About the job

Job summary

Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) employs approximately 220 people across 2 offices in London and Edinburgh, and generates around £25 million of fee income. It is headed by the Government Actuary, Fiona Dunsire.  To find out more about the department, watch this Introduction to the Government Actuary's Department.

 Our mission is to improve the stewardship of public sector finances by supporting effective decision-making and robust financial reporting through actuarial analysis, modelling, and advice.

GAD applies the actuarial profession's technical skills, consultancy discipline, high standards of professionalism and industry sector knowledge to help solve financial challenges faced by the UK public sector, helping our clients to understand and analyse financial risk and uncertainty for a wide range of contemporary issues.

Job description

As a Non-Executive Director, you will provide expert advice based on your extensive knowledge and experience and bring valuable external perspective to the department. You will bring oversight, support, and constructive challenge to the work of GAD and its Board.

You may also be involved in working groups or offer advice and support to individual directors, in addition to ad hoc pieces of work across the department.

You will contribute to the development of GAD through:

• Attending Board meetings (currently 8 a year) and quarterly Audit and Risk Committee meetings. Meetings are primarily in-person;
• Participating in up to two Management and Leadership Away Days per year;
• Providing an external perspective to the Government Actuary and Executive team on the strategic direction of the GADs work;
• Applying oversight to the Government Actuary and Executive team in managing the organisation, and delivery of strategic vision
• Playing a key role in representing the Board and GAD in communications with key stakeholders and acting as an ambassador for GAD outside of the organisation;
• Undertaking occasional specific tasks such as assisting with the recruitment of senior management and providing support to senior management.

Person specification

GAD is looking for a person with the following criteria:

Essential

• A track record of experience at Board Director level, gained in executive or non-executive capacities, with the ability to shape corporate long-term vision and strategy.
• A strategic and analytical mindset with excellent leading, influencing and communication skills, combined with an ability to offer constructive challenges to the senior leaders.
• Demonstrable senior level experience in overseeing significant change and transformation programmes from inception to completion, including the development of clear strategies to aid business development and performance through innovation. 
• Experience of scrutinising financial management, performance, and risk management of an organisation from the corporate Board standpoint.
• Strong communication and relationship/client management skills, and the ability to represent GAD externally with authority, as needed.
• Sound understanding of the environment in which the public sector operates, with a demonstrable commitment to the seven principles of conduct in public life.

Desirable

• Commercial experience of organisations providing consulting or professional specialist services.
• IT and digital transformation experience resulting in improved service delivery for customers/clients.
• Chairing skills or the aptitude to develop these skills.

The appointment would suit a candidate with experience at Board level within the private and/ or public sector or, alternatively, as a senior consultant preferably with experience dealing with the public sector.

Benefits

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Application deadline: 1200 hrs on 08 July 2024
Shortlisting: w/c 08 July 2024
Interviews: 24 July 2024 and 26 July 2024
Interview location: In office - London, E14 4PU

How to apply

It is essential in your supporting statement that you provide evidence and proven examples of how you meet the requirements.

• A CV (maximum 2 pages) setting out your career history, responsibilities, and achievements.

• A supporting statement (maximum 2 sides) highlighting your suitability and setting out how you meet the person specification. The supporting statement is an important part of your application and will be assessed along with your CV.

• Diversity monitoring forms and Disability, Conflicts and Political Questionnaire*

 

*Please note, as part of the recruitment process, due diligence reviews will be undertaken, this will include the review of social media that will be taken on candidates as they progress through the appointment process.

 

Please email completed documents to recruitment@gad.gov.uk by 12:00 Midday on 8 July 2024

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.