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Role details

Met Office, Remuneration Committee Chair and Non-Executive Director (URN 598)

Application deadline 7 November 2022

Summary

Organisation
Met Office
Sponsor department
Department for Science, Innovation & Technology
Location
South West
Sectors
Professional, Scientific and Technical
Skills
Business, Change Management, Commercial, Transformation
Number of vacancies
1
Time commitment
27 day(s) per annum
Remuneration
£15000 per annum
Length of term
3 years
Application deadline
11pm on 7 November 2022

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Timeline for this appointment

  1. Opening date

    27 September 2022

  2. Application deadline

    11pm on 7 November 2022

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the role

Introduction

The Met Office is the UK’s National Meteorological Service and an internationally renowned centre for weather and climate services and science.It is at the forefront of research and innovation, having provided world-leading weather forecasting services for more than 150 years and cutting-edge climate science and services for over three decades. It is currently building a ground-breaking new supercomputing platform, in partnership with Microsoft, in order to continue to develop the accuracy and impact of the services it delivers. Its well-known public services are a part of everyday life for the British people, but it also provides a range of vital services to many parts of HM Government, including to the UK’s Armed Forces in the conduct of their international operations. The Met Office’s research supports the UK’s work on climate change, in particular through its significant contribution to the UN IPCC and its support for the Government at COP26 in Glasgow. The Met Office also plays an important role in the wider economy providing accurate forecasts to industry, supporting the transport, leisure, utilities and retail sectors, to name but a few.These diverse services lie at the organisation’s heart, driving its purpose working at the forefront of weather and climate science for protection, prosperity and well-being, helping people stay safe and thrive.

Introduction from the Chair

The Met Office Board has a vital role in advising and supporting the Chief Executive and the Executive Team to deliver the organisation’s strategic priorities and ensuring that resources are allocated effectively for their delivery.The Board reviews the management and performance of the Met Office and ensures high standards of corporate governance are maintained.
I joined as Non-Executive Chair in mid-2018 with a mandate to take forward the strategic development of the Met Office and ensure the Board provided robust governance for the next steps in the Met Office’s development. Penny Endersby joined as Chief Executive in late 2019 and together we have launched a new strategy and restructured the executive team to support our strategic objectives.
We have secured c. £1bn of funding to build our new supercomputer and the operational platform which will support the delivery of significant socio-economic benefits for the country. The new supercomputer will be one of the most powerful in the world and will help enhance the Met Office’s position as a world-leading centre of research and innovation in both weather and climate science. This is a tremendous opportunity to be involved in a leading and exceptionally talented and visionary organisation. I hope you will consider applying to join us.
We particularly welcome applicants from a diverse set of backgrounds. I trust you will find the information in this job pack of interest and look forward to receiving your application.
Rob Woodward, Chair

Role description

The Non-Executive Director (NED) role has responsibility for:

• Providing effective contributions to the Met Office Board to help develop sound strategic direction for the Met Office.

• Chairing the Remuneration Committee to provide appropriate incentive to the Executive Team and hold them to account in delivering the Met Office’s performance.

• Providing challenge to the Executive Team in setting the strategic direction of the organisation, including advising on organisational targets and priorities.This will include holding the Executive Team to account for delivering the Met Office’s Corporate Plan, implementing the new supercomputer programme, and transforming the organisation to deliver the socio-economic benefits that flow from the programme.

• Working in partnership with the Chief Executive and other Board members as an ambassador and representative of the Met Office.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Lead Criteria 1: A strong track record in a senior leadership position of delivering strategic transformation and achieving objectives in a public or private sector organisation.

• Lead Criteria 2: Experience of leading and implementing effective people and talent management strategies, coupled with experience of incentivisation and remuneration for senior management teams.[This experience should be as a senior leader, not necessarily as a people expert, and would benefit from experience of public sector pay and processes].

• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to communicate complex issues clearly, coupled with the ability to exercise judgement across a broad spectrum or policy and management issues.

• The ability to challenge performance and support and encourage a culture of organisational and behavioural change.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to interact with a wide variety of stakeholders.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of operating in a senior leadership position in a technology and/or research and innovation driven organisation with experience of delivering change and managing risks around this.

• Ability to influence networks at a senior level in Government or the commercial world to the benefit of the Met Office, opening opportunities for new partnerships and collaboration.

• Management experience and knowledge of effective governance at a senior level in complex organisations in the private, public or voluntary sectors.

• Experience of managing relations, developing partnerships or conducting business with international or multinational governments, NGOs or commercial organisations.

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, 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. Complete this form. Under section 14 of the Diversity form – Please provide a summary of your career history, setting out your current or most recent role(s); relevant previous roles; and any board appointments (if applicable). Please do not use acronyms and limit your response to approximately 250 words. This section is not assessed however the information here will be used when creating a biography list which will be reviewed throughout the process.

  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.
Completed applications should be submitted to publicappointments@beis.gov.uk with URN598 - Met Office in the subject heading. 

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)

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  beis.partnershipsteam@beis.gov.uk

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

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 the public appointments team in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application at publicappointments@beis.gov.uk. 
They will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and respond within 15 working days.

Data protection

The Department for Business, Energy, Industrial and Strategy will use your data in line with our privacy policy.

Contact details

Please email - publicappointments@beis.gov.uk if you have any enquiries on this campaign. 

Attachments