Appointment details

National Highways - Non-Executive Director

Summary

• Organisation: National Highways
• Sponsor department: Department for Transport
• Location: Various
• Sectors: Digital and Technology
• Skills: Technology / Digital, Cyber Security
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 27 day(s) per annum
• Remuneration: £25,000 per annum
• Length of term: 3 years
• Application deadline: 5pm on 28 August 2025

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   17 July 2025

2. Application deadline

   5pm on 28 August 2025

3. Sifting date

   19 September 2025

4. Interviews expected to end on

   3 October 2025

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction

National Highways is seeking a Non-Executive Director (NED) to join its Board with a particular background in the digital and technology challenges that the business faces. The successful candidate, through their membership of the Board, will provide challenge and support to a wide variety of management and operational issues and contribute to the effective strategic and operational leadership of National Highways. 

Introduction from the Minister

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in this Non-Executive Director position on the Board of National Highways.

This is an important time for the Department for Transport. We are investing heavily in infrastructure and public transport to improve journeys, boost connections, level up the country and support economic growth. Central to our mission is delivering transport that works for everyone in our society.

We are recruiting for a Non-Executive Director to join the Board of National Highways. National Highways is an arm’s length government body which plans, designs, builds, operates, and maintains England’s motorways and major A roads.

The position requires experience operating at Board level, demonstrating strategic and analytic thinking and possession of strong interpersonal skills. The successful candidate will provide challenge and support to a wide variety of management and operational issues and contribute to the effective strategic and operational leadership of National Highways.

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 National Highways, I would like to encourage you to apply.

Rt Hon Heidi Alexander MP

Secretary of State for Transport

Appointment description

The general responsibilities of a Board member are to:

• Provide sound advice to the Chair and Chief Executive.
• Prepare for, and make, an effective contribution to the National Highways Board, Board subcommittee meetings and Executive/NED meetings.
• Build strong stakeholder relationships, including with Ministers and Senior Government officials and broader external stakeholders to help manage the organisation’s reputation.
• Critically analyse a wide range of information and discharge the duties and responsibilities of a NED through objective evidence-based recommendations.
• Work closely with the Executive team and other key stakeholders, providing support, constructive challenge and assurance as appropriate to ensure that Executive team delivers the approved strategy and support them in discharging their leadership responsibilities to National Highways.
• Ensure that National Highways is run effectively, in line with best practice for non-departmental public bodies and Managing Public Money requirements.
• Listen and accept challenge and constructively challenge others in discussions with clarity and respect.

Organisation description

Safe and reliable roads are essential for the economy and public wellbeing. National Highways manages, operates and improves the UK’s motorways and major A-roads (known as the strategic road network (SRN)), helping its customers have safer, smoother and more reliable journeys. Beyond that, National Highways needs to demonstrate that it can meet the government’s commitment to net zero carbon, within its committed timescales. National Highways also needs to exploit the full potential of the digital revolution, both in delivery of its activities, and in its communications with road users and stakeholders.

National Highways manages over £100bn of assets, working with its many partners and suppliers to support over 4 million journeys that are undertaken every day on the SRN. The Government’s Road Investment Strategy 2 (RIS2), which covers the second road period from 2020–25, represented the biggest investment in the UK’s road network in a generation. National Highways received £24bn, which it has invested in road improvements and managing and maintaining the network, whilst achieving over £2bn of efficiency savings. Discussions are now progressing to agree RIS3, covering the third road period from 2026-31. This follows an interim year covering 2025-26.

Person specification

Essential criteria

The successful candidate will possess a good appreciation of the role of a Non-Executive Director and understand and be committed to the pivotal role that the Board plays in the effective and efficient delivery of National Highways’ services and network, which both millions of individual customers and many thousands of businesses rely on. They will clearly demonstrate independence of judgement and an ability to communicate with impact to provide constructive support and challenge, together with the following essential specialist knowledge and experience.

We are looking for exceptional candidates with a cyber security and/or data technology background to support the pivotal role that the Board plays within National Highways. We are looking for candidates that can demonstrate the following essential criteria:

• A clear understanding of the work, public priorities and challenges connected with effective and efficient delivery of National Highways’ services and network, which both millions of individual customers and many thousands of businesses rely on.
• Ability to apply independent judgement, constructively challenge and support to drive value for money for the taxpayer – drawing on experience to deliver sound, impartial advice on complex issues. Attention to detail, confidence in challenging opinions and making difficult decisions is essential.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder skills – ability to listen and communicate with clarity and respect. Building strong stakeholder relationships, including with Ministers, senior government, the executive board, and other external stakeholders.
• Effective decision-making skills with the ability to critically analyse a wide range of information to make clear and objective evidence-based recommendations to support the delivery of National Highways’ objectives.

In addition to the essential criteria listed above, successful candidates should have skills in at least one of the following areas:

• An extensive understanding of cyber and network security issues connected to large-scale mission critical (24/7) monitoring and control systems.
• Demonstrated success in leading innovative digital and data transformation projects, including knowledge of introducing rapid innovation to transform and consolidate legacy systems.
• Knowledge of leveraging data analytics to drive operational efficiency and improve customer experience.

National Highways is mindful of the value that diversity brings to the Board. The Board is looking for, and has recently been successful at finding, individuals from different backgrounds. These individuals can either be current Executives or Non-Executives, who bring the diversity of thinking, experience, skills and competence to enable National Highways to fulfil its purpose and achieve its goals to connect the country, whilst following a policy of ensuring it appoints on merit.

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 uploaded via Nurole Executive Search Agency. If you have any questions about this campaign please contact jonny.weare@dft.gov.uk.

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

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 will then proceed to interview. 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, 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: Gareth Rhys Williams (Chair, National Highways), Nick Joyce (DfT Director General) and Joyce Sarpong (Independent Panel Member).

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.

Pre-appointment scrutiny

Pre-appointment scrutiny by select committees is an important part of the process for some of the most significant public appointments made by Ministers. It is designed to provide an added level of scrutiny to verify that the recruitment meets the principles set out in the Governance Code on Public Appointments. This scrutiny may involve the relevant select committee requesting and reviewing information from the Department and the Minister’s preferred candidate. The select committee may also choose to hold a pre-appointment hearing.

If you are confirmed as the government’s preferred candidate for this role, the department will be in touch to confirm next steps. In most cases your name and CV will be provided to the relevant select committee in advance of the hearing.  Following a date being agreed for a pre-appointment hearing with the committee you will be asked to complete a questionnaire in advance of that. Following the hearing, the government will review and respond to the Committee’s report before confirming the appointment. 

Full information can be found in the Cabinet Office’s guidance here. 

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 jonny.weare@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 th 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 15 working days.

Data protection

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

Privacy, confidentiality and trust are integral to Nurole and we believe that the intention of the GDPR to ensure transparency, fairness and an increased confidence in the security of individuals’ data we hold is a positive step

If you don’t wish for us to hold any data on you or would prefer that we do not contact you for any reason, please email us on dpo@nurole.com

• https://www.nurole.com/privacy

• https://www.nurole.com/gdpr

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).

Contact details

jonny.weare@dft.gov.uk