British Business Bank, Non-Executive Director

British Business Bank, Non-Executive Director

Applicants pack

September 2017

This applicant pack can be provided in other formats upon request. Please email or telephone +44 (0) 203 405 6910.

VACANCY DESCRIPTION

The Organisation:

Having grown and enjoyed significant success over the last three years, the British Business Bank (BBB) seeks to build on this momentum with the appointment of a new Independent Non- Executive Director.

Independently managed but government owned, BBB’s remit is to ensure that the finance markets best serve the needs of SMEs (small and medium enterprises). By increasing the finance options open to this sector, they ensure a more dynamic market.

Smaller businesses are an important part of the UK economy accounting for around 60% of private sector employment and almost half of private sector turnover. In enabling smaller businesses to fulfil their growth ambitions, the Bank makes a significant difference to overall UK productivity and economic growth.

The Bank leverages its relationship with other financial institutions enabling businesses to apply for finance through these partners. Because of their involvement with BBB, financial institutions can lend and invest more, especially to younger and faster growing companies.

In total, BBB works through more than one hundred finance partners unlocking up to £10 billion of new finance. In this way, it helps smaller businesses get the funding they need to start, grow and prosper.

By the start of 2017, BBB successfully moved from start-up to delivery phase, scaling up its programmes and broadening its support for smaller businesses across the UK. This progress has been achieved against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving political and economic climate.

Non-Executive Director:

The long-term success and the strategy of BBB is the collective responsibility of the Board, in consultation with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Matters reserved for the Board include the strategic direction of the business, significant investments, group policies, terms of reference of all committees, risk appetite, determining appropriate levels of remunerations for the executive directors, remuneration policy and appointments to the Board and its committees including Audit, Remuneration, Risk and Nominations. The new appointee will sit on at least one committee.

Board members promote the highest standards of corporate governance with the personal credibility and presence to engage, as needed, with Ministers and senior Government and business stakeholders. This is a collaborative Board with a constructive approach and a strong belief in the Bank’s mission.

Whilst all Board members should possess the appropriate balance of skills, experience and independence to discharge their duties and responsibilities, as part of the next phase of growth, the Bank, seeks to bring different skills to the Board. An area of real interest is the appointment of a Non-Executive Director who brings insight into the concerns of SMEs derived from having practical entrepreneurial experience in building and developing a business. Adding these complementary skills would enhance the Board.

The new Non-Executive Director will:

•Contribute to setting, monitoring and challenging the strategic direction of the Bank, by assisting in developing key strategic objectives, overseeing the achievement of those objectives and challenging the on-going appropriateness of those objectives

•Contribute to open and honest debate at Board meetings and provide constructive challenge to the executive decisions, adding diversity of thought and industry experience to the Board

•Promote the long-term success of the Bank and ensure the accountability of the Bank, scrutinising the performance of management in meeting agreed goals and objectives, and monitoring the reporting of performance

•Uphold high standards of integrity and probity and support the Chairman and executive directors by seeking to instil the appropriate culture, values and behaviours in the boardroom and beyond.

•Commit sufficient time and resource to fulfil all functional responsibilities and continually develop personal capabilities to do so.

The Board is committed to ensuring that the diversity of its membership reflects the organisation. All appointments are based on merit, with equal regard for the diversity of contribution, experience and required skills, regardless of gender or disability.

The Role:

The Bank seeks to recruit a new Non-Executive Director who can add real value as it moves to the next phase of its development.

It is important that the new appointee both understands and is aligned to the mission of the Bank appreciating the legal and regulatory parameters within which it operates.

Whilst the Bank has operational independence, government ownership brings particular responsibilities both in terms of managing the relationship with the government as a stakeholder, but also in the governance aspects of utilising taxpayers’ money. Candidates will need to navigate these issues being comfortable and confident in developing and managing relationships with key stakeholders.

The new appointee will possess integrity, honesty, trustworthiness, discretion and have high ethical standards. As a critical friend, they will bring out the best in the Executive team.

Above all, they will be excited about the public mission of the Bank and the opportunity to make a real difference to the make-up of the Board and the future of this important organisation.

Suitable skills and experience include:

• Being able to speak from direct experience of founding, growing and selling an SME(s), possibly a serial entrepreneur with experience in accessing external finance to start, grow and develop a business

• A good understanding of how financial markets work, in particular, at small and early stage investment

• Managing relationships at Board level with some Board and/or NED experience

• Experience in a digitally enabled business with an understanding of digital marketing and communications within disruptive business models

• Independence of thought with an ability to challenge in a constructive and effective way in a collaborative and collegiate context

• Intellectual rigour with sound business acumen and the ability to discuss issues both laterally and strategically

• Broad business and commercial experience as a principal, not an advisor.

Terms of Appointment:

Location: London and Sheffield

Time Commitment: at least 20 days per annum

Compensation: £25,000 per annum plus reasonable expenses

HOW TO APPLY

The closing date for applications is 12:00 Noon on 13th October 2017.

Information on the timetable for this campaigncan be found here:

british-business-bank-non-executive-director/

Late applications will not be accepted.

Please submit the following documents by email to

• A Covering Letter including why you are interested in the role and what you could contribute to the Board
• A CV
• Candidates Application form
• Diversity Monitoring form

Please ensure that you include “British Business Bank, Non-Executive Director” in the subject box. Alternatively, you can send your application in hard copy to:

This address should be address to Audeliss, WEWork, 3 Waterhouse Square, 138 Holborn, London EC1N 2SN

Applications will be acknowledged upon receipt.

CANDIDATE APPLICATION FORM

Position you are applying for: British Business Bank Non-Executive Director

Your details

Title:

Forename(s):

Surname(s):

Address for correspondence:

Preferred contact number:

Email address:

How did you find out about this vacancy? Please highlight.

• UK Government Portal (known as Centre for Public Appointments website)
• Online Media (please specify which):
• Audeliss Limited
• Personal Network, Personal Introduction or Professional Networks (please specify):
• Other (please specify which):

References

Please give below the name and contact details of two people who may be asked to act as referees for you. They will be expected to have authoritative and personal knowledge of your professional achievements/competencies. The referees will be approached only if you are invited for interview

Referee 1

Name:

In what capacity and over what time period has the individual known you?:

Telephone number:

Email address:

Referee 2

Name:

In what capacity and over what time period has the individual known you?:

Telephone number:

Email address

Declaration of any public appointments held

Is this your first public appointment?

☐Yes

☐No

For other public appointments currently held please state:

• Body:
• Government Department sponsor:
• Term of appointment:
• Remuneration:

POTENTIAL OR ACTUAL 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.

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).

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’.

[Space here to detail any conflicts of interest]

POLITICAL ACTIVITY DECLARATION

Below will be made available to the panel if you are called for interview.

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:

Party/Parties:

☐held office

☐public speaking

☐stood for election

☐made donations to a party. If so, please state how much:

☐any other political activity. If so, please specify the activity:

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 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:

CONSENT TO RECEIVE INFORMATION ON OTHER PUBLIC APPOINTMENTS

All Public Appointments are advertised on the Cabinet Office’s Public Appointments website and the Public Appointments Twitter feed @publicappts

The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Centre for Public Appointments would like to keep your CV 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.

Please mark if you consent to this: ☐

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.

Applications are welcome from all, but we particularly encourage applications from women, people from an ethnic minority, people with disabilities and other underrepresented groups. Both UK nationals and international candidates are encouraged to apply.

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:

THE SEVEN PRINCIPLE 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.

Leadership - Holders of Public Office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

© Crown copyright 2016

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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
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BEIS/17/JUN

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