£25,000 per annum 60 days/year
About the appointment
Introduction from the Minister
Dear Applicant,
Thank you for your interest in being a non-executive director on the Board of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
This is an important time for the Department for Transport. We are prioritising investments in infrastructure and public transport to improve journeys, enhance connectivity, drive economic growth, and ensure a fairer distribution of opportunities across the country. Our mission is delivering a transport system that works for everyone, fostering equality and inclusivity in every community.
We are recruiting for two non-executive directors to join our team on the Board of the CAA. The CAA is the United Kingdom’s independent aviation and aerospace regulator for airspace, consumer rights, economic regulation, safety, security compliance and spaceflight. Further details about the CAA are in its 2023-24 Annual Report.
Of the two positions one requires accounting expertise and will chair the Audit & Risk Committee and the other requires up to date professional experience of aviation safety. Appointees will contribute to the CAA’s direction by providing constructive challenge to the CAA’s executive team to help ensure the CAA delivers its strategic objectives, drawing on consumer experience where appropriate, and taking part in a programme to engage with specific stakeholders to increase the CAA’s visibility.
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 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 the CAA, I would like to encourage you to apply.
Our dedicated DfT Public Appointments Team would be happy to talk through the process and answer your questions.
Mike Kane MP
Aviation, Maritime & Security Minister
Introduction from the Chair
Message from Sir Stephen Hillier, Chair of the CAA
The Civil Aviation Authority has a vital public service role, promoting the safety, security, and consumer interests of those who fly, whilst also protecting those on the ground underneath. We also have a vital role in enabling the air and space aerospace sectors, helping ensure that the UK continues to be a global leader in aerospace.
These are exciting but exceptionally challenging times: we need to ensure that the existing air and space sector continues to be safe, secure and effective; we must chart a course to environmentally sustainable aviation; we need to modernise UK airspace; we need to ensure that UK aerospace continues to thrive, nationally and internationally, outside the EU; we need to create the right environment for new technologies, including through our role as the UK’s space regulator; we need to do much more to promote innovation, STEM, and diversity in aerospace; and we must constantly do more and better for consumers, not least those with accessibility needs.
We also must ensure that the CAA’s People Strategy delivers to this ambitious agenda, combined with first-rate corporate governance and the right organisational design.
The CAA Board ensures that we maintain excellence in our day-to-day responsibilities, whilst setting our organisation for the future. Our non-executive directors are at the heart of the Board’s work, providing vital insight, guidance, challenge and support, drawing on their experiences from a wide variety of sectors and organisations. In recruiting two new non-executive directors to the Board, I’m excited by the opportunity to be able to work with great individuals who will give us the skills, experience, and diversity that the Board needs to define and deliver the CAA of the future. I very much look forward to meeting you.
Sir Stephen Hillier
Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority
Additional introductions
Message from Katherine Corich, CAA Non-Executive Director
I was appointed as a CAA non-executive director in July 2019 and became the CAA’s Senior Independent Director in July 2024. My motivation lay in a desire to contribute to the fast-paced aerospace industry at a time of great challenge and opportunity. As a board member I am able to contribute my governance skills in aviation, safety, technology, and business transformation. Innovation in aviation is accelerating in areas such as automated flight, sustainable aviation, space and more. It’s a truly exciting and important time to make a difference.
The CAA is a vibrant, diverse learning organisation with an exceptional culture. Our people embrace innovation, while ensuring safety, security and consumer protection remain at the forefront of everything we do.
As a non-executive director, we play a key governance role and offer healthy challenges in areas such as performance-based regulation of airports, airlines, and airspace. In addition to the regular board responsibilities, I belong to the Audit & Risk, and People Committees, and the Safety Leadership Group. I am also a member of the board of CAAi, the international arm of the CAA.
Katherine Corich
Civil Aviation Authority, Non-Executive Director / Senior Independent Director
Appointment description
The CAA is seeking non-executive Board Members to join its Board. The successful candidates, through their membership of the Board, will provide challenge and support to a wide variety of management and operational issues and contribute to the effective strategic and operational leadership of the CAA.
As a non-executive Board member your key responsibilities will be to:
Be an active and fully engaged member of the CAA Board, ensuring that the CAA maintains excellence in its vital day-to-day responsibilities, whilst also setting the organisation for the future.
- Provide independent and constructive oversight, challenge and, where appropriate, assurance to the work of the CAA, to help ensure that the CAA delivers its strategic objectives and retains the trust and confidence of all its stakeholders, including consumers.
- Contribute effectively to discussions on the leadership and performance of the business at the CAA Board and non-executive meetings.
- Engage with stakeholders to increase Board and NED internal and external visibility.
- Participate in CAA Regulation 6 review panels when requested.
Organisation description
The CAA is the UK’s civil aviation and space regulator. Recognised as a world leader in its field, the CAA is at the cutting edge of the exciting and ever-changing aviation environment. Never standing still, the CAA’s work includes activities such as:
- Managing safety and security risks, safeguarding passengers and the general public;
- Driving world class change;
- Minimising the environmental impact of aviation on local communities;
- Running the ATOL holiday financial protection scheme; and
- Helping innovators to deliver the future of aviation.
Thanks to the efforts of the CAA’s organisation and its people, consumers are safe, secure and have choice, value for money and protection when they fly. As part of the CAA’s team, you could help to deliver this vision and be part of something great. In return, you can expect to feel welcome and to have your voice heard.
The CAA is a public corporation, established by Parliament in 1972 as an independent aviation regulator. The UK Government normally requires that the costs are fully covered by charges to those to whom the CAA provides a service or regulates.
The CAA values are:
- Respect everyone.
- Do the right thing.
- Build collaborative relationships.
- Never stop learning.
Regulation of appointment
Person specification
Essential criteria
Essential criteria – Role 1 Audit & Risk:
A1. Professional accounting qualification – Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) or equivalent.
A2. Experience in preparing or assuring complex annual accounts so as to be able to chair the Audit & Risk Committee.
A3. Significant financial audit experience in a commercial environment.
A4. In-depth knowledge of risk management frameworks, internal controls, evaluating risk mitigation strategies, and ensuring alignment with the organisation’s risk appetite.
A5. An understanding of economic regulation gained in an environment of comparable complexity.
Candidates’ suitability for the Audit & Risk role will be assessed against criteria A1-A5 above. Previous experience of the aerospace sector or regulation is not an essential requirement for this role.
Essential criteria – Role 2 Aviation Safety:
S1. A thorough understanding of aerospace safety, from design, production through to operations and maintenance.
S2. Experience of human factors from a design, manufacture, operations and consumer perspective.
S3. Experience of aerodrome, air traffic and airspace safety regulations and impact on all parts of the aviation sector and consumers.
S4. Extensive aviation safety and risk management knowledge.
S5. Understanding of aviation security processes.
Candidates’ suitability for the Aviation Safety role will be assessed against criteria S1-S5 above.