Appointment details

British Transport Police Authority - Industry Members x2

Summary

• Organisation: British Transport Police Authority
• Sponsor department: Department for Transport
• Location: Various
• Sectors: Transport
• Skills: Transformation
• Number of vacancies: 2
• Time commitment: 30 day(s) per annum
• Remuneration: £15,000 per annum
• Length of term: 4 years
• Application deadline: 9am on 7 January 2026

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   8 December 2025

2. Application deadline

   9am on 7 January 2026

3. Sifting date

   23 January 2026

4. Interviews expected to end on

   3 March 2026

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction

The Secretary of State for Transport wishes to appoint two Industry Members of the British Transport Police Authority. Specifically, who have:

• Current senior experience of the operation of trains and/or tracks of the UK’s railways.
• A clear understanding of the work, public priorities and challenges of the UK’s railways as they move towards public ownership and the creation of Great British Railways (GBR).

Introduction from the Minister

Dear Prospective Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in becoming a Member of the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA) which is an executive non-departmental public body of the Department for Transport.

This is an important time for the Department for Transport. We are focused on improving performance on the railways and driving forward rail reform whilst ensuring infrastructure works for the whole country.

We are recruiting two new Industry Members who have operational railway experience at a senior level to represent the views of the railway industry on the BTPA Board to ensure BTP’s strategic policing plans and aims align with the needs and priorities of the railway industry.

BTPA is responsible for ensuring an efficient and effective police force for rail operators, their staff and passengers. Its duties and functions are similar to those of the Scottish Police Authority or a police and crime commissioner in England and Wales, but it oversees a force that is responsible for policing a much wider area – the railways of Great Britain. BTPA’s role is therefore vital to everyone who uses or works on our railways – helping to support the British Transport Police (BTP) to tackle crime and ensure high levels of passenger confidence, as well as securing value for money from the BTP.

We are looking for confident and insightful contributors who can apply independent judgement to offer sound, impartial advice on complex policing and security matters. Successful candidates will demonstrate the ability to constructively challenge and support decision-making to ensure value for money for the taxpayer, with a keen attention to detail and the courage to make difficult decisions. They will also bring experience in leading and coaching through change, providing assurance and strategic guidance to the British Transport Police as it aligns its delivery with broader railway reforms. A commitment to continuous improvement, collaboration and transparency will be essential.

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 BTPA, full details of the responsibilities are set out in this document, and I would 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 becoming a Member of the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA). This is a unique and exciting opportunity to join the independent oversight board of the national police service dedicated to keeping Britain’s railways safe and secure.

The British Transport Police (BTP) plays a vital role in protecting passengers, staff, and infrastructure across England, Scotland, and Wales. Its remit spans the national rail network, the London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, Midland Metro, Croydon Tramlink, Tyne and Wear Metro, and Glasgow Subway, making it one of the most wide-reaching and specialised police forces in the UK.

We are now seeking further new Members to specifically represent the views of the railway industry. This is a critical function of the Authority, ensuring that those who fund and operate the railway have a strong voice in shaping the strategy and funding decisions of BTP. Members will be expected to bring a broad industry perspective, extending beyond their current or recent employers.

We are looking for individuals who can influence strategic change, communicate with clarity and confidence, and bring political and commercial insight, underpinned by high personal integrity. We particularly welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences, reflecting the communities BTP serves. As Chair, I am committed to ensuring that the Authority benefits from a wide range of perspectives around the table.

As the oversight body for the largest of the UK’s three national infrastructure police forces, BTPA is well positioned to contribute to the national conversation on policing. We work closely with the Department for Transport, the Home Office, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, and other key partners. Our stakeholders also include major funders such as Network Rail and Transport for London, as well as devolved administrations, passenger groups, and industry leaders.

Collaboration between BTPA and BTP is essential to delivering effective and efficient policing. Our relationship is built on trust, openness, and transparency. At the same time, Members must be willing to ask the difficult questions and act as critical friends, supportive yet constructively challenging, to ensure the best outcomes for the public and the rail industry.

This is a chance to work alongside a dedicated and talented group of people, united by a shared commitment to public service. The Authority has a strong team spirit and a clear focus on supporting and scrutinising a highly professional police force.

I hope you are inspired by this opportunity to contribute to the safety and resilience of Great Britain’s railways. If you would like an informal conversation about the role, please contact Raquel Cortes, BTPA Member Engagement Manager, at raquel.cortes@btp.police.uk.

Please keep an eye on the DfT Public Appointments Linked in page https://www.linkedin.com/company/dft-public-appointmentsand for updates.

Ron Barclay-Smith

BTPA Chair

Appointment description

Members of BTPA play an active role in working towards ensuring an effective and efficient police service is provided for the railways. Collectively, BTPA is accountable through the Chair to the Secretary of State for Transport, for the discharge of the responsibilities set of in legislation, specifically the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003.

Members’ will be required to approach the work of BTPA as a whole, rather than by geographical representation based on their location.

We are seeking outstanding candidates with current and senior level operational railway experience to represent industry perspectives on the BTPA Authority, ensuring alignment between the British Transport Police’s (BTP) strategic policing plans and railway priorities.

Organisation description

BTPA was established by the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 (the Act) as the independent oversight body for the British Transport Police (BTP).

BTPA is a cross-border public authority which means that the Scottish Government must be consulted about appointments to BTPA.

The Act provides for the Secretary of State for Transport to appoint between eleven and seventeen Members to BTPA. This includes the Chair and a Deputy Chair, currently Ron Barclay-Smith and Dyan Perry respectively. BTPA currently comprises 16 Members including Members with specific knowledge of the interests of persons in Scotland and England.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Current senior experience of UK train services or rail infrastructure operations. Demonstrable understanding of the work, priorities and challenges facing the railway as it transitions towards public ownership and the creation of Great British Railways (GBR).
• Ability to bring personal insight and experience from the rail industry in supporting the BTPA and BTP to successfully work through both the challenges and opportunities presented by this transition in terms of operational delivery, partnership working and public safety across the railway.
• Experience in leading, coaching and supporting through change by providing assurance and guidance to BTP as they deliver policing and security in line with broader rail reforms, while fostering a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration and transparency.
• Demonstrate an ability to contribute to long-term strategic planning, to determine and oversee budgets and finance, and an ability to effectively advise and offer guidance on difficult decisions.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with proven experience of engaging effectively with different stakeholder groups in the rail industry, along with a demonstratable understanding of the broader political context in which BTPA and BTP operate.

Desirable criteria

Although not an essential requirement for making an application, any experience or shown capacity in relation to matters of policing or security, either operational or in strategy and planning, of the railways is desirable. 

Application and selection process

How to apply

In order to apply you will need to create an account or sign in.

Once you are logged into your account, click on 'apply for this role' and follow the on-screen instructions To apply, all candidates are required to provide:

• A CV or equivalent biographical information (maximum two sides A4, minimum 12 font) setting out your career history and including details of any professional qualifications.   
• Provide a summary of why you are interested in the role and how you meet the specification and essential criteria. This can be in a form that allows you most ably to present your interest and credentials, for example a short, bullet-point slide presentation, a short video (no more than 2 mins) or supporting letter (no more than two A4 pages, minimum 12 font). Make sure you refer to the contents of this document and provide specific examples. If you wish to provide your supporting summary in video format, please contact DfTpublicappointments@dft.gov.uk in advance of the closing date. 
• You will also be asked to provide diversity data, and to declare any potential conflicts of interest or reputational issues. 

Any applications submitted after the closing date, or that are missing any of the following documents, will not be accepted. 

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 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)

- Shanez Cheytan (DfT Deputy Director) - Panel Chair

- Ron Barclay-Smith (Chair BTPA)

- Andrew Waller (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.

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 at DfT Public Appointments Team at 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

The Department for Transport values and promotes diversity and is committed to equality of opportunity for all and to the appointment of disabled people. As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we will select the disabled candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the role. ‘Best meet’ is defined as providing/ demonstrating strong examples of all essential criteria.

In order to guarantee an interview to all disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy all the essential criteria for the role and wish to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme, we need candidates to declare a disability and that they wish to be considered under the 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 15 working days.

Data protection

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

Contact details

Jonny Weare at jonny.weare@dft.gov.uk.

Attachments

• BTPA Members Candidate Pack