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Head of Corporate Governance

Job details
Posting date: 12 September 2024
Salary: £64,660 to £72,665 per year
Hours: Full time
Closing date: 25 September 2024
Location: EH8 8FT
Company: Government Recruitment Service
Job type: Permanent
Job reference: 368969/2

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Summary

Background: The UK Space Agency:

The UK Space Agency (UKSA) is an executive agency of the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) and provides technical advice on the government’s space strategy, supporting the UK space sector to deliver the government’s vision.

Space is a part of everyday life. Satellites underpin our national economy, from agriculture and banking to aviation and shipping, and support our national security. Space science provides critical data to understand and address global challenges such as climate change, while missions to explore our solar system unite nations and advance humanity’s horizons.

We support a thriving space sector in the UK, which generates an annual income of £16.5 billion and employs 47,000 people across the country.

Through our portfolio of programmes and projects, we encourage the development of national space capabilities and are an early-stage investor in space research and development. We also promote the UK space sector’s interests and achievements; make connections to join up industry and academia; and represent the UK in international space programmes.

We have a powerful global voice, partnering with institutions across the world, including the European Space Agency.

More information about the Agency is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-space-agency

To discover more please watch this film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbZZ-o0IkVU

Our Inclusive Environment

We have an inclusive culture to make UK Space Agency a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.

We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.

We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion.

Job Purpose

This post will lead the Agency’s new Corporate Governance Team, ensuring the right systems and information are in place and working well, so that Agency leaders can direct, manage and drive improvements to a high-performing programme of work which complies with internal policies and controls.

Following an organisational restructure, this new team will for the first time unite a range of related activities, to effectively and efficiently plan, direct and report on Agency activities, manage its risks, and ensure compliance with relevant standards and controls. Their primary responsibilities include:

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership

  • Lead a team of 8, with direct line management of 5, building commitment to a shared vision and sense of purpose.
  • Drive excellence across the team and embed a positive, inclusive and empowering culture fostering development and innovation.
  • Develop the team’s expertise and network across UK Space Agency’s activities, and wider space policy and delivery.
  • As part of the Agency Leadership Group, help to set UK Space Agency’s direction, improve its delivery and create a great place to work.
  • Drive continuous improvement in UK Space Agency’s governance framework, helping staff value and comply with lean processes – by leading delivery of the following responsibilities:

Corporate governance and secretariat

  • Assure UK Space Agency’s senior leadership that the Agency has a robust governance framework, in line with its framework document.
  • Develop and implement corporate governance policies and procedures, in line with best practice and regulatory requirements, including the Corporate Governance Code.
  • Maintain strong internal governance controls, through clearly articulated delegations of authority and escalation processes.
  • Maintain the Agency’s register of interests, ensuring conflicts are appropriately recorded and managed.
  • Ensure the Agency meets transparency standards, by publishing governance information and data as required.
  • Manage UK Space Agency’s most senior governance boards, ensuring clear terms of reference and the right tempo, agenda and information to make effective decisions. Ensure decisions are recorded and actions executed.
  • Provide close and effective liaison between the UK Space Agency, DSIT Sponsorship Team and DSIT Partnerships Team.

Corporate planning

  • Set and annually update a Corporate Plan that aligns resources to strategic goals, and defines key milestones and indicators.
  • Ensure the plan is affordable and achievable, through rigorous data analysis and strategic consideration of trade-offs.
  • Ensure in-year changes to the plan are recorded, to maintain an up-to-date record of Agency resources and activities.

Corporate performance

  • Coordinate reporting to UK Space Agency’s governance boards on its operations and delivery, ensuring lean processes and accurate, timely and clearly presented data.
  • Develop corporate metrics that enable senior leaders and staff to what success looks like and account for their results.
  • Provide in-depth analysis of reports, to offer senior leaders insight and recommendations that drive improvements.
  • Produce and publish the Agency’s Annual Report and Accounts, in line with relevant standards.

Risk management

  • Design and implement UK Space Agency’s risk management framework, ensuring it helps UK Space Agency to balance its opportunities and risks, and complies with relevant standards including the Orange Book.
  • Ensure UK Space Agency’s risk policy and appetite statement are up to date, well understood by staff, and guide effective decision-making.
  • Through regular in-depth reviews, ensure UK Space Agency’s key risks and issues are understood, and mitigations are in place and effective.
  • Oversee the effective management of the Agency’s corporate risks, regularly reporting to the Agency’s Executive Committee and Audit and Risk Assurance Committee.
  • Use insights from risk management to advise senior leaders on delivery challenges and opportunities to improve performance.

Assurance

  • Assure UK Space Agency’s risk management, regularly reporting to the Executive Committee and Audit and Risk Assurance Committee.
  • Ensure UK Space Agency’s assurance framework defines robust and proportionate measures and controls, informed by its risk appetite and relevant standards including the Orange Book.
  • Work with subject matter experts to ensure internal controls are well understood, monitor compliance, and drive improvements.

Internal audit

  • Manage UK Space Agency’s relationship with the GIAA, helping to build GIAA understanding of UK Space Agency’s work and wider operating context.
  • Ensure the GIAA’s annual audit programme supports the Agency to drive continuous improvements across its activities.
  • Ensure audit reports are delivered to time, and action plans to meet GIAA recommendations are produced and executed.

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