied under the DSC until they have set the minimum criteria at the start of the sift meeting. Please complete the Disability Confident Scheme declaration form.

• If you have a disability and require reasonable adjustments to enable you to attend for interview, please advise us when you return your application

Please note: it is your responsibility to ensure we receive your application by the closing date. 

Completed applications should be emailed to DBSCivPers-ResPublicAppts@mod.gov.uk by 17 October 2022, 23:59

Overview of the application process

Public appointments are made on merit following a fair and open competition process which is conducted in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. We will deal with your application as quickly as possible and will keep you informed at key stages. We aim to conclude the appointment process within three months of the deadline for applications – this is in accordance with the Governance Code.

The assessment process

1. Ministers are responsible and accountable to Parliament for the public appointments made within their department. As a result, they must be consulted at every stage of the appointments process.

2. An Advisory Assessment Panel (“Panel”) is appointed by Ministers to assist them in their decision making. The role of the Panel is to decide, objectively, which candidates meet the eligibility criteria for the role.

3. At the shortlisting meeting the Panel will assess applications against the eligibility criteria and decide which candidates have best met the criteria, who should be recommended for interview. Ministers will then be consulted on the Panel’s recommended shortlist. If you have applied under the Disability Confident Scheme and you meet all the essential criteria, then you will also be invited for an interview.

4. Once the shortlist has been agreed by Ministers, you will be advised (by e-mail) whether you have been shortlisted. Those shortlisted will be invited to an interview.

5. The Panel will meet again to interview candidates and determine who is appointable to the role. The Panel may invite you to make a brief presentation at the start of the interview and will go on to question you about your skills and experience, including asking specific questions to assess whether you meet the criteria set out for the post. The Panel will also explore with you any potential conflicts of interest or any other issues arising from your personal and professional history which may impact on an appointment decision.

6. Details of the panel’s assessment of interviewed candidates are provided to Ministers, including whether they have judged a candidate to be appointable to the role. It is then for Ministers to determine merit and decide who should be appointed. In some circumstances, Ministers may choose not to appoint any candidates and re-run the competition.

7. Ministers may choose to meet with candidates before deciding the outcome. Candidates should therefore be prepared for a short time gap between interview and a final appointment decision being made. Candidates who have been interviewed will be kept informed of progress.

8. Once the decision on the appointment has been made, interviewed candidates will be advised of the outcome of their application, including whom they may approach for feedback. Successful candidates will be issued with their Terms & Conditions and a letter of appointment should they agree to take up the position.

Further information about appointments, including tips on applying, can be found on our guidance pages on gov.uk.

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

Panel Chair:

Hannah Nixon - Single Source Regulations Office Chair

Representative of Organisation:

Tara Usher - Head of Enabling Organisation Sponsorship

Senior Independent Panel Member or Independent Panel Members:

Kate Ellis - Oil and Pipelines Agency Chair

Name of the other panel members:

Kevin Craven - CEO ADS Group

Advisory Assessment Panels (AAP) are chosen by ministers to assist them in their decision-making. These include a departmental official and an independent member. For competitions recruiting non-executive members of a board (apart from the Chair), the panel will usually include a representative from the public body concerned.

AAP’s perform a number of functions, including agreeing an assessment strategy with ministers, undertaking sifting, carrying out interviews in line with the advertised criteria and deciding objectively who meets the published selection criteria for the role before recommending to ministers which candidates they find appointable. It is then for the minister to decide who to appoint to the role.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for consideration the candidate will need to be a UK National.

Candidates are expected to inform the Minister for Defence Procurement if they intend to accept a prominent position in any political party and to understand that the appointment may be terminated if it is felt that the position is incompatible.

There are circumstances in which an individual may not be considered for appointment. If:

• You have received a prison sentence or suspended sentence of 3 months or more in the last 5 years;
• You are the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order, or a debt relief order or interim debt relief order under Schedule 4ZB to the Insolvency Act 1986;
• You are disqualified from acting as a company director under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986;
• You have been removed from trusteeship of a charity.

Security clearance

The successful candidate will be required to undertake Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks in line with the Civil Service guidelines. Additional Security Clearance may also be required for certain roles. However, where this applies, candidates will be notified during the appointment process. Further information on National Security Vetting can be found on the Gov.uk website here.

Additional information for candidates

Equality and diversity

We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and across the whole of the United Kingdom. Boards of public bodies are most effective when they reflect the diversity of views of the society they serve and this is an important part of the Government’s levelling up agenda.

We collect data about applicants’ characteristics and backgrounds, including information about people’s educational and professional backgrounds, so that we can make sure we are attracting a broad range of people to these roles and that our selection processes are fair for everyone. Without this information, it makes it difficult to see if our outreach is working, if the application process is having an unfair impact on certain groups and whether changes are making a positive difference.

When you submit your application, your responses are collected by the Cabinet Office and the government department(s) managing your application. The data is used to produce management information about the diversity of applicants. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be seen by the Advisory Assessment Panel who review applications against the advertised criteria and conduct interviews.

Disability confident

We are a member of the Government’s Disability Confident scheme. We use the Disability Confident scheme symbol, along with other like-minded employers, to show our commitment to good practice in employing people with a disability. The scheme helps recruit and retain disabled people. 

As part of implementing the scheme, we guarantee an interview for anyone with a disability whose application meets the essential criteria for the role, set out in the advert, and who has asked that their application is considered under the scheme. Indicating that you wish your application to be considered under the scheme will in no way prejudice your application. By ‘minimum criteria,’ we mean that you must provide evidence which demonstrates that you meet the level of competence required under each of the essential criteria, as set out in the job-advert.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to select if you would like your application considered under this scheme.

Reasonable adjustments

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to make sure applicants with disabilities, physical or mental health conditions, or other needs are not substantially disadvantaged when applying for public appointments. This can include changing the recruitment process to enable people who wish to apply to do so.

Some examples of common changes are:

• ensuring that application forms are available in different or accessible formats;
• making adaptations to interview locations;
• allowing candidates to present their skills and experience in a different way;
• giving additional detailed information on the selection / interview process in advance to allow candidates time to prepare themselves;
• allowing support workers, for example sign language interpreters;
• making provision for support animals to attend.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments to the application process.

Principles of public life

Holders of public office are expected to adhere to and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-7-principles-of-public-life/the-7-principles-of-public-life--2. These are:

1. SELFLESSNESS - Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family or their friends;
2. INTEGRITY - Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties;
3. OBJECTIVITY - In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit;
4. ACCOUNTABILITY - Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office;
5. OPENNESS - Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands;
6. HONESTY - Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest;
7. LEADERSHIP - Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

Code of conduct for board members

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. In support of this, all non-executive board members of UK public bodies must abide by the principles set out in the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. The Code sets out the standards expected from those who serve on the boards of UK public bodies and will form part of your terms and conditions of appointment.

Management of outside interests and consideration of reputational issues

If you have any interest that might be relevant to the work of the SSRO and which could lead to a real or perceived conflict of interest if you were to be appointed, please provide details in the Expression of Interest form.  (Annex B in this information pack should help you to evaluate whether you have a potential conflict.)  This includes other MOD Boards and Committees on which you are already appointed. If you have queries about this and would like to discuss further, please contact the SSRO.

Given the nature of public appointments, it is important that those appointed as members of public bodies maintain the confidence of Parliament and the public.  If there are any issues in your personal or professional history that could, if you were appointed, be misconstrued, cause embarrassment, or cause public confidence in the appointment to be jeopardised, it is important that you bring them to the attention of the AAP and provide details of the issue(s) in your application.  In considering whether you wish to declare any issues, you should also reflect on any public statements you have made, including through social media. 

As part of our due diligence checks we will consider anything in the public domain related to your conduct or professional capacity. This will include us undertaking searches of previous public statements and social media, blogs etc.  Any information found may be made available to the AAP who may wish to explore further with you should you be invited to an interview.  The information may also be shared with Ministers and the Cabinet Office.

Status of appointment

As this is an office holder appointment, you will not become a member of the Civil Service. You will not be subject to the provisions of employment law.

Appointment and tenure of office

Appointments are for the term set out in this advert, with the possibility of re-appointment for a further term, at the discretion of Ministers.  Any re-appointment is subject to satisfactory annual appraisals of performance during the first term in the post. There is no automatic presumption of reappointment; each case should be considered on its own merits, taking into account a number of factors including, but not restricted to, the diversity of the current board and its balance of skills and experience. In most cases, the total time served in post will not exceed more than two terms or serve in any one post for more than ten years

Remuneration, allowances and abatement

Remuneration for this role is treated as employment income and will be subject to tax and National Insurance contributions, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid.

You can claim reimbursement for reasonable travel and subsistence costs which are properly and necessarily incurred on official business, in line with the travel and subsistence policy and rates for the organisation to which you are applying. However these payments are taxable as earnings and will be subject to tax and national insurance, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid.

Pension and redundancy

This is an office holder appointment and does not attract any benefits under any Civil Service Pension Scheme. You will not be eligible for redundancy pay as you are not an employee. No other arrangements have been made for compensation upon the end of your term of appointment because an office holder who is appointed for a limited duration would have no expectation of serving beyond that period.

Application feedback

We will notify you of the status of your application. We regret that we are only able to offer detailed feedback to candidates who have been unsuccessful at the interview stage.

How to complain

We aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and to treat all applicants with courtesy.

Please contact the DBS public appointments team in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application at DBSCivPers-ResPublicAppts@mod.gov.uk. They will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and respond within 15 working days.

How to complain to Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA)

If you are not content with the appointing department’s response you may wish to further complain to the Commissioner at publicappointments@csc.gov.uk.Further information on how the Commissioner handles complaints can be found on the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ website https://publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk/regulating-appointments/investigating-complaints/

Data protection

The Cabinet Office will use your data in line with our privacy policy.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-defence-privacy-notice/mod-privacy-notice

Contact details

For additional information on this role please contact DBSCivPers-ResPublicAppts@mod.gov.uk