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Appointment details

Chief Executive Officer - National Wealth Fund

Summary

Organisation
National Wealth Fund
Sponsor department
HM Treasury
Location
Yorkshire and the Humber
Sectors
Finance and Audit
Skills
Business, Commercial
Number of vacancies
1
Time commitment
5 day(s) per week
Length of term
Permanent
Application deadline
11:55pm on 22 April 2025

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Timeline for this appointment

  1. Opening date

    19 March 2025

  2. Application deadline

    11:55pm on 22 April 2025

  3. Sifting date

    19 May 2025

  4. Interviews expected to end on

    2 June 2025

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction

The Chancellor of the Exchequer wishes to appoint a CEO for the National Wealth Fund. Leadership of the NWF involves leading a growing organisation of up to 400 staff, managing the evolving portfolio of debt/equity investments and guarantees, developing a multi-billion pipeline into active projects and companies, and building strong relationships with central, regional and local government.

Appointment description

The CEO is responsible for the ultimate executive leadership, day-to-day management and performance of the NWF – including ensuring the NWF delivers against the strategy and targets set by government and the board. In addition, the CEO will have public facing responsibilities and will be expected to manage the bank’s relationship with HM Government, act as its ambassador, and ensure it delivers in line with its mandate. More specifically, responsibilities will include:

·       Leadership and strategy - as the Accounting Officer and most senior executive leader within the NWF, the successful candidate will have accountability for ensuring the institution is high performing and effective, delivering against the objectives set out by the board and the NWF’s mandate (including both financial and policy outcomes).

·       Operational performance - final responsibility and oversight of the NWF’s balance sheet and investment portfolio, ensuring that its investments are commercially suitable, ensure good corporate governance, that they deliver against the government’s policy objectives, and that risks are managed appropriately. 

·       Working with the NWF board and HM Treasurywork closely with the board, advising on investment opportunities and economic risks that could impact the fund, and where relevant, present to HM Treasury as the shareholder and Ministers – ensuring that they are kept updated on relevant performance in a timely manner and how the portfolio is building in line with overarching policies and objectives.

·       External stakeholder relations - engage effectively with key stakeholders, including regional and local authorities, devolved administrations, mayoral combined authorities, investors, academics and advisory groups. Act as an ambassador for the NWF as required and champion its reputation.

·       Recruitment and talent - ensure the NWF is an outstanding employer, capable of attracting, retaining and motivating excellent and diverse talent.

·       Working with the wider executive team and employees - build strong collaboration with the wider ExCo, ensuring alignment of the organisation’s activities and NWF’s key objectives. Work effectively with the senior executive team and wider senior employees of the NWF across banking, portfolio management, local authority lending and advisory, risk, regulatory, policy, legal and back-office functions. Provide both leadership and collaboration in these relationships. Offer appropriate challenge and support to drive performance.

·       Culture - nurture the culture of excellence, diversity, collaboration and professional integrity within the organisation, in all aspects of operations. Continue to ensure that the Leeds office is successful both as a headquarters for the NWF, employer within the region, and culturally as a unifying institution outside of London which contributes to the agenda of supporting regional and local economic growth. Foster a culture of excellence, innovation, and accountability in a supportive environment with a strong focus on learning and development, ensuring that bullying and discrimination are never tolerated and actively discouraged to prevent their occurrence.

Organisation description

The National Wealth Fund (NWF) is the UK government’s primary Public Financial Institution and is at the forefront of investing public money for our future.

The NWF will have £27.8bn of financial capacity. It will have an increased risk appetite with up to £7bn in economic capital to hold against investments. Its mandate is set out in its Strategic Steer from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, although will operate with a high degree of operational independence day-to-day, especially with regards to investment decisions. Through its leadership role, the NWF provides markets with the long-term certainty to build and support investor confidence. It invests in key projects to reduce carbon emissions, create jobs, improve the UK’s economic security and support regional and local authorities to invest in their areas.

To date the NWF has invested £5bn, mobilising £12.5bn of private finance and created 18,600 jobs. The Chancellor set the ambition to go further over this parliament, entrusting NWF with additional capital to be deployed over and above the original commitment.

Board composition

Person specification

Essential criteria

·       Financial capability: The successful candidate will have a proven track record in a senior role with a deep understanding of financial markets, economic trends, investment strategies, financing structures, asset classes, and portfolio management. They will provide effective oversight of these areas, ensure that the NWF’s investments are commercially suitable, manage risk appropriately, and deliver against policy objectives. They will demonstrate success in leading the oversight, evaluation, and management of investment projects across the full project cycle, from initial scoping and origination to risk analysis, execution, and documentation. They will also understand the operation of risk management processes in the effective and secure running of a portfolio comparable to NWF’s.

·       Leadership: The successful candidate will have proven experience as a CEO or in a very senior executive leadership role leading high-performing professional teams in a financial institution and able to develop, define and communicate a long-term strategy for the NWF that aligns with HMG’s missions and priorities. They will have managed organisations with a high degree of scale and complexity.

·       Communication: The successful candidate will be an excellent and persuasive communicator able to lead and inspire the NWF’s employees and build credibility with government leaders at central, regional and local levels, financial and international institutions and other public sector organisations. They will also be able to perform to a media audience.

·       Stakeholder engagement: The successful candidate will be skilled in managing relationships and capable of representing NWF nationally and regionally, positioning the NWF as a respected and strategic operator in the UK investment landscape, helping develop the broader investment ecosystem.

·       Strategic vision: The successful candidate will have the ability to drive forward a multi-faceted organisation with different needs under challenging or changing circumstances. They will also be capable of building support for an ambitious vision across multiple stakeholder groups.

·       Change management: The successful candidate will be able to adapt to a changing landscape of shareholder demands and lead an organisation through a period of change. Comfortable with ambiguity, and able to provide stable, foundational leadership.

Desirable criteria

·       Public-Private sector experience: Capability to navigate intersection of public policy and public finance with private investment, and comfort in a regulated environments and situations that attract political attention (e.g., in Select Committees) is desirable. It would be advantageous if the candidate has experience influencing and navigating HMG at a senior level and/or direct experience working with government or an arm’s length body, or similar.

·       Regional investment: Experience of working with sub-national, mayoral, regional and local government or devolved governments and an understanding of the challenges and financing barriers they face is desirable.

·       Sector and product experience: Experience working in the NWF’s priority sectors and deployment of its product suite is desirable.

Application and selection process

How to apply

Russell Reynolds Associates (RRA) has been retained to support this appointment. To apply, please submit applications by email to Responses@RussellReynolds.com.

The closing date for applications is 22nd April 2025 at 23:55.
Your submission should include:
  • The role title and reference number P2502-189L in the subject line of your email.
  • Your current CV with educational and professional qualifications and full employment history, explaining any gaps in your employment history, giving details (where applicable) of budgets and numbers of people managed, highlighting relevant achievements in recent posts.
  •  A statement of suitability of no more than two sides of A4 paper explaining why this appointment interests you and how you meet the essential criteria and competencies as detailed in the candidate profile.
  • A completed Diversity Information and Conflicts of Interest Form available as an electronic form here.
Please note the information you provide will help support monitoring NWF’s recruitment processes to ensure they are fair to all and allow us to attract diverse and talented candidates. The diversity data in this section is collated anonymously and will not be disclosed to anyone involved in assessing your application.
Should you need any adjustments to make the recruitment process more accessible to you, please contact a member of the Russell Reynolds team at the application address indicated above.

Overview of the application process

You will receive an acknowledgment of your application. The panel will then assess your application to select those demonstrating the best fit with the role by considering the evidence you have provided against the criteria set out in the ‘Candidate Profile section.

Failure to address any or all of these may affect your application. The timeline below indicates the dates by which each stage and the final decisions are expected to be made. All shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible thereafter.

There will also be the opportunity to meet key department stakeholders, Shortlisted candidates will then progress to the final interview with the panel. Full details of this assessment process will be made available to shortlisted candidates.

The panel will make a recommendation to the Minsters who will make final decision to appoint as this is a Ministerial appointment.

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

  • Chris Grigg, Chair, National Wealth Fund
  • Charles Donald, Chief Executive of UK Government Investments
  • Beth Russell, Second Permanent Secretary, HM Treasury

Eligibility criteria

The successful candidate should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment.  

Please see further information here: Public appointments - GOV.UK

Security clearance

The successful candidate must hold or be willing to obtain security clearance to Security Check (SC) clearance level. Further information on this is available here.. 

Additional information for candidates

Reasonable adjustments

Should you need any adjustments to make the recruitment process more accessible to you, please contact a member of the Russell Reynolds team at the application address indicated above.

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.

Management of outside interests and consideration of reputational issues

Appointments to a public body require the highest standards of propriety, involving impartiality, integrity and objectivity, in relation to stewardship of public funds and the oversight and management of all related activities. This means that any private, voluntary, charitable or political interest that might be material and relevant to the work of the body concerned should be declared. It is important that those appointed as members of public bodies maintain the confidence of Parliament and the public. If there are any issues in your personal or professional history that could, if you were appointed, be misconstrued, cause embarrassment, or cause public confidence in the appointment to be jeopardised, it is important that you bring them to the attention of the panel and provide details of the issue(s) in your application. In considering whether you wish to declare any issues, you should also reflect on any public statements you have made, including through social media. The panel may explore issues with you before they make a recommendation on the appointment.

Please note that due diligence searches will be undertaken on shortlisted candidates and references may be taken up prior to interview and/or prior to any advice being put to Ministers. As part of our due diligence checks, we will consider anything in the public domain related to your conduct or professional capacity. This will include us undertaking searches of previous public statements and social media, blogs or any other publicly available information and associated enquiries deemed relevant to the appointment. This information may be made available to the panel and they may wish to explore any issues with you, should you be invited to interview.

Remuneration, allowances and abatement

The salary will be commensurate with the seniority of this role. In addition, the CEO will be entitled to performance related pay awards including long term incentive plans (based on personal, and wider corporate, performance), pension payments and other flexible benefits.  

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

If you feel you have reason to complain you should direct your concerns in the first instance to Russell Reynolds Associates at responses@russellreynolds.com.

Data protection

This process is being run in conjunction with UK Government Investments (UKGI). Candidates are asked to read the UKGI data privacy notice prior to applying to understand how your data will be treated by UKGI. Please find this available in the candidate information pack under appendix II. 

Contact details

Should you need any adjustments to make the recruitment process more accessible to you, please contact a member of the Russell Reynolds team at the application address Responses@RussellReynolds.com.

Attachments