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Appointment details

Department for Business and Trade Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC) finance expert

Summary

• Organisation: Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (DBT)
• Sponsor department: Department for Business and Trade
• Location: London
• Sectors: Finance and Audit
• Skills: Accountancy, Audit and Risk, International Experience
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 15 day(s) per annum
• Remuneration: £5,000 per annum
• Length of term: 3 years
• Application deadline: 11:55pm on 31 August 2023

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   17 August 2023

2. Application deadline

   11:55pm on 31 August 2023

3. Sifting date

   6 September 2023

4. Interviews expected to end on

   15 September 2023

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is offering a rewarding opportunity for an experienced finance expert to join its Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC). 

This is an exciting time to join DBT which was set up as a ministerial department in February 2023 bringing together the work of the former Department for International Trade and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. 

DBT is focused on economic growth. DBT supports UK businesses to invest, grow and export, promoting investment and championing free trade. The department brings together the UK’s business expertise and trade negotiators under the vision of making the UK the best place to start and grow a business – driving growth, increasing jobs and raising wages and living standards. DBT aims to amplify engagement between business and government and strengthen the UK’s offer to international investors. The ARAC supports DBT’s vital work and importance to the economy by providing constructive challenge, oversight and assurance. 

The time commitment for the role is approximately 12-15 days per annum, including at least 5 ARAC meetings per annum. All meetings are held in London or carried out remotely (in line with Government guidelines). Please note the length of tenure for this post is three years.

If you join ARAC, what will you do?

As the financial qualified expert on the ARAC you will be responsible for the following:

• lead on financial management advice for the ARAC;
• review the integrity of the financial statements; and
• review the reliability and integrity of these assurances;
• attend five Committee meetings per annum, whilst keeping up to date with the Department’s affairs outside the Committee cycle;
• review the comprehensiveness of assurances on governance, risk management and the control environment in meeting the Board and Accounting Officer’s assurance needs;
• offer support and challenge to executives and their offices to continue to improve the performance of the Department.

Organisation description

What is the ARAC?

The ARAC is a subcommittee of the DBT Board. It is charged with ensuring that the Board and the DBT Accounting Officer (Permanent Secretary) gain the assurance they need on governance, risk management, the control environment and on the integrity of the financial statements. The remit also covers other important elements of the Annual Report and Accounts.

Under the Corporate Governance Code in Central Government, Boards are tasked with setting the organisation’s risk appetite and ensuring that the framework of governance, risk management and control is in place to manage risk within this. The ARAC plays a crucial role in supporting the DBT Board to meet these obligations.

The role of an ARAC is a challenging one and needs strong, independent members with an appropriate range of skills and experience. Each ARAC is built on a strong collaborative relationship with the organisation to ensure that the committee gets the support and information that it needs.

The ARAC’s role is to act as the conscience of the organisation. It provides insight and strong constructive challenge where required, such as on risks arising from fiscal and resource constraints, new service delivery models, information flows on risk and control and the agility of the organisation to respond to emerging risks.

Members work closely to advise the Secretary of State, Accounting Officer and DBT Board members on governance, risk management, integrity of the financial statements and the control environment in meeting the Board and Accounting Officer’s assurance needs. The ARAC also works closely with Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA) and National Audit Office (NAO).

Board composition

DBT’s ARAC currently comprises of the following five independent members including the Chair:

• Karina McTeague – Departmental Non-Executive Director (NED) and ARAC Chair
• Sir Stephen O’Brien – NED + Independent ARAC Member – Independent ARAC Member
• Hanif Barma - Independent ARAC Member
• Jim Watson - Independent ARAC Member
• Robert Milburn – Independent ARAC Member (stepping down September 2023)

For more information about DBT please visit the https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-and-trade and for background information see a copy of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee handbook. 

Person specification

Essential criteria

In order to complement the skill sets of the existing ARAC members, the successful candidate will have expertise deployed at a senior level in a large and complex organisation in one or more of the following:

• Strong financial controls/audit skill and experience
• Good understanding of risk management and governance

.

The successful candidate will also demonstrate the following essential skills and qualities for the role:

• Proportionate and pragmatic.
• Sound judgement and a high level of integrity (including when dealing with confidential or sensitive issues).
• An appreciation of the key challenges faced by the public sector and the ability to bring their experience to bear on these challenges
• The ability to contribute and inspire confidence whilst providing independent challenge, scrutiny, and support to a wide range of stakeholders in both formal environments (such as Committee meetings) and in less formal environments (such as one to one meetings with Departmental Non-Executives and Senior Officials)
• Genuine interest in contributing to the effective running of the Department.

A professional accounting qualification e.g., ICAEW, IIA, CIPFA etc is also essential.

Previous non-executive director experience is not required but would be desirable.

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.

Your CV should set out your career history, dates you occupied these roles and include details of any professional qualifications required for this role. This should be a maximum two sides A4, minimum 11 Arial black font.

In the supporting statement, please outline how you meet the essential and desirable requirements outlined in the person specification. This document should be maximum two sides A4, minimum 11 Arial black font.

Please note the following:

• we cannot accept applications submitted after the closing date.
• applications will be assessed on the documentation you have provided in your CV and supporting statement.
• applications will be acknowledged upon receipt.

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

We will deal with your application as quickly as possible and will keep you informed at key stages. 

The assessment process

This role is not regulated by the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Candidates will be assessed on their written applications (CV and supporting statement) by an Advisory Assessment Panel, assessing each application against the essential criteria. 

Panel interviews will take place with applicants that have been shortlisted. After all the interviews have been completed, the panellists will meet to discuss their assessments before a final decision is made. 

The final decision to appoint to the role rests with the Permanent Secretary. Our intention is to conclude the process by the end of September. Expenses incurred by candidates during the recruitment process will not be reimbursed, except for exceptional circumstances. We are inclusive and welcome and value applicants from all backgrounds.

• Advert Closes – Wednesday X August 2023 at 11:55pm.
• Longlisting by interview panel – w/c X September 2023.
• Shortlisting by interview panel – w/c X September 2023.
• Final Interviews – w/c X September 2023.
• Appointment confirmed – end September 2023.

Further information about appointments, including tips on applying, can be found on our guidance pages on gov.uk.

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

The Advisory Assessment Panel members for this recruitment are:

• Karina McTeague - Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC)
• Bidesh Shah - Chief Finance Officer (CFO)
• Independent Panel Member - To be confirmed

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 the DBT Public Appointments Team. 

Security clearance

The successful candidate will be required to undertake Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks in line with the Civil Service guidelines. You will also be required to undergo the Security Clearance (SC) check for the role. 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 DBT 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.

Data protection

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

You can also access a copy of the Department for Business and Trade's Privacy Notice.