Ministry of Defence. UKHO Chair

Transcription

1 Ministry of Defence UKHO Chair Candidate Brief January 2014 The closing date for applications is 14 February

2 Contents About the Organisation 3 About the Role 5 Person Specification 7 Terms & Conditions 8 Recruitment Process 9 How to Apply 10 Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form 11 Guaranteed Interview Scheme Declaration (if applicable)

3 About the Organisation The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has been charting the world s oceans and coastlines for over 200 years. UKHO s primary activity, as a Trading Fund of the Ministry of Defence, is the provision of navigational products and services to the Royal Navy and merchant marine sector in compliance with Safety of Life At Sea (SOLAS) regulations. In providing hydrographic products and services to commercial customers, it meets its obligation to deliver a financial return to the tax payer. As a Trading Fund the UKHO has been incredibly successful. Its Admiralty brand is world-renowned and recognised across the globe as a symbol of excellence and quality. The UKHO takes great pride in serving its principal Government customer, the Royal Navy, and in meeting its obligations under the Safety of Life at Sea regulations. Its navigational products and services help safeguard millions of mariners as they plan and execute voyages anywhere in the world. The Admiralty portfolio covers the globe and comprises a mix of paper and digital offerings including: 3,300 Standard Navigational (paper) Charts; Electronic Navigation (digital) Charts; 260 Navigational Publications; and a world-leading, and expanding, range of digital products and services. This portfolio is channelled through 115 appointed Admiralty distributors who offer seamless coverage and one-stop shop purchase and support to maritime end-users. As well as more 'traditional' products, the UKHO offers additional services such as hydrographic consultancy, cartography training and Law of the Sea advice to governments and commercial customers. The UKHO has government to government agreements for data supply with over 80 other hydrographic offices. In an increasingly competitive environment and with its distributors channel consolidating, UKHO is in a period of unprecedented change. It has very healthy finances and a significant slice of income continues to be generated by the sale of paper charts to merchant shipping, in fact around 70% of merchant shipping uses Admiralty charts. But this is changing as more and more shipping moves to digital technology on the bridge and UKHO faces increasing commercial challenge to market share and margins in the very competitive digital chart marketplace. UKHO therefore has to adapt to meet this challenge by changing its products and methods of distribution and bringing about a transformational shift in its production processes and culture. Maritime navigation is undergoing a huge change with the ongoing shift from paper charts to digital technology as the primary means of navigation. UKHO plays a pivotal role in making this transition a success by developing and marketing new products and services such as its extensive portfolio of electronic chart services. It offers AVCS (Admiralty Vector Chart Service) which provides a global electronic chart product that is a present market leader and has developed the Admiralty e-navigator service, with a Business-to-Business (B2B) component and an end-user planning station functionality that will bring together and revolutionise the take-up of electronic navigation. Based in Taunton in the South West of England, the UKHO employs over 1,000 people across a range of specialisations including chart compilation and production, navigational textual editing and publishing, physical oceanography, geodesy and law of the sea. It also employs staff in finance, marketing, customer services, human resources and information technology. More information on the UKHO can be found at its website, Business Challenges facing UKHO The core business of the UKHO - that of paper charts and publications - continues to flourish and to grow. The future for nautical charts is digital and the UKHO has seen growth in its digital sales albeit starting from a low base. The challenge over the next few years is for the UKHO to move from a business that is predominately paper based to create the best digital navigational service to the merchant marine by using the knowledge and expertise of everyone at Taunton. It aims to achieve this goal by evolving the organisation from being product-led to a highly customer focussed, market

4 led business. This will require a culture change in working practices which must be achieved whilst maintaining current obligations to customers and delivering what they need. There will be acceleration in the move towards digital amongst the UKHO s customers and significant change is anticipated in regulatory requirements. All of which present a business opportunity for UKHO but in an increasingly fierce international and competitive market. The Owner As a Trading Fund of the MOD, UKHO is wholly owned by the UK government. The responsible Minister for UKHO is the Minister (Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans) who fulfils the ownership role and is formally responsible for the appointment of the UKHO Board Chair. For day to day matters, the MOD Deputy Director Finance for Head Office and Corporate Services who is also a Non-Executive Director on the UKHO Board acts as the Owner s representative and interface with the UKHO Chair. The Chair s formal interaction with the Minister is through the UKHO Owner s Council which currently meets twice a year. The Council is chaired by the Minister and includes other senior MOD and other government department stakeholders as well as commercial shipping advice

5 About the Role The Chair is the lead non-executive director and responsible to the Owner for the efficient functioning of the Board; the role ensures that an effective framework for corporate governance is in place within the trading fund in accordance with the organisation s Framework Document. This includes ensuring that there is an effective process for scrutinising business strategy, plans and performance. The Chair will be expected to work up to 40 days a year. The Chair has a key personal role in ensuring that the non-executive Directors act to protect the interests of the Owner and reinforce the principles of accountability which apply to organisations within the public sector. In addition to ensuring the non-executive provides challenge and scrutiny to the executive. The Chair is also expected to be a source of personal advice and support on business issues to the Chief Executive (and other Executives as necessary) in a guiding and mentoring role. The Chief Executive UKHO is the Accounting Officer for UKHO and answerable to Parliament for financial integrity; he retains a direct line of reporting to the Owner. As a result, the role of Chair is not precisely analogous to that in the private sector, although on a day-to-day basis there are similarities. Responsibilities The main responsibilities of the Chair are: Leading the UKHO Board and ensuring the effective discharge of its duties, including working with the Board to provide challenge and support to the Executive to develop strategy and Corporate/Business plans and constructively scrutinise performance against them; Ensuring that the Ministerial Owner receives full and timely advice on the organisation s business performance, progress against plans and the future development of the Corporate Plan; Taking a lead role with the Ministerial Owner and Chief Executive in reviewing the composition of the Board and in the selection of Executive and non-executive Directors; Regularly reviewing the performance of the Board as a leadership team and the contribution of non-executive Directors identifying ways in which individuals can develop and contribute to the organisation; Acting as a source of advice and guidance to the Chief Executive. It is the Chair s responsibility to organise and chair Board meetings, including determining their frequency and agenda, and to ensure that all non-executive Directors are effective in the support and challenge they provide to the executive team. The Chair is additionally responsible for ensuring that UKHO sub-board committees (Remuneration, Nomination and Audit) are properly constituted and operate effectively. The Chair is responsible for ensuring constructive relations between executive and non-executive Directors. The Chair is expected to discharge these responsibilities through personal example and leadership. The UKHO Board The UKHO board currently comprises: An independent non-executive Chair The Chief Executive National Hydrographer and Deputy Chief Executive (Hydrography) (a serving Rear Admiral) Commercial Director being re-styled as Chief Commercial Officer and Deputy Chief Executive (Commercial) Chief Finance Officer Hydrographer of the Navy (a serving Captain RN) who fulfils the role of a NED - 5 -

6 Two external independent non-executive Directors A senior Civil Servant who is directly appointed as a non-executive Director by the MOD A Trade Union Representative The other Senior Executives on the Chief Executive s top team (Head of Corporate Services and HR, Head of Operations and Chief Information Officer) attend Board meetings for specific agenda items as required. The MOD takes a close and pro-active interest in the performance management of all its trading funds. The Chair is expected to work closely with senior MOD officials particularly the Deputy Director Finance Head Office and Corporate Services in discharging his/her responsibilities within the delegations set out in the UKHO Framework Document. The Chair will play an active role in advising and supporting the Owner in reviewing and revising the Framework Document to ensure that its provisions continue to provide clear and effective direction on all governance matters. The Chair is a member of the UKHO Owner s Council and would be a member of the selection panel if the need arose to appoint a new Chief Executive. The Chair may also be asked to be a member of the selection panel for other senior appointments

7 Person Specification It is essential that you provide evidence and proven examples in your application against each of the selection criteria under Part One below in so far as you are able to. These responses will be further developed and discussed with those candidates invited for interview, together with the criteria listed in Part Two. Knowledge and Experience Essential Criteria: An outstanding record of leadership and influencing at the highest level preferably in a complex and commercially focused organisation in the private sector; Experience of working as a Non-Executive Director and providing a challenging and supportive role to the Chief Executive and the Executive Board; A strong track record of delivery at board level, ideally in areas of customer focus, financial management and strategic leadership; Experience of effective corporate governance, risk management and strategic planning in a large complex organisation; Excellent interpersonal skills and experience of effectively developing and managing relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders. Desirable Criteria: Experience of data-centric business and/or the maritime sector would be valuable; Understanding of the role of the Non-Executive Chair within a public sector body; Knowledge of the corporate governance frameworks and accountability requirements that apply in the public sector

8 Terms and Conditions Term of appointment The appointment will initially be for a term of 3 years subject to an annual review of performance against an agreed set of objectives. The appointment may be extended for a further 3 years subject to satisfactory performance and mutual agreement. The appointment will be on a fee earner basis and nothing in any agreement shall be construed as forming or intending to form a contract of employment between the Chair and the department. Remuneration The remuneration for the post will be 28,000 per annum. Time Commitment The role of the Chair is expected to take up to 40 days a year. A little more time may be required in the first few months for familiarization. Location UKHO s HQ is in Taunton, Somerset. The board meetings are held in Taunton and London. Nationality As this is a Reserved Post the appointee will need to be a British Citizen. If successful you will have to undergo security vetting as a condition of employment Conflicts of Interest If you or any partner has any actual or potential conflict of interest with the activities of UKHO or the Ministry of Defence more widely, this should be declared clearly in the application. Any indirect association of this kind through any other family member or partnership should also be disclosed. Guaranteed Interview Scheme MOD operates a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled people, as defined in the Equality Act 2010, who meet the essential criteria for this appointment as outlined in the person specification. Applicants who wish to apply for consideration under the scheme are asked to state this in their letter of application. The selection panel, working to the standards required by the Civil Service Commission, will assess applications on merit and will employ open and transparent processes in determining candidates most suitable for this appointment. Equal opportunities The MOD is committed to equal opportunities for all. We value and welcome diversity. We aim to develop all our staff to enable them to make a full contribution to meeting the MOD s objectives, and to fulfil their own potential on merit. We will not tolerate harassment or other unfair discrimination on grounds of sex, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, disability, age, religion or sexual orientation. We will promote and support the use of a range of flexible working patterns to enable staff to balance home and work responsibilities, and we will treat people fairly irrespective of their working arrangements. Whilst this is role is an appointment and not an employment we will treat all applications fairly and equally and would expect a successful appointee to uphold MoD values. Under the Equality Act 2010 we are legally required to consider making reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged in the recruitment and selection process. We are therefore committed to meeting, wherever possible, any needs you specify in your application. We will also consider any reasonable adjustments under the terms of the Act to enable any applicant with a disability (as defined under the Act) to meet the requirements of the post

9 Recruitment Process The selection panel will comprise of Jonathan Slater, Director General Transformation, MOD; Adam Thynne, Executive Director of Shareholder Executive, BIS; Heather Tayler, Deputy Director Finance, Head Office and Corporate Services, MOD; and Rear Admiral Duncan Potts, Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Naval Capability). Whilst not regulated by the Office of the Commissioner of Public Appointments, this appointment is being made in accordance with the Code of Practice and guidance of the Office of the Commissioner of Public Appointments (OCPA). If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Code and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact Sarah Clarke at MOD ( or sarah.clarke726@mod.uk) in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Office of the Commissioner of Public Appointments (OCPA) at publicappointments@csc.gsi.gov.uk. The Selection Process The recruitment process is being aided on behalf of the Ministry of Defence by Veredus. The deadline for receipt of applications is 5pm on Friday, 14 February All applications will be acknowledged. Please see the timetable below for indicative dates: Closing Date 5pm, Friday 14 February 2014 Preliminary Interviews w/c 3 March 2014 Informal meetings with a key stakeholder and w/c 10 March 2014 visits to UKHO HQ in Taunton Final Panel Interviews w/c 17 March 2014 These dates are accurate at the time of writing but may be subject to change. If, for any reason, dates have to be changed candidates will be informed in good time. The Ministry of Defence reserves the right to make any offer of appointment conditional upon references and satisfactory conclusion of security enquiries. The appointment process for the role of Chair will include an interview with Veredus consultants, the opportunity for an informal 1:1 meeting with key stakeholders, an opportunity to visit UKHO, Taunton and a final interview by a panel including senior Ministry of Defence officials. The final interview is due to take place in London w/c 17 March The provision of false or misleading information by a candidate who is appointed will be grounds for termination without notice

10 How to Apply The UKHO has appointed Veredus, an executive search agency, to advise on this appointment. Please your application to quoting reference number Your application should include: A full CV with your education and professional qualifications and a full employment history. Please include in your CV details of budgets and staff managed as well as highlighting any achievements relevant to the person specification above and latest remuneration which will be treated in confidence; A covering letter briefly describing your suitability for the role clearly evidencing your experience set against both the essential and desirable criteria in the candidate specification. An initial sift of applications is made against these criteria and a failure to address any or all may affect your application; and A completed equal opportunities monitoring questionnaire (to be found at the back of this information pack). This will be treated confidentially and will not affect your application in any way. Data Protection We take our responsibilities under the Data Protection Act seriously. Any data about you will be held in secure conditions with access restricted to those who need it in connection with dealing with your application and the selection process. Data may be used for the purposes of monitoring the effectiveness of the recruitment process but in these circumstances all data will be kept anonymous. The ethnic monitoring form is to be used for monitoring the selection process only. If you do not wish to have these details recorded please return the form uncompleted. If you are unsuccessful, personal data relating to your application will be destroyed after 12 months. If you are successful, data will be passed to your new employer s personnel team. If you have questions: If you have any questions or wish to discuss the role or the process further, please call our advising consultants Nataliya Starik-Bludova on or James Greengrass on The closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday, 14 February

11 EQUAL OPPORTUNITES MONITORING FORM The information requested on this form is for monitoring purposes only. The Ministry of Defence is an equal opportunities employer and your completion of this form will allow us to monitor our performance in attracting a diverse and representative workforce. GENDER INFORMATION Male Female ADVERTISEMENT RESPONSE INFORMATION Please indicate how you came to be aware of this vacancy ETHNIC ORIGIN INFORMATION The purpose of this questionnaire is to establish racial/ethnic origin rather than place of birth. Please tick the box which most accurately reflects your ethnic origin. If, however, you feel that none of the categories listed describes you, please use the final box. Asian of Bangladeshi origin of Chinese origin of Pakistani origin of East African origin of Indian origin of other origin Black of African origin of Caribbean origin of other origin White Do you belong to some other group or groups? Please specify. DISABILITY INFORMATION Please complete this section whether or not you consider yourself to have a disability Do you have a disability? Yes No If you have a disability, how would you classify it? Multiple disability Hearing (eg deaf, hard of hearing) Visual (eg partially sighted, blind) Speech (eg communicate without speech, speech impairment) Mobility (eg severe back problems, use of wheelchair) Manual Dexterity (eg arthritis) Respiratory/Heart (eg emphysema) Learning Difficulty (eg dyslexia) Mental Illness (eg depression, severe stress) Other (eg epilepsy, diabetes). Please specify. Thank you for completing this form. Please return it with your application

12 GUARANTEED INTERVIEW SCHEME DECLARATION The Ministry of Defence is a user of the Employment Service Disability Symbol Positive About Disabled People. We offer a Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS) for all disabled candidates. All disabled candidates will be offered an interview - provided they meet the essential criteria for the job as set out elsewhere in this Information Pack. To be eligible, your disability must be within the definition laid down in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 i.e. you must have: The Impairment must have substantial adverse effects on your normal day-to-day activities These substantial adverse effects must be long term (ie, lasting or expected to last longer than 12 months) Do you consider yourself to have such a disability? YES / NO If you are in doubt as to whether the impairment you have qualifies you under the GIS, please describe the nature of the disability below: If you wish to claim a Guaranteed Interview on the basis of your disability, please sign below: Signed: Date: Any false declaration of disability to obtain an interview will cause your application to be terminated, or will invalidate your contract of employment