Thank you for your interest in these vacancies on the Architects Registration Board.
Architects play a crucial role in creating a built environment that is safe and sustainable and supports the well-being of all who use it. The Architects Registration Board (ARB) is the independent professional regulator of the architects’ profession. Established by Parliament as a statutory body through the Architects Act in 1997, we ensure that standards within the profession are maintained in the public interest and are accountable to government.
Over the past five years we have introduced bold and ambitious improvements to our regulatory model.
We delivered much needed changes to the content and structure of the initial education and training of architects. As part of wider reforms to the built environment following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, we introduced a mandatory continuing professional development (CPD) scheme for the first time in the profession. We are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure regulation of architects is aligned with wider changes to regulation in the built environment and is itself as strong and effective as it can be.
Our vision is for regulation to be purposeful, always operating in the public interest and upholding confidence in the profession. At the same time our commitment is to demonstrate willingness to make important changes where necessary.
We are entering a key delivery period, underpinned by our new five-year Corporate Strategy and 2026 Business Plan. The Strategy details our vision and work to modernise and improve architect regulation. Our Board is committed to positive, purposeful regulation, so we fully address challenges in safety, competency, and culture.
In the next five years, ARB will focus on three connected priorities:
· Strengthening education and training of future professionals
· Upholding confidence and trust in the profession
· Delivering modern, effective and efficient regulation
We are seeking to appoint four Architect Members and one Lay Member to fill a series of vacancies that have arisen or will soon arise due to existing Board members completing their tenures: two Architect Members in 2026 and two Architect Members and a Lay Member early in 2027.
This is a stimulating and fulfilling public service role, offering the chance to shape the future of the architects’ profession and to help it maximise its impact on the built environment. The role suits those who bring the expertise described in the accompanying role description. ARB is an inclusive organisation, and we are committed to equality of opportunity and to reflecting the diversity of the public it serves. We welcome applications from individuals with a wide range of backgrounds, including those currently underrepresented. If you are interested in contributing to positive change in architecture, we invite you to apply and support the ongoing development of ARB’s future.
Alan Kershaw
ARB Chair
Core Competencies/Behaviours
Leadership:
- Understand the role of governance and demonstrates a clear understanding of the statutory role, purpose and the principles underpinning the work of the Architects Registration Board.
- Understand the need to put the protection of the users and potential users of architectural services at the fore of all decision making.
- Actively monitors and drives organisational performance, supporting others to achieve the highest standards of corporate governance, accountability and transparency across all areas of the organisation.
- Understand and applying practice the distinction between executive and non-executive board roles across the organisation.
Embracing change:
- Plan for, adapts to and work with a variety of situations, individuals and groups.
- Have a positive attitude to change and identify opportunities to continuously improve performance.
- Assimilate and engage with the detail of complex material in a variety of formats, assimilating information quickly and accurately.
- Assess risk and promote risk awareness and its management without being risk averse.
Communicating and influencing:
- Think and communicate constructively, critically, objectively and clearly.
- Can express views succinctly and effectively in a formal Board/Committee meeting environment making reasoned and considered contributions.
- Can positively influence others, earning their respect whilst listening to diverse views and respecting collective decisions.
- Promotes ARB’s key messages by supporting a consistent approach to communications as set out in the organisation’s strategy.
Team working:
- Adjust their personal style and contribution to the dynamic of the discussion and decision-making process.
- Contribute effectively without dominating to form a consensus with other Board Members when involved in decision making and influence through persuasive evidence-based discussion.
- Respect the need to always maintain confidentiality.
- Build trust, respect and confidence from fellow Board Members and ARB staff.
The Architects Registration Board (ARB) was established in 1997 by the Architects Act and regulates over 39,000 architects. ARB is an independent statutory regulator, is UK-wide regulatory body and is sponsored by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). ARB and the MHCLG have a Framework Agreement which sets out the relationship between the two organisations - Framework Agreement - Architects Registration Board
ARB employs 62 staff, led by a Chief Executive and Registrar who is also ARB’s Accounting Officer, and has a budget of circa £10 million. ARB is based in London.
- To ensure only those who are suitably competent are allowed to practise as architects. We do this by approving the architecture qualifications required to join the Register of architects.
- We maintain a publicly available Register of architects so anyone using the services of an architect can be confident that they are suitably qualified and are fit to practise.
- We set the standards of conduct and practice the profession must meet and take action when any architect falls below the required standards of conduct or competence.
- We set requirements for and monitor the continuous professional development that architects must undertake, to provide assurance to the public about the continuing competence of the profession.
- We protect the legally restricted title ‘architect’.
Since 2022, ARB has modernised the initial education and training for architects, introduced a new statutory CPD scheme, and published an updated Architects Code of Conduct to strengthen professional standards.
ARB has supported innovation and growth by securing international mutual recognition agreements that expand opportunities for UK-qualified architects to access and practise in key overseas markets, including the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia. These reciprocal agreements also provide routes for architects from those countries to practise in the UK. ARB will continue to develop and strengthen these partnerships, working collaboratively with colleagues across the UK Government.
ARB has recently published a new five-year Corporate Strategy focused on improving safety, strengthening professional competence and improving workplace culture among architects in the UK. The new strategy builds on bold and ambitious reforms that ARB has introduced over the past five years. It sets out how ARB will continue to address the findings of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and raise standards, improve accountability and increase public confidence in architects.
This post is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. For more information, please refer to the
Commissioner’s website 