Job role
: Non-Executive
Board Member, Digital Transformation
Business:
Legal
Aid Agency, Ministry of Justice
Sector:
Public Administration
Location:
National
Remuneration:
£8,000
Time
Commitment:
Up to
20 days per year covering, but not limited to, up to 10 Board and/or Audit
and Risk Assurance Committee meetings per year.
Term:
Three
years
Role
description
The Legal Aid Agency is seeking to recruit a Non-Executive
Board Member (NEBM) with experience and expertise in the provision of legal
services in either criminal or civil justice.
As a
Non-Executive Board Member, you will:
-
Be a member of the LAA Board and LAA
Audit & Risk Assurance Committee.
-
Advise on business performance and
transformation, strategy and the effective management of the Agency.
-
Advise on the operational delivery
implications of policy proposals, digital transformation and operational
improvement.
-
Maintain high standards of corporate
governance and ensure that controls are in place to manage risk.
-
Work with executives to scrutinise,
and continue to improve, the LAA’s performance, monitoring implementation of
the agency’s strategy and business plan.
-
Provide independent scrutiny and
constructive challenge, support and insightful analysis of LAA strategy and
performance including appropriate oversight of finance and risk.
-
Bring expertise and experience in
provision of legal services to the role, constructively challenging on issues
pertaining to the LAA’s current and future operating model
Essential
Criteria
The
successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:
·
A track record of setting and
delivering strategic priorities and structural change programmes at scale
within tight financial constraints.
·
Proven
ability to engage effectively
and
inspire confidence with a wide range of stakeholders.
·
Proven
senior leadership and strategic experience in a complex business environment in the private, public or voluntary sectors.
·
Sound judgement and a high level of
integrity and a commitment to the seven principles of conduct in public life.
·
Extensive experience of digital
transformation in large scale operational organisations including:
o
Experience
of using data and digital technology to drive transformation and value for
money in a large organisation and/or to innovate and create new opportunities.
o
Ability
to advise on and scrutinise the effectiveness of operating models and digital
strategies
o
Experience
of systems design and process automation: experience of solving complex
problems with an analytical, data-driven approach.
Introduction
from Chair
Dear Candidate,
Thank you for your
interest in joining the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) as a Non-Executive Board Member
and member of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. The LAA is responsible
for commissioning and administering legal aid services in England and Wales in accordance
with rules set by Parliament. The work of the LAA is essential to the fair,
efficient and effective operation of the civil, family and criminal justice
systems.
The LAA Board
provides support to Ministers, the Accounting Officer (AO) and other senior
officials in directing the business of the LAA and is ultimately responsible
for advising the AO on the strategic direction of the LAA. The Board’s focus is
advising on issues affecting performance, the LAA’s digital capability and
processes, and the operational implications of MoJ policy proposals.
We are keen to
increase the diversity of our staff and the membership of the Board. One of the
LAA’s strategic objectives is to “become a truly diverse and inclusive employer
of choice” so that we are representative of the society we serve. We welcome
applications from people from all backgrounds.
This is an exciting opportunity to join the LAA Board as we embark upon
a period of transformation to modernise legal aid and its delivery to reduce
bureaucracy, simplify processes and improve the service to our users. If you
believe that you have the experience and qualities that we are seeking, we hope
that you will consider applying for this important position.
Nick Campsie, Legal Aid Agency Board Chair and Lead NEBM
Jane Harbottle, Chief Executive Officer of the Legal Aid Agency
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/legal-aid-agency
How to Apply
In order to apply you will need to provide:
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;
A supporting statement
setting out how you meet
the criteria for appointment, as set out in the person specification for the
role;
Information relating to any outside interests or
reputational issues;
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;
Disability Confident
- please state if you want
to be considered for the disability confident scheme;
Reasonable adjustments
- requests for reasonable
adjustments that you would like to the application process (if applicable);
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 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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Eligibility
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
alex.bennett@justice.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
.
Equality & 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 and this is an important part of the
Government’s levelling up agenda.
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 an executive search agency and the government department
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.
Seven Principles of Public Life
The Seven Principles of public life apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder, more information can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-7-principles-of-public-life
Code of conduct for Board Members
Please click here to read our standards expected from those on boards of government departments, non-ministerial departments, executive agencies, NDPBs, and national public corporations:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-conduct-for-board-members-of-public-bodies
Management of outside interests
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 details can be found
here.