Appointment details

Office of Rail and Road Non-Executive Director Health and Safety

Summary

• Organisation: Office of Rail and Road
• Sponsor department: Department for Transport
• Location: London
• Sectors: Transport
• Skills: Audit and Risk, Business, Change Management, Major Projects, Regulation
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 42 day(s) per annum
• Remuneration: £20,900 per annum
• Length of term: An initial term of 5 years, with the possibility of re-appointment
• Application deadline: 11:55pm on 29 April 2025

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   1 April 2025

2. Application deadline

   11:55pm on 29 April 2025

3. Sifting date

   16 May 2025

4. Interviews expected to end on

   24 July 2025

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction from the Minister

Dear Applicant,  

Thank you for your interest in the role of Non-Executive Director on the Board of Office of Rail and Road (ORR).  

This is an important time for the Department for Transport. We are prioritising investments in infrastructure and public transport to improve journeys, enhance connectivity, drive economic growth, and ensure a fairer distribution of opportunities across the country. Our mission is delivering a transport system that works for everyone, fostering equality and inclusivity in every community. 

We are recruiting for a Non-Executive Director to join the Board of ORR. ORR is driving improvements to train service performance; focusing on the efficiency of Network Rail; working with the rail industry to ensure safe operations;  holding Network Rail to account for delivery of the Periodic Review 2023 settlement (covering the five years from 2024-2029) as the industry undergoes significant reform; and advising on the third Road Investment Strategy. 

The position requires your skills and experience to contribute to the development of rail and road as well as the delivery of a strategy that will help shape the future of transport in the UK. The government’s programme of rail reform will significantly impact ORR over the coming years, as passenger services are brought back into public ownership, and we establish Great British Railways and the Passenger Standards Authority, modernising working practices and improving the deal for both passengers and taxpayers.  As a Board member, you will have a crucial role in supporting those changes and steering the organisation through transformation, whilst ensuring it continues to drive improvements to today’s railway. 

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

If you are interested in the role and work of ORR, I would like to encourage you to apply. Our dedicated DfT Public Appointments Team would be happy to talk through the process and answer your questions.  

Rt Hon Heidi Alexander MP 

Secretary of State for Transport 

Introduction from the Chair

Thank you for your interest in the role of Non-Executive Director at the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). ORR is a modern and pragmatic regulator, acting in the public interest and with a focus on a safer railway; better rail customer service; value for money from the railway; and better strategic highways.  

On rail, we are a balancing mechanism at the heart of the industry: providing assurance and oversight, working closely with Network Rail (and in due course, Great British Railways). For example, by overseeing improvements, deciding fair charges and access for passenger and freight operators and looking out for the long-term national interest. 

On roads, we protect the public investment in England’s strategic network by monitoring and transparently reporting on National Highways’ work. We also advise the Department for Transport on funding and performance requirements for future road periods to help set supportive performance expectations and efficiency.  

Our ability to deliver impartial evidence-based advice to government and to take regulatory action that balances a wide range of duties in a complex context has helped to build our positive reputation of adding value. We have taken on new responsibilities at the request of government, for example, carrying out a review on smart motorways data and monitoring National Highways’ delivery of its smart motorways action plan.  

There are important tasks in the coming years, with the impacts of climate change, a difficult financial and economic environment, and challenges arising from artificial intelligence to address. Yet there are also opportunities, including new digital technology and enhanced data insights, for more thoughtful and effective decision making, as well as improving the service that passengers and other users receive. 

Our current priorities include driving improvements to train service performance; focusing on the efficiency of Network Rail; working with the rail industry to ensure safe operations; holding Network Rail to account for delivering the 2023 Periodic Review (which looks at their funding and delivery from 2024 to 2029); and advising on the third Road Investment Strategy. Rail and road are both long-term asset industries; ORR sets 5-year funding periods so that Network Rail and National Highways have funding certainty. This, in turn, gives confidence to the supply chain and generates better performance and efficiencies, to facilitate the government growth agenda. 

Major rail reform is also underway with government intending to nationalise passenger train operators in England and establishing Great British Railways. This will initiate transformative changes to ORR’s regulatory role, to which we will respond by growing our skill base in key areas and evolving our culture to fit with new ways of working. 

As Chair, it is important to me to ensure that the ORR Board continues to have the right mix of skills and diverse perspectives to guide the organisation in successfully delivering its strategic objectives. I believe we have been successful in building a Board with the requisite expertise and a broad range of experiences. However, as we navigate the natural renewal cycle - with some highly experienced members, including specialists in health and safety and rail industry matters, stepping down as their terms come to an end - we must focus on maintaining this balance. This includes not only expertise but also diversity in gender, ethnicity, and background, which are central to our new diversity and inclusion strategy.1 By aligning our Board composition with this strategy, we can ensure that our decision-making processes are both innovative and reflective of the communities we serve. 

A role on the ORR Board provides the opportunity to use your skills and experience to contribute to the development of rail and road as well as the delivery of a strategy that will help shape the future of transport in the UK. I hope you will feel encouraged to bring your experience and skills to our work at this interesting time. Playing your part as a Non-Executive Director of the ORR is your opportunity to make a real difference to customers, taxpayers, and the wider economy. 

I look forward to hearing from you. 

Declan Collier 

Chair, Office of Rail and Road 

Appointment description

Our Board sets our strategic direction and approves policy approaches to support that direction. Within that, non-executive directors play a particularly important scrutiny and challenge role in holding our executive to account for delivery against the strategy and agreed business plan. The Board also takes important regulatory decisions, consistently applying the principles of good regulation through an approach that is risk-based, targeted, proportionate and transparent.  It works through sub-committees, to which all members are expected to contribute, to supply particular expertise or focus when that is necessary.    

Our Board meetings and committee meetings are structured around a two-day programme once a month. Time commitment overall is an average of 3.5 days a month.   

We are recruiting for a Non-Executive Director to join the board of ORR with expertise in Health and Safety. Rail or road experience is not a prerequisite. 

The role requires the ability to fulfil all the general requirements of a Non-Executive Director (see below). 

Role of the Non-Executive Director 

Non-Executive Directors are expected to: 

• Demonstration of the ORR values: we aim to be inclusive; professional; ambitious; and collaborative; 
• Resilience, independence and openness – prepared to constructively challenge and take public responsibility for decisions;  
• A personal and professional demeanour, integrity and credibility which commands the confidence of our staff and stakeholders; 
• A flexible, collaborative style; 
• An ability to distil key issues out of complexity; and 
• Be highly motivated and able to motivate others. 

Essential criteria: 

You will need:

• The ability to critically analyse complex and sensitive information, providing clear, objective, and evidence-based recommendations to support organisational objectives, alongside sound judgement and professional leadership at board level on strategic matters.
• Hold a strategic outlook – able to identify, debate and oversee long term plans and monitor progress while being realistic about short-term pressures and industry concerns;  
• Excellent communication and stakeholder skills- ability to accept challenge and constructively challenge with clarity and respect. Building effective stakeholder relationships, including with Ministers, Senior Government officials and external stakeholders while at the same time preserving the independence of the Board. 
• Experience in and knowledge of health and safety management, including operational safety practices; and
• Understanding of the role of regulation and enforcement in setting and maintaining appropriate safety standards. Also, an appreciation of how to relate to each other the safety and economic regulation roles of ORR, or another safety critical regulator or industry body, and the importance for public finances of doing so.
• Experience of cost analysis of safety initiatives would be a particular advantage.

Candidates’ suitability for the role will be assessed against criteria above. 

Successful candidates may have the opportunity for selection to chair the Health and Safety Regulation Committee, subject to relevant experience. 

Although not an essential requirement for making an application, we would also welcome applications from candidates who are able to demonstrate significant experience in and knowledge of regulation and regulatory strategy. If you consider that you demonstrate strong knowledge of regulation and regulatory strategy, please do specifically identify this. 

Notwithstanding the general requirement to declare any potential conflicts of interest, if you are currently or have in the last 12 months been employed by or had business connections with a UK rail or road body, if you were appointed, you may be required to serve an appropriate “cooling off” period before taking up your role on Board. If this applies to you, we will discuss this with you further as necessary. 

Organisation description

ORR is the independent economic and safety regulator for Britain's railways, it also regulates performance and efficiency on England's strategic road network.  

Their safety and economic functions are driven by legislation. As an independent regulator, it operates within the framework set by legislation and is accountable through Parliament and the courts.  Detailed information on their functions can be found here. 

ORR holds Network Rail and National Highways to account for their performance on Britain’s railways and England’s strategic road network, and for how they spend their money.  

ORR authorises new train services and rolling stock and approves major works at stations. It investigates competition issues for users, from station catering prices to digital signalling, and oversees ticketing information. ORR sets standards for accessible travel, licenses train drivers and ensure good information during disruption. It tracks how services run and publishes the data; sets passenger complaint standards and encourages freight growth. ORR also supervises the safety of local railways like the London Underground, Tyne & Wear Metro, Glasgow Subway, and all Britain’s tramways, and heritage railways. 

On the roads, ORR is responsible for regulating the performance and efficiency of National Highways to maintain, renew, operate and improve the motorways and main 'A' roads in England. It also advises government on the appropriate level of funding and performance requirements for the future. 

ORR takes a pragmatic and collaborative approach to regulation across the industry, helping shape a future where people and goods move efficiently and safely.  

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

You will need:

• The ability to critically analyse complex and sensitive information, providing clear, objective, and evidence-based recommendations to support organisational objectives, alongside sound judgement and professional leadership at board level on strategic matters.
• Hold a strategic outlook – able to identify, debate and oversee long term plans and monitor progress while being realistic about short-term pressures and industry concerns;  
• Excellent communication and stakeholder skills- ability to accept challenge and constructively challenge with clarity and respect. Building effective stakeholder relationships, including with Ministers, Senior Government officials and external stakeholders while at the same time preserving the independence of the Board. 
• Experience in and knowledge of health and safety management, including operational safety practices; and
• Understanding of the role of regulation and enforcement in setting and maintaining appropriate safety standards. Also, an appreciation of how to relate to each other the safety and economic regulation roles of ORR, or another safety critical regulator or industry body, and the importance for public finances of doing so.
• Experience of cost analysis of safety initiatives would be a particular advantage.

Candidates’ suitability for the role will be assessed against criteria above. 

Application and selection process

How to apply

In order to apply you will need to provide:

1. A  Curriculum Vitae which provides your contact details, details of your education and qualifications, employment history, directorships, membership of professional bodies and details of any relevant publications or awards;

2. A supporting statement setting out how you meet the criteria for appointment, as set out in the person specification for the role;

3. Information relating to any outside interests or reputational issues;

4. Diversity monitoring information. This allows us to see if there are any unfair barriers to becoming a public appointee and whether there are any changes that we could make to encourage a more diverse field to apply. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be used as part of the selection process and will not be seen by the interview panel;

5. Disability Confident – please state if you want to be considered for the disability confident scheme;

6. Reasonable adjustments - requests for reasonable adjustments that you would like to the application process (if applicable);

Please provide the information at points 3-6 above on the relevant form, or as part of your supporting statement.

Completed applications should be submitted via:  https://www.gatenbysanderson.com/job/GSe119840  

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

The selection panel for this appointment competition is Declan Collier, Chair, ORR; Justin McCracken, NED, ORR; Abi Hayes, Director, Public Transport and Rail Strategy and Analysis DfT; and Abi Olapade, IPM.   

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

1. Ministers are responsible and accountable to Parliament for the public appointments made within their department. As a result, they must be consulted at every stage of the appointments process.

2. An Advisory Assessment Panel (“Panel”) is appointed by Ministers to assist them in their decision making. The role of the Panel is to decide, objectively, which candidates meet the eligibility criteria for the role.

3. At the shortlisting meeting the Panel will assess applications against the eligibility criteria and decide which candidates have best met the criteria, who should be recommended for interview. Ministers will then be consulted on the Panel’s recommended shortlist. If you have applied under the Disability Confident Scheme and you meet all the essential criteria, then you will also be invited for an interview.

4. Once the shortlist has been agreed by Ministers, you will be advised (by e-mail) whether you have been shortlisted. Those shortlisted will be invited to an interview.

5. The Panel will meet again to interview candidates and determine who is appointable to the role. The Panel may invite you to make a brief presentation at the start of the interview and will go on to question you about your skills and experience, including asking specific questions to assess whether you meet the criteria set out for the post. The Panel will also explore with you any potential conflicts of interest or any other issues arising from your personal and professional history which may impact on an appointment decision.

6. Details of the panel’s assessment of interviewed candidates are provided to Ministers, including whether they have judged a candidate to be appointable to the role. It is then for Ministers to determine merit and decide who should be appointed. In some circumstances, Ministers may choose not to appoint any candidates and re-run the competition.

7. Ministers may choose to meet with candidates before deciding the outcome. Candidates should therefore be prepared for a short time gap between interview and a final appointment decision being made. Candidates who have been interviewed will be kept informed of progress.

8. Once the decision on the appointment has been made, interviewed candidates will be advised of the outcome of their application, including whom they may approach for feedback. Successful candidates will be issued with their Terms & Conditions and a letter of appointment should they agree to take up the position.

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

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

The selection panel for this appointment competition is Declan Collier, Chair, ORR; Justin McCracken, NED, ORR; Abi Hayes, Director, Public Transport and Rail Strategy and Analysis DfT; and Abi Olapade, IPM.   

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 DfTPublicAppointments@dft.gov.uk  

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.

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

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 DfT public appointments team in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application at DfTPublicAppointments@dft.gov.uk. They will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and respond within 20 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.

The Department for Transport (DfT) is the joint controller, with the Cabinet Office, for any personal data which you provide to us as part of your application. Information provided as part of this application will be kept securely within DfT and destroyed within 5 years of the conclusion of the recruitment campaign. DfT uses this form to gather evidence on DfT’s public appointments.

The lawful basis that applies to this processing is that it is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest to inform DfT’s recruitment policies in accordance with the Department’s public sector equality duties. For processing special category personal data (disability, religion, sexual orientation and ethnicity), we rely on Article 9(2)(g), reasons of substantial public interest (equality of opportunity and treatment).

References

Visible links

1. https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/privacy

Contact details

If you have any questions about the role please get in touch with:

• Julie Myers, Partner, julie.myers@gatenbysanderson.com 
• Will McAlpine, Researcher, will.mcalpine@gatenbysanderson.com 

Attachments

• ORR Candidate Pack - Health and Safety NED

• Top Tips for applications