Appointment details

Covid Counter-Fraud Commissioner

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

Summary

Organisation: Covid Counter-Fraud Commissioner
Sponsor department: HM Treasury
Location: London
Sectors: Finance and Audit
Skills: Audit and Risk, Commercial, Procurement
Number of vacancies: 1
Time commitment: 3 day(s) per week
Remuneration: £84000 per annum
Length of term: 1 year
Application deadline: 11am on 30 September 2024

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Timeline for this appointment

Opening date

2 September 2024
Application deadline

11am on 30 September 2024
Sifting date

4 October 2024
Interviews expected to end on

25 October 2024

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction

The Covid Counter-Fraud Commissioner is a new, fixed term (1 year) appointment, announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to Parliament.

The Commissioner will report directly to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Commissioner will be supported by a small team of Treasury civil servants and will need to work closely with officials and Ministers across government.

Additional introductions

Thank you for your interest in the role of the Covid Counter-Fraud Commissioner.

This is a high-profile new role, announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to Parliament, with the important aim of scrutinising contracts awarded during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Commissioner will ensure that everything possible is being done to recover public money lost to pandemic-related fraud and underperforming contracts.

This candidate pack sets out information about the role and the skills and experience that the successful candidate will bring.

As well as working within HM Treasury, the Commissioner will need to work closely with the Department of Health & Social Care and draw on additional expertise in the Public Sector Fraud Authority, Government Debt Management Function and Government Commercial Function to be effective in this role. It is expected that the successful candidate will have the collaborative skills to drive true joint-working and will be able to present their conclusions effectively to Parliament and the public.

The role demands a highly-skilled, credible, and suitably experienced candidate who will play a vital national role. If you have what it takes to successfully deliver in this position then I strongly encourage you to apply.

I wish you the very best of luck with your application.

Beth Russell, Second Permanent Secretary to the Treasury

Appointment description

The Commissioner will review losses of public money to fraud, error and underperforming contracts during the Covid-19 pandemic, with an initial focus on contracts for personal protective equipment (PPE). The Commissioner will:

• Assess recovery efforts to date and determine where additional recoveries can be made and ensure those are vigorously pursued
• Ensure that the maximum recovery efforts have been taken and provide assurance on this to the public and Parliament
• Review individual contracts to provide additional attention and assurance to spending that is disputed
• From this work, generate lessons and make recommendations for the future

In doing so, the Commissioner will have a key role in restoring public trust and serve as a deterrent to fraudsters for future government schemes.

The Commissioner’s initial focus will be PPE pandemic contracts. The successful candidate will need to work jointly with the Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC), the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA), the Government Debt Management Function (GDMF) and the Government Commercial Function (GCF).

The Commissioner will also receive assessments of fraud recovery work to date in other major covid schemes such as Furlough, Bounce Back Loans, Business Support Grants, Eat Out to Help Out and covid-era Universal Credit fraud. These will be produced by the relevant departments and the Public Sector Fraud Authority. Where the Commissioner deems necessary, the Commissioner will lead additional assessments into these schemes.

The Commissioner’s outputs are envisaged in 3 phases of work. The successful candidate, however, should expect the opportunity to present, for the Chancellor’s approval, a work plan that may depart from this staging.

Phase 1 - Strategy

An assessment of the completeness of recovery efforts to date.
A plan for further activity to drive additional recoveries
A review of information from schemes that are not in focus for assurance

Phase 2 - Action

Progression of further recoveries in joint work with DHSC, PSFA, GCF and GDMF.
A report to Parliament on recovery efforts.

Phase 3 - Future

Lessons learned and recommendations from covid for application to future government schemes.

The Commissioner will be adept at fostering strong collaboration across relevant departments, at both official and Ministerial levels. As well as developing true joint-working with the Department of Health & Social Care, Public Sector Fraud Authority, Government Debt Management Function, and Government Commercial Function, the Commissioner may need to work with government departments including HMRC, DWP and the Department of Business and Trade and with additional stakeholders including the Serious Fraud Office and National Crime Agency.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• A successful track record of delivery in a senior counter-fraud, commercial, legal, or procurement role whether in the private or public sector, in the UK or internationally

• Senior experience of resolving commercial or legal disputes

• Understanding of procurement and leadership in high-pressure or crisis situations

• An inspirational and highly effective team leader with exceptionally strong interpersonal and influencing skills, capable of developing true joint working to deliver shared goals.

• An impressive track record for setting strategy and delivering the intended outcomes

• First-class presentation skills for optimum impact in Parliament and the media

• Highest level of ethical standards, free of conflicts of interest, committed to transparency and accountability and the principles of public life.

Desirable criteria

• Exceptional analytical ability to absorb large volumes of complex information and reach robust conclusions quickly.

Application and selection process

How to apply

The recruitment process is being supported by GatenbySanderson on behalf of HM Treasury.

If you wish to apply for this position, please supply the following:

• 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, maximum two sides of A4. Please note that the covering letter is an important part of your application and is as much the means by which you will be assessed as your CV.

• Confirmation from you that you are happy for HM Treasury or HM Government to undertake any vital 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.

• A completed diversity, interests and political activity form which will form part of the online application process.

Failure to submit all documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.

As part of the online application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select 'prefer not to say'. All diversity monitoring data will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not be provided to the Advisory Assessment Panel.

If you are unable to apply online, or have any issues with the online application process, please contact: devon.coates@gatenbysanderson.com

Applications must be received by: 11:00am on Monday 30 September 2024 using the GatenbySanderson link

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

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)

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.

The Advisory Assessment Panel will comprise:

Chair

Antonia Williams, Director of Public Services, HM Treasury

Members

Mark Cheeseman – CEO, Public Sector Fraud Authority
Sir Ian Andrews – Independent Panel Member

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: devon.coates@gatenbysanderson.com

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.

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 ‘essential 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

The Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles) apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder.

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.

The appointment is for 1 year, with the possibility of extension, at the discretion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

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.

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 ten years in any one post.

Remuneration, allowances and abatement

The role is expected to require 2-3 days per week depending on the successful candidate, their agreed approach and other commitments. The role will be remunerated at a rate of £84,000 per year (for 3 days per week, pro rata for larger or smaller commitments).

If the term is extended, the extension will be at the same level of remuneration.

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

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 devon.coates@gatenbysanderson.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.

Data protection

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

HM Treasury's privacy notice is attached.

Contact details

Applications must be received by: 11:00am on Monday 30 September 2024 using the following link:

https://www.gatenbysanderson.com/job/GSe115145/