National Air Traffic Services Partnership

£51310 per annum /2 days per month

Overview

NATS is a world leader in the provision of air navigation services, minimising air traffic delays for our customers while maintaining safety as our top priority and with a clear focus on efficiency. The NATS Group of companies comprises NATS Holdings Ltd and three main subsidiaries – NATS (En Route) plc, NATS (Services) Ltd and NATS Ltd.

NATS provides economically regulated Air Traffic Control (ATC) services to aircraft flying in airspace over the UK and the eastern part of the North Atlantic, and commercial services at 14 UK airports. It also provides other ATC and related services to airport, airline and government customers in the UK and overseas.

NATS purpose

• Advancing aviation, keeping the skies safe.

NATS’ 2040 strategic objectives

• We are relied on by every airspace user;
• We are carbon negative;
• We deliver an additional £500m pa revenue; and
• We are a top 25 company to work for.

In 2023/24 NATS declared a pre-tax profit of £372m which included deferred regulatory revenues relating to the Covid period. The NR23[1] settlement for NERL, which we received during the year, has provided a solid baseline for our business particularly given that NERL is able to recover the costs incurred in providing an ATC service through the Covid period. As allowed for by NERL’s regulatory regime, these costs will be recovered over a 10 year period.

A copy of the latest annual report as well as all recent press and financial statements can be found at the NATS website (www.nats.co.uk).

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in the NED role on the Board of NATS Holdings Limited (“NATS”).

This is an important time for the Department for Transport. We are investing heavily in infrastructure and public transport to improve journeys, boost connections, level up the country and support economic growth. Central to our mission is delivering transport that works for everyone in our society.

We are recruiting for a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee to join the Board of NATS.

NATS Holdings, formerly known as National Air Traffic Services, is the UK’s leading provider of air traffic control services, handling 2.2 million flights and 250 million passengers in UK airspace each year. In addition to providing services to 15 UK airports, and managing all upper airspace in the UK, NATS provides services around the world spanning Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America.

The Government owns 49% of the group and we are looking for a Non-Executive Director (known as Partnership Directors) to join the Board. Specifically, we seek a candidate with a HR background or otherwise an individual with a significant employee engagement track record, ideally having served with/or on a renumeration committee. This document contains information about the role and requirements.

This position will contribute significantly to employee relations discussions and executive remuneration. You will lead the Employee Share Trust, representing a 5% staff shareholding in NATS, and take a key role as Chair of the Remuneration Committee. This role is central to maintaining a positive working relationship with trade unions and fostering a supportive workplace.

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 may 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 NATS, 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

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security)

NATS Holdings Board

The Board of NATS Holdings Ltd is the company’s primary decision-making forum and is responsible for guiding NATS through its major strategic and operational challenges.  The Board thus needs to be of the highest quality, incorporating the experience, capabilities, business knowledge and energy necessary to continue NATS’ successful development. It currently consists of:

Non-Executive Chair: Warren East

Chief Executive: Martin Rolfe

Finance Director: Alistair Borthwick

Non-Executive Directors:

Airline Group appointed

• Mike Campbell
• Gavin Merchant
• Harry Bush
• Bart Prudon
• Louise Street

LHR Airport Ltd appointed

• Ross Baker

Government appointed

• Greg Bagwell
• David Smith
• Maria Antoniou

The Board normally meets bi-monthly on the last Thursday of the month, with an additional meeting in June each year to approve the Annual Reports and Accounts of Group companies.

• Experience of working with a senior leadership team to offer support and challenge holding them to account for effective delivery.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication with the ability to build and maintain complex partnerships, working collaboratively to deliver strategic objectives.
• Have a good understanding of large and complex organisations operating in a regulated or analogous environment.
• Be an experienced People and Talent leader or have substantial relevant background with key skills in driving HR strategy, culture change and employee engagement. Experience of having worked in a unionised environment would be helpful, as would experience of having served with/on a remuneration committee.