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Appointment details

Cabinet Office Non-Executive Board Members - Transformation and Change Management

Summary

• Organisation: Cabinet Office Departmental Board
• Sponsor department: Cabinet Office
• Location: London
• Sectors: Business and Trade
• Skills: Change Management, Technology / Digital, Transformation
• Number of vacancies: 2
• Time commitment: Adhoc
• Remuneration: £15,000 per annum
• Length of term: 3 years
• Application deadline: Midday on 4 November 2022

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   10 October 2022

2. Application deadline

   Midday on 4 November 2022

3. Sifting date

   25 November 2022

4. Interviews expected to end on

   19 January 2023

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction

The Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, is seeking to appoint two new Cabinet Office Non-Executive Board Members with particular knowledge or expertise in digital transformation, organisational design and or change management to help further shape the Board and its focus. 

Alongside sitting on the Departmental Board, you will have the chance to collaborate with both officials and ministers on programmes, priorities and reviews. 

It is a significant time to join the Cabinet Office as the department embarks on a major improvement programme to deliver better services to citizens. Over the next few years the Board must be able to offer credible, impartial advice, guidance and challenge to Ministers and Senior Officials alike as they seek to reform the department to meet the ever-changing demands of the 21st century.

Introduction from the Minister

Welcome from Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Lead Non-Executive Board Member, Anand Aithal 

Dear Candidate,

We are living in an extraordinary era, with unparalleled opportunities and unprecedented challenges. The Government is leading the country through this uncharted territory with an ambitious new agenda. But ambition is nothing without delivery, and the Cabinet Office sits right at the centre of turning long-term strategic objectives into tangible improvements in peoples’ lives.

We are a complex, multi-faceted department with a huge to-do list. We are currently driving a number of multi-year, cross-government transformation programmes. We recognise that sustaining a high-performance organisation requires continuous improvement in the way government organises its people, processes, technology and data. And we embrace the fact that we have much to learn from those who have driven sustained improvement in other organisations.

It is in this context that we are looking for exceptional leaders to join our Board. As a Non-Executive Board Member (NEBM), you will be a ‘critical friend’ to ministers and senior civil servants, drawing on your experiences to provide counsel and challenge on the effective management of the Cabinet Office. Ministers decide what the department is aiming to achieve. The Board scrutinises the ‘how’, working through the many considerations of complexity, trade-offs, capability, law, society and accountability. Away from the headlines of the day, the Board’s work is strategic, sometimes unglamourous, always apolitical and hugely rewarding for anyone who wants to make our country a better place.

We are looking for candidates with the full range of organisational leadership capabilities. You should be comfortable with scale and complexity. You will know when to take a strategic perspective and when to have a bias for action. You will be working with a dedicated, thoughtful and hardworking team of senior civil servants as well as a highly engaged ministerial team.

If you share our passion for improvement and want to make a difference through engaging at the heart of Government, then we hope you will consider joining the Cabinet Office Board. This is a significant role for our country.

Best wishes,

Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

Anand Aithal, Cabinet Office Lead Non-Executive Board Member    

Appointment description

These Non-Executive Board Member roles are varied and cover a range of issues and agendas. No month will look the same but general activities include:

Acting as a trusted sounding board to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Permanent Secretary, and other senior individuals as appropriate, on any specific agreed specialist areas including strategic clarity; commercial sense; talent/people; achieving results; and management information.

Providing mentorship, scrutiny, challenge and advice about the implications of policy, delivery and transformation proposals by:

• Reviewing the department’s business plans and challenging progress.
• Scrutinising reporting from the department on performance and challenging the department on its appropriateness as well as progress.
• Supporting and ensuring appropriate approval processes are followed, identifying and mitigating risks, and ensuring pragmatic governance is adhered to.
• Undertaking deep dives into departmental risks and material delivery challenges.

Being involved in the recruitment and appraisal of senior executives, and succession planning within the principles set out by the Civil Service Commission.

Attending occasional government-wide meetings for non-executives to share best practice and to ensure the department learns from the successes and failures of comparable organisations.

Organisation description

The Cabinet Office supports the Prime Minister and ensures the effective running of government. It is also the corporate headquarters for the government, in partnership with HM Treasury, taking the lead in certain critical policy areas.

We currently employ around 9,000 staff with our main offices in London and Glasgow, but we have staff based around the country. The Cabinet Office is supported by a number of advisory non-departmental bodies.

We have responsibility for:

• Supporting collective government, helping to ensure the effective development, coordination and implementation of policy
• Promoting efficiency and reform across government through innovation, better procurement and project management, and by transforming the delivery of services
• Supporting the National Security Council and the Joint Intelligence Organisation, coordinating the government’s response to crises and managing the UK’s cyber security
• Promoting the release of government data, and making the way government works more transparent
• Creating an exceptional Civil Service, improving its capability and effectiveness
• Political and constitutional reform

It is a significant time to join the Cabinet Office. 

After a busy few years dealing with issues such as Brexit and the Covid-19 response, now is the time for the Cabinet Office to refocus its operations to create world-class public services and deliver maximum value for taxpayers. To do this we must also reform how we work: the department is committed to moving a significant number of jobs out of London and the South-East, having established a second headquarters in Glasgow in 2020 and new offices in York and elsewhere around the UK.

The Cabinet Office recognises that its shift from a pure focus on policy coordination to taking on a wide range of operational responsibilities must be accompanied by a broadening of the skill sets within the department and a cultural shift in mindset towards strategy, execution and risk. It is this recognition that has shaped the search for additional Non-Executive Board Members.

Board composition

The Cabinet Office Board provides the collective strategic and operational leadership of the department, bringing together Cabinet Office Ministers, senior members of the department’s Executive leadership team with senior Non-Executive Board Members from outside government.

• The Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Chair)

• Edward Argar  MP, Minister for Cabinet Office and Paymaster General

• The Rt Hon Jake Berry MP, Minister of State (Minister without Portfolio)

• Brendan Clarke-Smith MP, Parliamentary Secretary

• Baroness Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG, Minister of State

• Katherine Fletcher MP, Parliamentary Secretary (Minister for Women)

• Alex Chisholm, Chief Operating Officer for the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary (Cabinet Office)

• Sarah Harrison, Chief Operating Officer

• Sue Gray, Permanent Secretary - Union and Constitution Group

• Richard Hornby, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Assurance, Finance and Controls, Cabinet Office

• Anand Aithal, Lead Non-Executive Board Member

• Mike Ashley, Non-Executive Board Member

• Henry De Zoete, Non-Executive Board Member

• Lord Hogan-Howe, Non-Executive Board Member

• Michael Jary, Government Lead Non-Executive

For more information on departmental boards and government Non-Executive Board Members please see Government Non-Executives 

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

• Experience of leading high-profile and complex public or private sector organisations during periods of change, along with main board level experience as an executive or a non-executive.
• The ability to think strategically about the issues faced by the government and the ability to take a pragmatic approach to resolve complex issues.
• The desire and ability to successfully communicate, build relationships, mentor, provide valuable challenge, and foster relationships with a wide range of groups including Board members, Ministers and senior government officials.
• Sound judgement, integrity (including when dealing with confidential or sensitive issues), and commitment to the seven principles of public life: Selflessness; Integrity; Objectivity; Accountability; Openness; Honesty; Leadership.
• A deep personal commitment to the values of equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Particular knowledge or experience in organisational redesign, change management and digital transformation.
• Experience of driving performance improvement at ExCo level.

Application and selection process

How to apply

The preferred method of application is online.

Please follow links to the Recruitment Pack and Diversity Monitoring Form.

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, directorships, membership of professional bodies and details of any relevant publications or awards;

2. A supporting statement setting out how you meet the criteria for appointment, as set out in the person specification for the role;

3. Information relating to any outside interests or reputational issues;

4. 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;

5. Disability Confident – please state if you want to be considered for the disability confident scheme;

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

Please provide the information at points 3-6 above on the relevant form, or as part of your supporting statement.

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)

Panel Members:

- Panel Chair, Departmental Official: Alex Chisholm, Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office

- Representative of Organisation: Anand Aithal, Lead Non-Executive Board Member

- Independent Member: Kate Lampard, Non-Executive Director, DHSC

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)

The Cabinet Office has appointed Korn Ferry to assist with this recruitment exercise. For a further conversation about the roles, please contact William Grice on william.grice@kornferry.com

Security clearance

The successful candidates will be required to have or to obtain security clearance to Security Check (SC) level. Pre appointment checks will also be undertaken on immigration and criminal convictions. The role will be offered on a conditional basis until the successful candidate has passed all checks. 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

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 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 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 slgsecretariat@cabinetoffice.gov.uk  in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application. A member of the team 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.

Contact details

The Cabinet Office has appointed Korn Ferry to assist with this recruitment exercise. 

For a further conversation about the roles, please contact William Grice on william.grice@kornferry.com