Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements

This is an interesting role for a candidate with the right skills to be responsible for helping to lead this independent body.  Advised by the Executive Team, you will support the Chair to set the organisation’s strategic direction, scrutinise and monitor its ongoing performance while maintaining and ensuring there is appropriate governance in place.

This position will suit a candidate who is interested in playing a part to build the relationship between the UK and European Union, and someone seeking an opportunity which offers both intellectual challenge and stakeholder engagement.

We are keen to enhance the diversity and inclusivity of the IMA and its board so are particularly keen to recruit two non-executive directors with lived experienced of the issues facing EU/EEA citizen in the UK and Gibraltar, those from the independent sector with experience of citizen focused services and those with a communications and stakeholder engagement background.

Non-executive Members: attend several face to face board meetings a year; sit on virtual sub committees and; play a champion role across one of the following areas – Counter Fraud & Whistleblowing, Equality and Diversity, Health and Safety, Sustainability and Welsh Language. Members also attend several ad hoc meetings which relate to annual board effectiveness and individual appraisals.

Currently, IMA Board meetings are held quarterly and take place face to face at our base in Swansea or at other UK capital cities to engage with stakeholders across the devolved administrations.

Board Committee meetings are held virtually via MS Teams.

Locations and frequency of our meetings are currently under review.

The IMA is an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by MoJ.  Following Brexit, the IMA was established by the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 (‘the Act’) and became operational at the end of 2020. The IMA’s primary duties are to monitor and promote the implementation and application of the citizens’ rights parts of the (EU) Withdrawal and (EEA EFTA) Separation Agreements.  Under statutory provision, the IMA has the power to receive complaints, launch inquiries, undertake assurance activity, promote understanding amongst public authorities and initiate legal proceedings. The IMA also has a role in reviewing the effectiveness of the citizens’ rights legislative framework, for instance by reviewing draft legislation. Statute provides that it is important for the IMA to focus on general or systemic failures in the implementation of the citizens’ rights agreements, as well as receiving and investigating individual complaints.

The Secretary of State appoints the Chair and non-executive Members. In making these appointments, under the Act, the Secretary of State must (a) have regard to the desirability of the IMA’s non-executive members between them having knowledge of conditions in the United Kingdom relating to the rights of EU and EEA EFTA citizens living here; and (b) so far as possible, ensure that they include  members who have specific knowledge of citizens’ rights conditions in each of the devolved nations and Gibraltar.

This post is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. For more information, please refer to the Commissioner’s website 

• • Knowledge: a clear understanding of the work, priorities and challenges of the IMA and the context within which it operates.
  • Experience: a strong track record of delivery on significant/ citizens’ rights policy issues within the public or voluntary sectors.
  • Relationship building: ability to build strong stakeholder relationships, informed by probity and integrity, including with Ministers and Senior Government officials and external stakeholders.
  • Communication: strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to listen, accept challenge and constructively challenge others in discussions with clarity and respect.
  • Judgement: effective decision-making skills with the ability to critically analyse a wide range of information to make clear and objective evidence-based recommendations to support the delivery of the organisation’s objectives.
  • Collaboration: ability to work closely with the executive board and other key stakeholders, providing support, constructive challenge and assurance as appropriate.

Applicants should have experience in one or more of the following fields:

• Lived experience as an EU / EEA / EFTA citizen or family member

• Experience of operating within the third sector, ideally in EU/EEA/EFTA or wider citizens’ rights capacity

• An understanding of the rights of EU and EEA EFTA citizens living in the UK and Gibraltar under the Withdrawal Agreement and EEA EFTA Separation Agreement

• Experience of delivering quality customer (citizen) facing public services

• Experience of managing and/or working in public affairs, stakeholder engagement or communications

• Experience of using data and insight approaches to steer strategic delivery of an organisation

• Experience of cyber security and artificial intelligence ways of working

• Experience of working with one or more of the UK governments and/or work across borders and jurisdictions

• Current or Previous experience as a Non-Executive Director in the public sector