Role details

Chair and First Commissioner Crown Estate Commissioners

Application deadline 15 May 2024

Page contents:

Summary
About the role
Person specification
Application and selection process
Additional information for candidates
Attachments

Summary

Organisation: Crown Estate Commissioners
Sponsor department: HM Treasury
Location: London
Sectors: Business and Trade
Skills: Business, Commercial
Number of vacancies: 1
Time commitment: 104 day(s) per annum
Remuneration: £105500 per annum
Length of term: 4 years
Application deadline: 11:59pm on 15 May 2024

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Timeline for this appointment

Opening date

17 April 2024
Application deadline

11:59pm on 15 May 2024
Sifting date

22 May 2024
Interviews expected to end on

20 September 2024

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the role

Introduction

We are seeking to create financial, environmental and social value for the nation, both for now and for the long term.

We’re driven by our purpose of creating lasting and shared prosperity for the nation. We aim to address national needs where our distinct attributes mean we are best placed to make a difference. As a result, our strategic focus is on long-term, structural challenges facing the country today: climate resilience and energy security, inclusive communities, and nature recovery. Critical to our ambition is that we support economic growth, productivity and equality of outcomes, while responsibly generating financial returns for the Treasury. Set up by the 1961 Crown Estate Act, we are overseen by an independent Board (known as the Crown Estate Commissioners) with a commercial mandate to grow the value of the portfolio for the nation. A company for the country, all our net revenue profit goes to the Treasury for the benefit of the nation’s finances. Over the last ten years we have doubled the value of the portfolio to £16 billion and returned more than £3.2 billion to Treasury

Additional introductions

Welcome from Dame Karen Jones DBE Senior Independent Commissioner, The Crown Estate, and member of the Selection Panel

Thank you for your interest in the position of Chair of The Crown Estate. This is a business unlike any other. We work across communities, cities, countryside, coast and the seabed, with a responsibility – and a very significant opportunity – to play our part for the benefit of the nation, its finances and its future. At the heart of our business lies a set of core duties – to grow both the value of the portfolio into perpetuity and the income we return to the Treasury. Established through an Act of Parliament, we operate independently and commercially, occupying a space between the public and private sectors. Put simply, we have been set up to serve the country and today we express this through our stated purpose: to create lasting and shared prosperity for the nation. Diversity and inclusion is important to us. As a recruitment panel, we encourage applicants from underrepresented groups so that The Crown Estate better reflects society, encourages diverse ideas, and is open to different perspectives. If you have the skills and experience we are looking for and are motivated to help The Crown Estate Board and leadership team to continue to develop, grow and transform our business for the benefit of future generations, then I look forward to hearing from you. I wish you every success in your application.

You can read more about how we are seeking to create lasting and shared prosperity for the nation in our Annual Report and Accounts 2022/23

Role description

This is an important leadership role within a unique and nationally significant business working for long-term public benefit.

The Chair is First Commissioner (appointed under Royal Warrant) and is responsible for chairing the Board and overseeing the official business of The Crown Estate to create lasting and shared prosperity for the nation; ensuring its effective operation; and keeping under review the general progress and long-term development of the organisation.

In particular, the Chair will:

— Guide and participate in the strategic and commercial advancement of The Crown Estate focusing on the areas of agreed business performance and ensuring the Board and Executive team are always advancing the wider purpose of the organisation.

— Ensure that the Board and Executive are discharging their responsibilities in accordance with the Crown Estate Act and Framework Agreement with HM Treasury, as well as support the Chief Executive in the discharge of his particular duties as Accounting Officer for The Crown Estate.

— Have a natural affinity with The Crown Estate’s business and strategy and be able to demonstrate strong commitment to the organisation, its culture and values, acting as a role model and exemplar for the business internally and externally.

— Take an important role in maintaining and developing relationships with key stakeholders. The Chief Executive and management team will have primary responsibility for communications with stakeholders. However, the Chair will have the skills, ability and experience to participate when required and ensure ongoing relationships are sustained and positive.

— Be expected to develop and maintain positive and pro-active relationships with key HM Treasury role holders (Permanent Secretary to the Treasury, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer) as well as senior members of the Royal Household.

— Ensure that corporate governance is upheld in line with our framework agreement, and that there are appropriate succession plans and processes in place both at Board and senior management levels. Continue to assess the Board’s performance and composition. The Chair sets the Board’s agenda and, working closely with the Chief Executive, will lead the Board in setting ambition and refining the work already completed on the process of transformation leading to enhanced value and contribution to the nation.

— Develop an excellent working relationship with Board members, the Chief Executive (who has been in post since 2020) and his executive team and other key people in the business.

— The Chair’s role is non-executive and part-time. However, it is important to have a Chair who is accessible and can play a key role in providing support and counsel to the Chief Executive and the senior management team, as well as challenge, when required. They should not only act as a mentor and sounding board for the Chief Executive but also engage effectively with the non-executive members of the Board, both during and outside Board meetings and events.

— The Crown Estate is continuing a successful programme of transformation. The Chair, along with the Board, will play an important role in continuing to guide the organisation through this transition, supporting the Chief Executive and senior team in delivering its strategic and commercial priorities. They will be responsible for ensuring the continued overall performance of The Crown Estate in the context of its commitment to deliver value for the nation.

Organisation description

For biographical information about our Board including skills and experience visit: The Crown Estate

Board composition

The constitution of The Crown Estate and the make-up of the Board is governed by statute – the Crown Estate Act 1961. It is a relatively small Board of up to eight Commissioners, including the Chair, and one Executive Commissioner (the Chief Executive). Board Counsellors attend Board meetings in an advisory capacity.

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

Chair credibility

The individual will have a successful track record in business with strong leadership skills and appropriate levels of experience. Proven capability to operate as a credible and effective Chair and Board member in large, complex businesses is essential. Candidates should have the ability to lead the Board of a nationally significant organisation of scale, delivering a transformation strategy for the benefit of the nation.

Engagement with our ambition and values

Candidates will be expected to demonstrate an understanding and commitment to the delivery of our ambitious strategy and share our values and purpose – To create lasting and shared prosperity for the nation. Our people are proud to work for The Crown Estate and it is important that the Chair feels the same way.

Strategic and commercial skills

A real strategic and commercial partner to the Chief Executive, the Chair will be able to guide and facilitate the debate of critical issues providing a ‘bigger picture’ perspective along with a strategic long-term vision at a time of great opportunity for the organisation. Alongside demonstrating in a leadership role that they can pivot and solve new problems creatively and with impact, the appointee will demonstrate a systems thinking approach and evidence a track record of delivering commercial success in an organisation of scale with a proven commitment to doing business in a sustainable and ethical way.

Stakeholder engagement and management

An individual of substance and standing who commands significant trust, respect and credibility with an important and influential external stakeholder network including handling of government relationships. Will have an effective management style appropriate to different stakeholder groups.

Corporate governance credentials

An individual with an exemplary track record of upholding high standards of corporate governance, compliance and effective management of risk, including commitment to the Nolan principles of Public Life.

Communication skills

Skilled and comfortable in communicating The Crown Estate’s purpose and role clearly and effectively at all levels and to a range of audiences, both internally and externally.

Desirable criteria

Requirements around sector experience are reasonably open.

For guidance, applicants with a background of operating in large complex organisations, especially those going through a period of transformation, would be helpful, particularly if such organisations share any key dynamics and values with The Crown Estate. Breadth of experience in a range of organisations would be valuable. This could include significant public or private companies in sectors comparable with or complementary to The Crown Estate businesses and also public sector organisations. An evident understanding of long-term investment and capital expenditure is pertinent.

Application and selection process

How to apply

Egon Zehnder has been appointed to advise The Crown Estate on this recruitment.

All applications must include:

The role title and be marked CE01
A CV, which provides details of your qualifications, employment history, skills and experience
A covering letter in which you succinctly address how your skills meet the requirements of the role
Names of at least two referees who may be contacted at short list stage (ie, before the final interview)
Confirmation from you that you are happy for Egon Zehnder or its client to undertake any necessary background checks, including career, credit and qualifications, or similar at the appropriate stage in the process. No checks will be undertaken without your prior knowledge. Please note that as part of the recruitment process, due diligence reviews will be undertaken, this will include the review of social media that will be taken on candidates as they progress through the appointment process.
The following documents, fully completed, should also be supplied:

Diversity Information Form Disability, Political Activity and Conflicts of Interest questionnaire

These forms can be found in a separate document and must be completed and submitted to form part of a completed application. In event of difficulty accessing or completing these forms please contact TCE@egonzehnder.com for support.

To apply for this role please send applications:

By email: TCE@egonzehnder.com

By post: Egon Zehnder Attn: Cagla Bekbolet Nova South, 15th floor, 160 Victoria Street London SW1E 5LB

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

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)

James Bowler CB Permanent Secretary of HM Treasury

Dame Karen Jones DBE Senior Independent Commissioner, The Crown Estate

Debbie Gillatt CBE Senior Independent Panel Member.

Debbie is currently a Non-Executive Director at the Health and Safety Executive. She is also a former Director at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (now the Department for Business and Trade and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero).

Alexander Chartres Independent Panel Member.

Alexander is an Investment Director at Ruffer LLP.

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 Egon Zehnder

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:

Selflessness - Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
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.
Objectivity - Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
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.
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.
Honesty - Holders of public office should be truthful.
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.

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 Cagla Bekbolet by email at TCE@egonzehnder.com 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.

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. HMT Privacy Notice attached.

Contact details

If you have any questions about the appointment or the process, or consider that you may have an interest which may conflict with it, please do not hesitate to contact Cagla Bekbolet by email at TCE@egonzehnder.com.

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