Architects Registration Board (ARB) - x 10 Members
- Body
- Architects Registration Board
- Appointing Department
- Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities
- Sectors
- Charity & Public Sector, Regulation
- Location
- London
- Skills required
- Audit and Risk, Regulation
- Number of Vacancies
- 10
- Remuneration
- £375 per day
- Time Requirements
- 20 days per year, dependent on membership of Board committees
Campaign Timeline
-
Competition Launched
10/09/2018
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Closed for Applications
30/09/2018
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Panel Sift
6 & 9 November 2018
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Final Interview Date
12/12/2018
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Announcement
07/03/2019 at 12:00
Announcement
An announcement has been made on the outcome of this appointment.
On 28 February 2019, the Lords of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council appointed 10 Members to the Architects Registration Board in accordance with the following recommendations by the Housing Minster, Kit Malthouse MP: Will Freeman, Elena Marco, John Beckerleg and Liz Male have been appointed for four years from 1 March 2019 to 28 February 2023; Stephen McCusker, Mark Bottomley, and Tony Crook have been appointed for three years from 1 March 2019 to 28 February 2022; Derek Bray has been appointed for two years from 1 March 2019 to 28 February 2021; and Richard Parnaby and Suzanne McCarthy have been appointed for 13 Months from 1 March 2019 to 31 March 2020.
Date: 07/03/2019
Assessment Panel
- Panel Member
- Louise Morgan
- Added
- 08/10/2018
- Panel Role
- Panel Chair
- Positions
- Director, Land and Housing Delivery, MHCLG Departmental Official
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- Panel Member
- Andrew Pattison
- Added
- 07/09/2018
- Positions
- Director of Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, MHCLG Departmental Official
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- Panel Member
- Sandra Fryer
- Added
- 07/09/2018
- Positions
- Board Member, Ebbsfleet Development Corporation Independent Member
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Vacancy Description
Introduction
The Housing Minister on behalf of the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is seeking to appoint 10 non-executive Board Members to the Architects Registration Board (ARB).
Those who serve on the boards of public bodies play a vital role in the life of this country, whether by improving the delivery of public services or providing independent advice to Government. Many people from a wide range of backgrounds across the whole of the UK participate in public life by being members of the boards of public bodies. They are involved in making decisions that develop, shape or deliver government policy and public services.
This information pack sets out the requirements for the Board Member’s position along with information on the work of the Architects Registration Board and the appointment process.
About the Architects Registration Board (ARB)
ARB was established in 1997 by the Architects Act and regulates over 40,000 architects. The Act defines the ARB’s role, the primary features of which are:
- Prescribing – or ‘recognising’ – the qualifications needed to become an architect
- Keeping the UK Register of Architects
- Ensuring that architects meet our standards for conduct and practice
- Investigating complaints about an architect’s conduct or competence
- Making sure that only people on our Register offer their services as an architect.
- Acting as the UK’s Competent Authority for architects
The Board has developed a Purpose & Objectives document that informs its approach to ARB’s work and sets the strategy for ARB. It identifies ARB’s primary purpose as delivering the 1997 Architects Act, and from that Act, two key objectives have been formulated to underpin all of ARB’s work. These are:
- Protect the users and potential users of architects’ services
- Support architects through regulation
ARB employs 25 staff, led by a Registrar and Chief Executive, who is also ARB’s Accounting Officer, and has an annual budget of circa £4 million. ARB is based in London.
The ARB Board
In 2017, the MHCLG completed its Periodic Review of the regulation of architects and the role of the Architects Registration Board. Amongst other things, the Review concluded that the constitution of the Board should be changed, reduced in size and consist of an independent Chair and ten independent non-executive members appointed by the Secretary of State for the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government. The aim is to appoint the Chair of the Board and a new Board in its entirety by early January 2019.
The new Board will need to include members with as diverse a range of experience and skills as possible, including those with expertise in the built environment and construction industry from across the sector, and/or consumer protection. Expertise in finance and risk will be required to support the Board’s Audit Committee and expertise in higher education quality assurance will be required to support the Board’s Prescription Committee.
The Board’s powers are derived from the 1997 Architects Act and its work is governed by the General Rules. As well as the powers to make rules and establish committees, the Board is responsible for:
- providing leadership and direction to ARB
- agreeing its strategy and setting cost-effective plans to implement that strategy
- ensuring that appropriate schemes for delegating and reporting procedures are in place
- reviewing its own performance and effectiveness
- accounting for its actions in appropriate ways, as required by law and good practice
The Board currently has several committees which support its work which are as follows:
The Investigations Oversight Committee (IOC) This Committee is one established by the Board to oversee ARB’s investigations into architects’ conduct and competence. It has no role in individual cases, but can assess performance of the investigation process and advise the Board of any issues arising out investigations.
Audit Committee The Board appoints an Audit Committee to assist the Board with its oversight functions. It will review the financial reporting process, the system of internal control and management of risks, the audit process and ARB’s process for compliance with laws and regulations. The MHCLG regularly send an observer to the meetings of the Audit Committee.
Prescription Committee This Committee’s main role is to oversee the procedures for prescribing UK qualifications that lead to entry on to the Register of Architects. The Committee reviews applications for prescription, annual monitoring submissions, and ensures that the Board receives sufficiently clear material to enable it to make decisions in relation to the prescription of UK qualifications. This Committee also oversees matters relating to the prescribed examination, the work of the Competency Standards Group and the maintenance of competence. The Committee may draw on expert advice from one of its pool of independent advisers from time to time.
Remuneration Committee The Board appoints a Remuneration Committee to ensure that the remuneration and reward package offered to staff, Board members and advisers is kept under review, and amended where appropriate. The Committee receives a staffing and resources report from the Registrar at each meeting.
Whilst ARB is an independent statutory regulator, the MHCLG is ARB’s sponsoring Government Department. ARB and the MHCLG have drawn up a Framework Agreement which sets out the relationship between the two organisations and responsibilities of each in this context.
The outcomes of the recent Periodic Review, the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety (the Hackitt Review) and the changing policy environment provide candidates with passion and commitment with a challenging but exciting opportunity to help lead and support the Architects Registration Board through a significant period of change including:
– delivering any changes which result from the UK leaving the European Union – responding to the Hackitt Report’s recommendations regarding the competence of architects – supporting the newly constituted Board; and – setting the future strategy for the organisation.
ARB Board Members – Job Description Board members have a responsibility to: • contribute to the Board’s overall strategic direction in line with its statutory objectives and functions; • establish and build effective and constructive working relationships with the Executive, as they are held to account for delivering agreed strategic objectives; • support the Executive, whilst respecting the boundaries which exist between the roles; • contribute to the Board’s decision making process , taking proper account of the Architects Act 1997, ARB’s governance requirements, as well as any relevant guidance provided by the responsible government department; • contribute to ensuring that the Board operates and exercises its functions in accordance with the highest standards of conduct and probity, and established good practice in decision making and that this is appropriately and effectively reviewed deliver high standards of regularity and propriety; • model the values and inclusive culture of the ARB; • maintain regular contact with the Chair and develop and maintain open and supportive relationships with them; • contribute to ensuring that the work of the Board and its members is reviewed and is working effectively; • abide by the Code of Practice for Board members which is consistent with the Cabinet Office Model Code; and • participate in appropriate reviews of their performance, relevant training and development and in the development of their own objectives.
Person Specification
- Person Specification
Essential Criteria: 1. A proven understanding and experience of supporting confidence in public services and a commitment to consumer protection 2. Experience of contributing to an organisation operating in a political/legislative environment 3. The ability to work effectively with the Executive to challenge, support and hold the Executive to account for the delivery of the organisation’s strategic aims and objectives 4. The ability to contribute constructively to collective decision-making processes, respecting and listening to others and earning the respect of colleagues; and 5. A strong commitment to good governance, and of upholding the recognised principles of public life, and a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion 6. For the five architect vacancies, applicants must be registered on the ARB Register. Ideally, they should also be engaged in active practice, the teaching or management of, or research in, architecture
Additionally, we require the following in order to support two of the Board’s current committees:
- Audit Committee
1. Board/senior level financial expertise, an understanding of good risk management and ideally experience of the work of an Audit and Risk Assurance Committee
- Prescription Committee
1. Experience of higher education quality assurance processes
Desirable Criteria: 1. Non-executive director experience and/or experience of chairing a committee 2. Experience of working in a regulatory environment
Additional Information
More information about ARB and its role can be found at www.arb.org.uk. ARB will be running information sessions for prospective candidates on the evenings of 26 and 27 September 2018. For more information about the information evenings or for additional queries about the ARB and its role, please contact Emma Matthews at emmam@arb.org.uk
How to Apply
- Application Process
All candidates are required to complete and submit the following: Curriculum Vitae- (incl. education and professional qualifications and full employment history. Max. 3 pages). Covering letter- explaining how you meet both the essential and desirable criteria for the role (max. 3 pages). It is vital that you provide evidence through worked examples to demonstrate that you meet each required criteria. Diversity (Equal Opportunities) Monitoring Questionnaire – Annex A Guaranteed interview scheme form – Annex B (if applicable) Conflict of Interest form – Annex C Other Relevant Information Declaration Form – Annex D List of referees – Annex E (The referees will be approached only if you are shortlisted for interview) Publicity survey – Annex F (Please indicate how you heard about this post).
Please note that the above information and completed forms are required for each application. We cannot accept information and forms submitted with previous applications because your circumstances may have changed in the meantime and some of this information will be specific to the post being applied for – see the ‘Further Information’ section below for further details. Please also note that the initial assessment of your suitability against the role criteria will be made only from the evidence you set out in your covering letter and CV.
Your completed application should be returned to the MHCLG Public Appointments Team, preferably in Microsoft Word, by email to publicappointments@communities.gsi.gov.uk by 11.59pm on Sunday 30 September 2018. Please include the reference ‘ARB Board Member’ in the title of your email. We would prefer electronic applications but will accept hard copies by post to the Public Appointments Team, Finance, Performance and ALB Governance, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 1st Floor NE, Fry Building, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF.