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Appointment details

Commissioner - The Crown Estate Commissioner

Summary

• Organisation: Crown Estate Commissioners
• Sponsor department: HM Treasury
• Location: London
• Sectors: Business and Trade
• Skills: Business, Commercial
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 20 day(s) per annum
• Remuneration: £20000 per annum
• Length of term: 4 Years
• Application deadline: 11:59pm on 16 October 2023

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   4 September 2023

2. Application deadline

   11:59pm on 16 October 2023

3. Sifting date

   2 November 2023

4. Interviews expected to end on

   16 January 2024

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction

The Crown Estate is a unique business which has served the nation for more than 260 years. We are responsible for a diverse portfolio which encompasses some of the most remarkable places and spaces across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

As active owners and managers of land and seabed, we seek to leverage our scale and convening power to make a meaningful difference. This mandate is captured through our purpose, ‘to create lasting and shared prosperity for the nation.’ 

Our purpose is guiding our ambitious new strategy and drives everything we do - uniting us as one business. Our purpose is our ‘north star’, defining our role, the outcomes we want to create and who we want to benefit. 

Established by the Crown Estate Act of 1961 as an independent commercial business, over the past ten years we have generated more than £3.2 billion for the benefit of the nation’s finances.

Introduction from the Chair

Thank for you for your interest in a Non-Executive Board Commissioner position at The Crown Estate. Dating back more than 260 years, we are a unique business with a diverse portfolio valued at over £15.8 billion.

The Crown Estate operates with a unique constitution, managing assets on behalf of the Crown, under an independent commercial mandate with accountability to the Treasury.

In London, we are one of the West End’s largest property owners with our real estate portfolio extending to 10 million sq ft across the workplace, retail, dining, leisure and residential sectors. Regionally, we have a broad range of assets including retail and leisure destinations, as well as industrial and business parks. We also have a strategic land portfolio with significant development and regeneration potential.

As the Manager of the seabed around England, Wales and Northern Ireland, we play a key role in enabling the UK’s offshore wind industry and sustainable development of the seabed.

If you have the skills and experience we are looking for and are motivated to help The Crown Estate Board and leadership team to continue to develop and grow our business for the benefit of future generations, then I look forward to hearing from you and wish you every success with your application.

Appointment description

To support the realisation of our goals we would like to find an exceptional individual with experience of establishing, operating or overseeing assets at scale. The nature of these assets could be property, infrastructure or other categories of fixed assets created as part of a system of value creation. 

Demonstration of an innovative approach to such value creation would be particularly relevant with the candidate having the vision to help us realise our ambitions across all portfolios.

This experience could have been gained in an operational, ownership or investment role. Experience of sustainable development or stewardship will be important. Along with this, we are looking for an enhanced understanding of the application of digital initiatives to business and a track record of delivering growth at pace whilst building exceptional customer and consumer experiences, enabling the appointee to bring insight and challenge to the Board’s discussion in these areas.

Organisation description

Strategic oversight of the business is provided by The Crown Estate Board, with management delegated to the Chief Executive and the Group Leadership team.

The Group Leadership team structure comprises the Chief Executive, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Digital Officer, Managing Directors for the London, Regional, Marine and Windsor & Rural portfolios, Executive Director Purpose, Sustainability & Stakeholder and Executive Directors for Operations, People & Culture and Strategy, Research & Innovation.

We have been working with the Treasury to update our targets to more accurately reflect the underlying performance of our business. Our targets are now focused on revenue, capital and, for the first time, sustainability.

The Crown Estate cannot borrow funds. This means that our investment comes from selling assets, long-term strategic partnerships and a percentage of gross revenue retained for this purpose (known as the statutory transfer). 

More detailed information about The Crown Estate, its strategy, business model and activities, including financial results for the year ending 31 March 2023 are available online at: thecrownestate.co.uk/annual-report-2023.

For full bibliographical details of our Board including skills and experience visit: thecrownestate.co.uk/our-leadership/

Board composition

The Board

The constitution of The Crown Estate and the make-up of the Board is governed by statute – the Crown Estate Act 1961. 

It is a relatively small Board of up to eight Commissioners, including the Chairman, and one Executive Commissioner (the CEO). 

Executive Board member

Dan Labbad

Chief Executive, Accounting Officer, Executive Board Member and Second Commissioner. 

Dan was appointed as Chief Executive on 9 December 2019 and to the Board on 1 January 2020.

Non-Executive Board members

Sir Robin Budenberg CBE

Chairman, Independent Non-Executive Board Member and First Commissioner (took up the post of Chairman of The Crown Estate on 1 August 2016 and was reappointed on 1 August 2020).

Vijay Bharadia

Independent Non-Executive Board Member (appointed to the Board on 1 April 2023).

James Darkins

Independent Non-Executive Board Member (appointed to the Board on 1 January 2016 and reappointed on 1 January 2020).

Juliet Davenport OBE

Independent Non-Executive Board Member (appointed to the Board 1 September 2020).

Dame Karen Jones DBE

Independent Non-Executive Board Member and Senior Independent Board Member (appointed to the Board on 1 January 2020 and as Senior Independent Board Member on 9 June 2020).

Anne Kavanagh

Independent Non-Executive Board Member (appointed to the Board on 4 July 2022).

Clare Shine

Independent Non-Executive Board Member (appointed to the Board on 4 July 2022).

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

• A background in successful value creation across a broad-based commercial asset portfolio;
• Evidence of applying systems thinking to inform and accelerate the delivery of social, commercial and financial value at scale and pace;
• Ability to connect with and promote the Purpose and Values of The Crown Estate;
• Commercial and business acumen with an associated financial perspective that will make a real contribution to the Board’s business across a range of strategic and operational areas;
• Excellent interpersonal and strategic stakeholder management skills coupled with the ability to work effectively as part of a high performing and talented team.

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of current and upcoming initiatives in environmentally sustainable development towards a Net Zero future;
• Application of digital innovation in asset development and operation;
• Experience of anticipating, interpreting and responding to customer requirements in a large business.

Application and selection process

How to apply

In order to apply you will need to provide:

1. A  Curriculum Vitae which provides your contact details, details of your education and qualifications, employment history, and skills and experience;
2. A covering letter in which you succinctly address how your skills meet the requirements of the role
3. Names of at least two referees who may be contacted at short list stage, i.e. before final interview
4. Confirmation from you that you are happy for Korn Ferry or its client to undertake any necessary background checks, including career, credit and qualifications, or similar at the appropriate stage in the process. No checks will be undertaken without your prior knowledge. [As part of the recruitment process, due diligence reviews will be undertaken, this will include the review of social media that will be taken on candidates as they progress through the appointment process].
5. Diversity monitoring information. This allows us to see if there are any unfair barriers to becoming a public appointee and whether there are any changes that we could make to encourage a more diverse field to apply. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be used as part of the selection process and will not be seen by the interview panel;
6. Disability Confident – please state if you want to be considered for the disability confident scheme;

1. Reasonable adjustments - requests for reasonable adjustments that you would like to the application process (if applicable);

To apply for this role please include the role title and mark CEO1 and send applications to:

By email:

thecrownestate@kornferry.com

By post:

Korn Ferry

Ryder Court,

14 Ryder Street,

London

SW1Y 6QB

Deadline

To be received no later than 11:59pm on Monday 16 October 2023.

The Advisory Assessment Panel reserves the right to only consider applications that contain all of the elements listed above, and that arrive before the published deadline for applications.

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)

Sir Robin Budenberg CBE - Chair of The Crown Estate

Panel Chair

David Fairbrother - Treasury Officer of Accounts, HMT

Departmental Member 

Fleur Meijs - Non Executive Director of Invesco Asia Trust plc

Independent Panel Member

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

In general, you should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment.

There are a small number of specialist roles that are not open to non-British citizens. Any nationality requirements will be specified in the vacancy details.

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. 

You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:

• you are disqualified from acting as a company director  (under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986);

• have an unspent conviction on your criminal record;

• your estate has been sequestrated in Scotland or you enter into a debt arrangement programme under Part 1 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17) as the debtor or have, under Scots law, granted a trust deed for creditors.

When you apply, you should declare if:

• you are, or have been, bankrupt or you have made an arrangement with a creditor at any point, including the dates of this. 

• you are subject to a current police investigation.

You must inform the sponsor department if, during the application process, your circumstances change in respect of any of the above points. 

When you apply you should also declare any relevant interests, highlighting any that you think may call into question your ability to properly discharge the responsibilities of the role you are applying for. You should also declare any other matters which may mean you may not be able to meet the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Board Members (see Outside interests and reputational issues section below)

If you need further advice, please contact: thecrownestate@kornferry.com

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. These are:

1. Selflessness - Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
2. Integrity - Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
3. Objectivity - Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
4. Accountability - Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
5. Openness - Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
6. Honesty - Holders of public office should be truthful.
7. Leadership - Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

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

Holders of public office are expected to adhere and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life and the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Before you apply you should consider carefully: 

• any outside interests that you may have, such as shares you may hold in a company providing services to government; 
• any possible reputational issues arising from your past actions or public statements that you have made; 
• and/or - any political roles you hold or political campaigns you have supported; 

which may call into question your ability to do the role you are applying for.

You will need to answer relevant questions in relation to these points when making an application. Many conflicts of interest can be satisfactorily resolved and declaring a potential conflict does not prevent you from being interviewed. If you are shortlisted for an interview, the panel will discuss any potential conflicts with you during that interview, including any proposals you may have to mitigate them and record that in their advice to ministers. Alongside your own declaration, we will conduct appropriate checks, as part of which we will consider anything in the public domain related to your conduct or professional capacity. This may include searches of previous public statements and social media, blogs or any other publicly available information. The successful candidate(s) may be required to give up any conflicting interests and their other business and financial interests may be published in line with organisational policies. 

Details of declared political activity will be published when the appointment is announced, as required by the Governance Code (political activity is not a bar to appointment, but must be declared).

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 costs which are properly and necessarily incurred on official business, in line with the travel 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 Korn Ferry - thecrownestate@kornferry.com public appointments team in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application.. 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.

HM Treasury's privacy notice is attached below. 

Contact details

For more details please contact thecrownestate@Kornferry.com