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Appointment details

Audit & Risk Committee Chair, Active Travel England

Summary

• Organisation: Active Travel England
• Sponsor department: Department for Transport
• Location: Yorkshire and the Humber
• Sectors: Finance and Audit
• Skills: Accountancy, Audit and Risk
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 20 day(s) per annum
• Remuneration: £400 per day
• Length of term: 4 years
• Application deadline: 11:59pm on 9 May 2023

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   11 April 2023

2. Application deadline

   11:59pm on 9 May 2023

3. Sifting date

   19 May 2023

4. Interviews expected to end on

   12 June 2023

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction from the Minister

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in the position of Audit and Risk Committee Chair on the Board of Active Travel England.

ATE will deliver on the Government’s vision for half of all journeys in towns and cities in England to be walked or cycled by 2030. This is a vital part of the Department’s work to level up and grow the economy, improve transport for the user and reduce environmental impacts. The over-arching objectives of ATE are to:

• raise design standards and hold local authorities to account for the infrastructure they design, build and maintain.

• be a repository of expert advice on how cycling and walking provision can be improved, including through the planning system.

• increase skills and capacity in local authorities, promoting best practice and enabling authorities to learn from each other.

You can find out more about the Government’s strategy for active travel, Gear Change, here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/904146/gear-change-a-bold-vision-for-cycling-and-walking.pdf 

We strongly welcome applications from all backgrounds. As part of the Department’s commitment to diversity, we believe our public appointments should reflect our customers - the travelling public – who come from all walks of life and have different experiences. We very much welcome fresh talent, expertise, and perspectives, to help us better understand the needs of the communities we serve and support better decision making for all. This includes people who may have never applied for a public appointment – but could bring new ideas, insights and energy.

If you are interested in the role and work of Active Travel England, I would like to encourage you to apply.

Our dedicated DfT Public Appointments Team would be happy to talk through the process and answer your questions.

Rt Hon Mark Harper MP

Secretary of State for Transport

Appointment description

The Active Travel England (ATE) Board is responsible for: 

· Bringing external challenge and support to ensure that ATE can deliver its strategic objectives within the policy and resources framework determined by the Secretary of State.   

· Advising, supporting and challenging ATE’s executive leadership team in developing and delivering the corporate plan. 

· Promoting effective leadership of ATE within a framework of prudent and effective controls to ensure risk is appropriately assessed and managed.  

· Ensuring the financial and HR resourcing plans and ongoing management of these are sufficient to achieve ATE’s strategic objectives  

· Ensuring the board is aware of any wider issues which are likely to impact on the strategic direction of ATE or on the attainability of its targets.    

· Ensuring compliance with statutory or administrative controls and that management operates within the limits of its statutory authority and any delegated authority agreed with the sponsor department, and in accordance with any other conditions relating to the use of public funds.  

· Supporting the development and monitoring of appropriate key performance indicators. 

· Demonstrating high standards of corporate governance at all times, including by using the independent audit committee to help the Board to address key financial and other risks.  

The Audit and Risk Committee will advise the Board and Accounting Officer on: 

· Providing a challenge to and seeking assurance from the three lines of defence that contribute to ATE’s risk management and control environment.

· the strategic processes for risk, control and governance and the Governance Statement, advising on best practise governance arrangements.

· the accounting policies, the accounts, and the annual report of the organisation, including the process for review of the accounts prior to submission for audit, levels of error identified, and management’s letter of representation to the external auditors.

· the planned activity and results of both internal and external audit alongside the output of periodic reviews of key risk areas.

· adequacy of management response to issues identified by audit activity, including external audit’s management letter. 

· assurances relating to the risk management framework, through targeting those areas it considers the greatest risk and scrutinising management decision making processes.

· counter-fraud policies, whistle-blowing processes, and arrangements for special investigations; and 

· periodically reviewing its own effectiveness and report the results of that review to the Board.

Organisation description

Active Travel England has responsibility for delivering the Government’s ambitious vision for half of all journeys in England’s towns and cities to be walked or cycled by 2030 and ensuring walking and cycling provision is at the heart of local plan making and decision taking. There has never been a more exciting or important time to be working in active travel. ATE has been created as a new executive agency to the Department for Transport in order to lead this high-profile agenda. As an executive agency, ATE is overseen by a Board with Non-Executive Directors, chaired by the National Active Travel Commissioner. 

The key functions for ATE are to: 

· lead delivery of the government’s strategy to significantly increase active travel. 

· administer the cycling and walking budget.  

· review major planning applications as a statutory consultee in the planning system. 

· approve scheme designs – ATE will not fund or part fund any scheme that does not meet the standards set out in the new cycling design guidance. 

· inspect completed schemes to ensure standards have been met and where necessary seek to claw back Active Travel funding received. 

· inspect highways authorities – ATE’s assessment of a local authority’s performance on cycling and walking will be taken into account when considering funding allocations for local highways investment.  

· promote best practice, advise local authorities, train staff and contractors and enable local authorities to learn from each other. 

Person specification

Essential criteria

· Experience of working with or chairing Audit and Risk Committees and an understanding of their role and value to an organisation,

· An excellent understanding of audit and risk issues in complex organisations.

· The ability to chair meetings involving multiple stakeholders.

· Excellent communication skills.

With respect to their wider responsibilities as a Non-Executive Director, candidates will be expected to demonstrate:

· A proven ability to constructively challenge senior officials and scrutinise their work.

· A track record of success in their given field.

· Experience of operating at Board level and understanding the principles of effective governance.

· Experience of leading transformational or system change.

· Strong personal commitment to the vision and mission set out in Gear Change and to ATE’s values.

Desirable criteria

• Understanding or experience of transport capital project delivery.

• Experience of engaging with local government

• A recent and relevant experience of corporate financial matters, preferably including a qualification from a professional accounting body.

Application and selection process

How to apply

In order to apply you will need to create an account or sign in.

Once you are logged into your account, click on 'apply for this role' and follow the on-screen instructions. To apply, all candidates are required to provide:

• a Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• a supporting statement
• equality information
• information relating to any outside interests or reputational issues

We will ask you to check and confirm your personal details to ensure your application is accurate.

You will also have the opportunity to make a reasonable adjustment request or apply under the disability confident scheme before you submit your application.

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 principles of 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)

The selection panel for this appointment competition is: Chris Boardman (National Active Travel Commissioner); Rupert Furness (Deputy Director for Active Travel, DfT); Louise Wilkinson (Chief Operating Officer, Active Travel England); and Daisy Narayanan (Head of Placemaking and Mobility, Edinburgh City Council).

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  [ADD CONTACT DETAILS]

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

Data protection

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

Contact details

If you have any queries about this role, please contact the DfT Public Appointments Team at DfTPublicAppointments@dft.gov.uk.