Non Executive Directorships

£500 per day

Vacancy Description

About the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an Executive Agency of Defra, providing services to the Scottish and Welsh Governments, other government departments and a range of other customers.   The Agency currently employs around 2,400 staff at various sites across the UK. The Agency HQ is located in Surrey, though Committee meetings usually take place in London. During the pandemic, all meetings are conducted remotely.

The Agency provides expert evidence and advice to support governments’ decision making and influence policy development; provides high quality laboratory services and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) reference laboratory for a number of animal diseases; carries out surveillance, inspections certification and enforcement activities to ensure the UK has enhanced food security; and maintains an emergency response capability to manage the UK response to pest, plant and animal disease outbreaks.

The structure of the APHA ARAC is agreed with Defra and the APHA Chief Executive. The ARAC is chaired by a Non-Executive Director and currently comprises one other Non-Executive Director, APHA Chief Executive, Finance Director for APHA, APHA Head of Internal Audit, the APHA Risk and Assurance Manager and representatives from the National Audit Office.

The terms of reference for the Committee are attached below.

About the vacancy 

This vacancy is for an Independent Member of the APHA Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC).

The appointment is for a fixed term of up to three years. Thereafter, whilst not automatic, an extension period of up to three years may be granted. Appointments beyond six years will be considered exceptionally.

As a member of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee, the Independent Member will contribute to ensuring that the terms of reference of the Committee are successfully delivered, with particular attention to advising on, scrutiny and constructive challenge of:

The role will largely be carried out at meetings, though occasionally there may be the need to contribute advice outside meetings and/or meet with the Chair of the Committee.

The above list is indicative only and not exhaustive. The Independent Member will be expected to perform all such additional duties as are reasonably commensurate with the role.

The appointment is expected to commence in April 2021.

Person Specification

It is critical that the candidate brings a combination of financial, risk and governance skills, together with diversity of both thought and experience to enable them to fulfil the independence of the role.

Essential Skills and Experience required:

Personal Attributes required:

Desirable Skills and Experience required:

Additional Information

The recruitment process

The closing date for applications is 1 February 2021. We expect to have shortlisted by 15 February 2021, with interviews during March 2021.

It is essential that your statement of suitability gives full but concise information relevant to the appointment, clearly demonstrating how you meet the criteria for the post.

The Advisory Assessment Panel will consist of Alison White as Chair, Kevin Ingram as Panel Member and Nadia Khan as Panel Member. At the shortlist meeting the Panel will assess each application against the criteria in order to decide who to invite for interview.

Interviews are expected to take place by video conference and will last approximately one hour. Further details about the format will be provided to you in advance.

Diversity 

We recognise that existing Board appointees are not fully reflective of diversity in society.  We want APHA Boards to better reflect the users they serve.  That’s why we positively welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

Disability Confident 

We guarantee to interview anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the role. By ‘minimum criteria’ we mean that you must provide evidence in your application which demonstrates that you meet the level of competence required under each of the essential criteria, as well as meeting any of the qualification, skills or experience defined as essential. The Cabinet Office and Defra is committed to the employment and career development of disabled people. If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes where possible. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, please refer to the ‘How to apply’ section below.

If you wish to apply under this scheme, please state this in the covering email or letter when submitting your application.

Reasonable adjustments

If you would like a confidential discussion regarding any reasonable adjustments during the process, please also indicate this in the covering email or letter.

Conflicts of interest and due diligence

If you have any interests that might be relevant to the work of the APHA and which could lead to a real or perceived conflict of interest if you were to be appointed, please provide details in your application.

Given the nature of public appointments, it is important that those appointed as Members of public bodies maintain the confidence of Parliament and the public. If there are any issues in your personal or professional history that could, if you were appointed, be misconstrued, cause embarrassment, or cause public confidence in the appointment to be jeopardised, it is important that you bring them to the attention of the Advisory Assessment Panel and provide details of the issue(s) in your application. In considering whether you wish to declare any issues, you should also reflect on any public statements you have made, including through social media.

As part of our due diligence checks we may consider anything in the public domain related to your conduct or professional capacity. This will include us undertaking searches of previous public statements and social media, blogs or any other publicly available information. This information may be made available to the Advisory Assessment Panel and they may wish to explore issues with you should you be invited to interview. The information may also be shared with ministers and Cabinet Office.

Ineligibility criteria

You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:

• you become bankrupt or make an arrangement with creditors;

• 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;

• you are disqualified from acting as a company director under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986;

• you have been convicted of a criminal offence; the conviction not being spent for the purposes of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (c. 53);

• you become subject to a debt relief order or a bankruptcy restrictions order;

• you fail to declare any conflict of interest.

How to Apply

• A copy of your CV (no more than two sides of A4), with education, professional qualifications and employment history.
• A statement of suitability (of up to 1,000 words or no more than two sides of A4), outlining how you meet the essential criteria for this post and providing specific examples. Please note the closing date for applications is midday 1 February 2021.
• Monitoring Form 1 (Political Activity and Conflict of Interest Questionnaire.)

Your CV and statement should be returned to APHA.CorporateCorrespondance@apha.gov.uk by the closing date: 12.00 (midday) on 1 February 2021 quoting reference APHA-ARAC-0121.

For further information please email: APHA.CorporateCorrespondance@apha.gov.uk or call Krista Rooney on 020 802 69812.

Please let us know if you need a change to be made so that you can make your application or require additional assistance to support you in your application.