Chair Or NEDS Appointment to the Name of Partner Organisation

Met Office, Chair

Applicants pack

September 2017 Vacancy Description

The Organisation:

The Met Office - part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) - is the UK’s National Meteorological Service. Met Office operations are critical to the national resilience, defence and security of the UK. It is recognised as a global leader in weather and climate, based on its reputation for excellence and a brand synonymous with world class science. All of its services are underpinned by cutting edge science, a 24/7 operational capability and resilient delivery infrastructure. It requires an exceptional Chair to maintain and build on this position.

The Met Office is unique in its position of developing cutting edge science and using this to constantly enhance the services that it provides directly to Government and non-Government customers. This, and the critical nature of the services the Met Office delivers, will provide a rewarding and challenging role for the right Chair. The Met Office is independently estimated to deliver around £30billion of value to the UK economy over the next 10 years.

The Met Office has operated as a Trading Fund since 1996, and receives no operational funding directly from Parliament. It needs to be lean and customer focussed, with income generated from commercial and public sector customers. The Met Office is required to generate a profit on its activities and to deliver a dividend to government as its shareholder.

The Met Office plans to embark on an ambitious programme of transformation and efficiency, re-engineering its core infrastructure, business processes, organisational structures and ways of working.

Employing some 2,000 people, principally at its headquarters located in Exeter, the Met Office has 50 other sites throughout the UK and overseas.

Ensuring a Resilient Nation

The mission of the Met Office is to exploit its capabilities to protect life and property, enhance well-being and contribute to economic growth. Weather related hazards are amongst the highest priority risks in the UK National Risk Register.

The Met Office is responsible for delivery of the Public Weather Service contract, ensuring the timely provision of accurate weather forecasts and severe weather warnings crucial to protecting lives, livelihoods and critical national infrastructure. The Met Office also provides national expertise on other key natural hazards such as Volcanic Ash and Space Weather, as well as helping Government respond to Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) hazards.

The Met Office is relied upon by a wide range of government departments, joining up disparate requirements such as defence, climate change, international development, security and transport into a comprehensive national weather and climate capability. For example, providing vital expert advisory services to the defence community – guiding planning, ensuring safe operations, informing advanced R&D and, critically, providing a tactical edge.

The Met Office Hadley Centre is consistently rated amongst the top climate research institutes in the world, providing up-to-date, robust and traceable scientific advice to the UK Government on climate variability and change.

A cutting edge for the UK through world leading science

A world leading organisation, the Met Office scientists are at the forefront of the research which underpins all of its services. One of the Met Office’s key aims is to translate this deep science into social and economic benefit. Met Office services support key industries powering the economy, for example oil and gas, nuclear and renewables, and those that keep it moving, for example road, rail and aviation industries.

With Government’s investment in a new super computer, there is an opportunity for the Met Office to deliver a wide range of benefits to the UK, from more accurate local weather forecasts, through to improved predictions of how the climate will change over time, all done at higher speed and greater resolution than before.

Met Office partnerships with academia and international centres of excellence provide a mechanism to bring world leading science and funding to focus on important challenges for the UK. Examples include the Space Weather Partnership with the US and the Natural Hazards Partnership, as well as the wider work of the Met Office Academic Partnership.

International reach

An organisation with global reach, the Met Office has established relationships with over 100 countries through its leadership role in the UN World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and bilateral engagements such as Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) work with China, Brazil, South Africa, Malaysia, Philippines, Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique.

Additional information on the Met Office can be found on the website (http://www.metoffice.gov.uk).

The Opportunity

This is a critical time for the Met Office: the excellence of its science underpins an increasingly wide array of government, defence, research and commercial activities around the world, while its new super computer gives the organisation the potential to produce more accurate, nuanced insight into weather and climate predictions, at greater pace. Working with an expert executive leadership team, this gives an in- coming Chair the distinctive opportunity to lead the Board of an outstanding national asset to even greater future impact. Role Description

The Met Office Chair is appointed by the Secretary of State for BEIS, and will be responsible for advising the Minister on the organisation’s overall direction and performance. The role of Chair is pivotal and demands effective strategic leadership of the Board and the ability to speak on its behalf.

The Chair will work closely with the full-time Chief Executive, who is also the Met Office’s Accounting Officer. The Chair has particular responsibility for providing first- rate strategic leadership on matters including:

 Leading the Board by facilitating a high standard of discussion and debate, allow- ing it to steer the Met Office through collective working. The Chair must ensure systems are in place to provide Board members with appropriate support and the timely, relevant information required for them to perform their role.

 Leading the Board to support and challenge the Executive Team in setting the strategic direction of the organisation, including advising on organisational targets and priorities. This will include holding the Executive Team to account for deliver- ing the Met Office’s Corporate Plan and a major Transformation and Efficiency Programme.

 Bringing top-level commercial and strategic insight to the table, and using this to challenge and support the Executive Team to ultimately enhance the organisation’s performance as a whole.

 Leading on the appointment, induction, and assessment of non-Executive Board Members to ensure a strong Board with an effective mix of skills, and being act- ively involved in the appointment (if relevant) and performance assessment of the Chief Executive.

 Ensuring a formal annual evaluation of the Board’s performance and that of its committees and of individual Board members, and that the Met Office fulfils its annual reporting requirements to the highest standards.

 Working in partnership with the Chief Executive as an ambassador for the Met Office, to maintain and enhance its stellar world leading reputation.

 Providing the Minister and BEIS Sponsor with the Board’s perspective on strategic matters and other relevant issues as required. This includes ensuring that the Board takes proper account of guidance provided by the Minister and Secret- ary of State for BEIS.

Person Specification

The Secretary of State is seeking applications from individuals with top-level strategic experience commensurate with the responsibilities and the challenges of the Met Office. Applicants are invited from both public and commercial settings. You will have exceptional insight and experience of leading a board of senior professionals through organisational change and improved efficiency, and a proven track record of ensuring high levels of engagement and performance. Your application will need to demonstrate the following:

 Exceptional track record of risk management, managing and improving organisational performance, and governance at a strategic, and preferably Board, level.  First rate commercial, strategic and analytical skills and judgement and evidence of bringing these to bear at the highest level in similarly complex organisations.  A flair for thinking innovatively, challenging the norm and supporting a culture of organisational and behavioural change.  An ability to build relationships with executive colleagues and a clear understand- ing of the role of the executive versus that of non-executive.  An excellent communicator to drive effective teamwork, challenge constructively and show diplomacy and independence with national and international stakehold- ers at all levels, including Ministers and Members of Parliament.

Essential experience:

 Previous experience as a Non-Executive Director or Chair of a substantial company or organisation.

Desirable experience:

 Previous experience as a Chair of a substantial company or organisation.  Senior (preferably Board) level experience of oversight and implementation of transformational change programmes at the organisational level – preferably in- volving IT and workforce elements.  Senior (preferably Board) level experience in organisations that rely heavily upon using cutting edge research and development to deliver their objectives and/or services.

Terms of Appointment:

The Met Office chair will typically be expected to work around 27 days but up to 36 days per year, receiving an annual remuneration package of £35,000 per annum, plus reasonable expenses. The Chair will be appointed for a term of 3 years and will be required to attend Board meetings in Exeter and London.

The Chair must demonstrate a high standard of corporate and personal conduct and should particularly note the requirement to declare any conflict of interest that arises in the course of the office’s operations and the need to declare any relevant business interests, positions of authority or other connections with commercial, public or voluntary bodies. These will be published in the annual report with details of all Board Members' remuneration from BEIS sources.

BEIS is committed to providing equal opportunities for all, irrespective of race, age, disability, gender, marital status, religion, sexual orientation, transgender and working patterns and to the principle of public appointments on merit with independent assessments, openness and transparency of process. BEIS also offers professional training courses on public sector finance and governance for those new to the public sector.

Selection Process:

Closing date: 5th October 2017 Shortlist panel meeting: 16th October 2017 Panel interviews: Currently scheduled for early November Ministerial decision on whom to appoint: Late November Successful candidate takes up post: Late December, further to discussion with appointee

The selection panel membership is planned to be:

 Panel Chair: Kieran Murphy, Chair of Ordnance Survey  Michael Harrison, Director, UK Government Investments  Independent panel member: Perdita Fraser, Member of the Board at Big Lottery Fund

How to Apply

The closing date for applications is 05 October @ 23:00. Late applications will not be accepted.

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on this appointment.

Candidates should apply for this role through the Saxton Bampfylde website at www.saxbam.com/jobs using code TARVA.

Please submit the following documents by email to: [email protected]

 A Covering Letter ☐  A CV ☐  Candidates Application Form ☐  Diversity Monitoring Form ☐

Please ensure that you include “Met Office Chair” in the subject box.

Alternatively you can send your application in hard copy to:

Public Appointments Team, 7th Floor, 1 Victoria Street, London, SW1H OET

Applicant packs can be provided in other formats upon request. Conflicts of Interest

If you or a family member have any personal or business interest or potential conflict of interest with the activities of the Body you will be expected to declare this.

Any conflict will not prevent you going forward to interview, but may be explored with you during the selection process.

You will also be required to uphold the standards of conduct established by the Committee of Standards in Public Life, also known as the Nolan Principles (Please see last page).

Diversity and Equal Opportunities

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is committed to the principle of public appointments on merit with independent assessment, openness and fairness of process and to providing equal opportunities for all.

BEIS works with Government Departments to ensure they have the capacity to attract the widest field of candidates and to make the best possible appointments.

All applicants are asked to complete an anonymised Diversity Monitoring Form used for data gathering information only in order to ensure Departments are recruiting from the widest possible pool.

Making a Complaint

If you feel your application has not been treated fairly and you wish to make a complaint, you should initially send an email to: [email protected]

Candidate Application Form How did you find out about this vacancy?

Declaration of Public Appointments Held

Is this your first public appointment? Yes ☐ No ☐

Other public appointments currently held and any remuneration- please state below:

Body Government Term of Remuneration Department Appointment Sponsor Potential or Actual Conflicts of Interest

Please give details of any business or other interests or any personal connections which, if you were appointed, could present a conflict of interest holding this role. These could include financial interests or share ownership, membership of societies, activities, associations or employment of a partner or friend in the particular field in which the public body operates.

Any potential or actual conflicts of interest detailed here will not prevent you going forward to interview but may, if appropriate, be explored with you during your interview to establish how you would address the issue(s) should you be successful in your application.

If there are no potential conflicts of interest, please write ‘none’.

Data Protection Consent

The Data Protection Act 1998 requires that those providing monitoring information must give their consent to it being used, even though the individuals are not identified.

Please mark the box below with an ‘x’ to show that you give your consent for information you provide to be used, anonymised, for publication of monitoring data.

I provide my consent: ☐

Electronic signature of applicant: Political Activity Questionnaire

Have you undertaken any political activity for a political party in the past five years?

☐ No ☐ Yes

If ‘Yes’, please indicate the activity undertaken and for which party/parties:

☐ held office ☐ public speaking ☐ stood for election

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☐ any other political activity If so, please specify the activity: Click here to enter text.

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Consent to receive information on other appointment opportunities

All Public Appointments are advertised on the Cabinet Office’s Public Appointments website http://publicappointments.cabinetoffice.gov.uk and the Public Appointments Twitter feed @publicappts .

Please tick the box below if you are content for us to share your CV and contact details with the Centre for Public Appointments in the Cabinet Office. The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Centre for Public Appointments will keep this on file and may contact you about other opportunities that may arise in the future. All information will be handled in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Name: Please mark: ☐ The Seven Principles of Public Life

In 1995, the Committee on Standards in Public Life defined seven principles which should underpin the actions of all who serve the public in any way.

Consistent with the Commissioner’s Code of Practice, applicants will be assessed on merit, and all candidates for public appointment will need to uphold the standards of conduct set out in the Seven Principles of Public Life. These will be tested as part of the selection process and the selection Panel must satisfy itself that all candidates for appointments can meet these standards; which are:

Selflessness Holders of Public Office should take decisions solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or other friends.

Integrity Holders of Public Office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might influence them in the performance of their official duties.

Objectivity Carrying out Public Office business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.

Accountability Holders of Public Office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.

Openness Holders of Public Office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.

Honesty Holders of Public Office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.

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Contacts us if you have any enquiries about this publication, including requests for alternative formats, at:

Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy 1 Victoria Street London SW1H 0ET Tel: 020 7215 5000

Email: [email protected]

BEIS/17/JAN