Departmental Audit and Risk Assurance Committee: Non-Executive Members

The committee plays a key role in supporting the wider Departmental Board and generally meets five times a year. Its purpose is to provide an independent view as to the appropriateness, adequacy, and overall value for money of the governance, risk, control, and associated assurance processes that are in place in DWP. It does this by:

• Reviewing the comprehensiveness of assurances on governance, risk management and the control environment in meeting the Board and Accounting Officer’s assurance needs.
• Reviewing the reliability and integrity of these assurances.
• Reviewing the integrity of the financial statements; and
• Advising the Board and Accounting Officer about how well assurances support them in decision-taking and in discharging their accountability obligations.

New committee members will have the expertise, skills, and ambition to contribute to DWP’s continuing development. They will report to the Chair of DARAC, who will report back to Departmental Board, which is chaired by the Secretary of State. They must also have a high level of integrity (including when dealing with confidential or sensitive issues) and be committed to the seven principles of conduct in public life (http://www.public-standards.gov.uk/about-us/what-we-do/the-seven-principles).

Key Responsibilities

• To act as an independent advisor, challenging the department on its audit and risk management processes.
• To advise on the adequacy and efficacy of governance, risk, control, and related assurance processes.
• To make recommendations to the senior team on potential risks and vulnerabilities and support the department to improve.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions, and child maintenance policy. As the UK’s biggest public service department, DWP administers the State Pension and a range of working age, disability, and ill health benefits to around 20 million claimants and customers.

We are responsible for:

• helping people to move into work and supporting those already in work to progress, with the aim of increasing overall workforce participation
• helping people to plan and save for later life, while providing a safety net for those who need it now
• providing effective, efficient, and innovative services to the millions of claimants who rely on us every day, including the most vulnerable in society
• improving their experience of our services while maximising value for money for the taxpayer

Our priorities, set by the Secretary of State, are to:

• maximise employment, reduce economic inactivity and support the progression of those in work
• provide financial support to people who are entitled to it
• enable disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay and succeed in work, and get financial support
• support financial resilience in later life

To make sure that we are well placed to achieve these, we will continue to deliver high quality services, work on reducing fraud and continue to ensure value for money for the taxpayer.

Read the DWP Annual Report and Accounts 2022 to 2023 to find out more about how we are delivering against our objectives.

Expertise in one or more of the following:

• Accounting and audit in a large, complex environment
• Cyber security and information governance
• Management of risk frameworks
• Delivery of large IT transformation projects
• Management of large organisations that are directly customer facing
  • Excellent analytical and intellectual capability, with the ability to analyse and assimilate complex information/policy proposals and reach sound strategic judgements.
  • Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to conduct and develop diverse partner relationships at all levels while providing constructive challenge.
  • Ability to bring a fresh, external view to decision making.
  • Experience of best practice approaches to Audit and Risk Management in a range of private, public or third sector organisations.