Non Executive Director – Department for Education

The Department for Education is leading delivery of the Government’s Opportunity Mission, seeking to break the link between young people’s background and future success. Working closely with key partners across and beyond government, we will create opportunities for children and learners to achieve and thrive today, so they have the freedom to succeed and flourish tomorrow, strengthening our society, powering our economy and enabling equality.

We also have a key role to play in delivery of the Government’s other missions, including:

• Working with HMT and other departments to ensure a strong skills offer and pathways into work – helping to kick start economic growth
• Developing the skills needed to make Britain a clean energy superpower
• Building opportunities for young people, helping to prevent them falling into crime
• Working with the Department for Health and Social Care to improve child health and develop the skills our NHS needs

The DfE’s Non-Executive Directors are central to supporting the Department in all of this – by providing strong advice and challenge, to me, my ministerial team and senior officials. In doing so, it is vital that the DfE Board is diverse, including in skills, experience and backgrounds. Whether you’re from an underrepresented group, or you have achieved success through non‑traditional education routes, I encourage candidates from all backgrounds and professions to apply for this role.

The DfE is responsible for children’s services and education, including early years, schools, higher and further education policy, apprenticeships and wider skills in England. The DfE Board is chaired by the Secretary of State for Education. The Chair is supported by a Lead Non‑Executive Board Member, Baroness Smith (as Minister for the departmental Board), other Non‑Executive Directors, and senior departmental officials (executives who are senior civil servants).

The departmental Board has three main responsibilities:

• To provide strategic and operational leadership to the department;
• To scrutinise the delivery and performance of policy;
• To challenge the department and its senior officials on how well it is achieving its objectives.

Non‑executive Directors provide independent challenge, scrutiny and support to ministers and departmental executives. To do this, as a Non‑executive Director, you will be expected to:

• Help shape the Department’s strategy by challenging and supporting senior officials and ministers, including through attendance at departmental Board meetings approximately six times per year (in person or via Microsoft Teams).
• Hold the Department to account on strategy, performance and spending, ensuring that the DfE delivers value for taxpayers’ money.
• Meet regularly (with the full NED cohort or individually) with senior departmental officials, acting as a critical friend to the Department and offering insight, support and fresh perspectives.
• Support succession planning, senior official talent management and departmental change as part of the quarterly Nominations Committee.
• Gain an in-depth knowledge of the Department’s work in order to support and challenge departmental leaders through regular meetings with Directors General and other senior officials including Senior Responsible Officers.

A successful applicant will be expected to sit on the DfE Audit and Risk Committee, commit approximately 24 days per year to your role as a Non‑executive Director, and adhere to the key principles of public life (The Nolan Principles). You will be expected to declare any conflicts of interest ahead of and throughout your appointment as a Non‑executive Director.

The Department for Education (DfE) is looking to recruit up to two Non‑Executive Directors to sit on the DfE Board. Candidates should meet the following essential criteria to be suitable for this role:

• Knowledge and understanding of the education, skills and/or children’s social care systems
• Experience and expertise related to our mission to break down barriers to opportunity and create better life chances for all
• Leadership experience in a large and complex organisation (public or private sector), including experience in at least one of the following: Strategic planning, Financial management, Performance management, Risk management
• Or; Experience of holding a large and complex organisation to account for delivery of its mission, values and strategic goals through regularly reviewing performance reports, financial statements and compliance with legal and ethical standards.