CAA Non-Executive Member

Information Pack

March 2015

Contents

About the CAA…………………………………………………………..Page 3

Context for this role………………………………………………………Page 4

Person Specification…………………………………………………….Page 5

Job Description…………………………………………………………..Page 6

Terms and Conditions…………………………………………………..Page 7

How to Apply……………………………………………………………..Page 8

The Recruitment Process……………………………………………….Page 9

About the CAA

Why does the CAA exist?

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) exists to protect consumers and the broader public in its dealing with the whole range of aviation activities.

Our activities are guided by five strategic objectives:

  • To enhance aviation safety performance by pursuing targeted and continuous improvements in systems, culture, processes and people.
  • To improve choice and value for aviation consumers now and in the future, by promoting competitive markets, contributing to consumers’ ability to make informed decisions and protecting them where appropriate.
  • To improve environmental performance through more effective use of airspace and make an efficient contribution to reducing the aviation industry’s environmental impacts.
  • To ensure that civil aviation entities operating in the UK maintain security arrangements which effectively manage risk to operations and to the public, in ways which comply with European and UK aviation security requirements.
  • To ensure that the CAA is an efficient and effective organisation, which meets Better Regulation principles and gives value for money.

We are a public corporation, established by Parliament in 1972 as an independent specialist aviation regulator. The UK Government requires that our costs are fully covered by charges to those we provide a service to or regulate.

Context for this role

Aviation affects our lives in many important ways. It provides opportunities for people to visit friends and family in other parts of the world and to holiday in an increasingly wide range of destinations. Businesses benefit from the ease with which people and cargo can move around the world. Aviation is a popular recreational and small-to-medium sized business activity plus a key enabler of economic growth.

The public expects aviation to be safe. They want an aviation industry that offers choice and value, and treats them fairly. They want to know that the environmental impacts of aviation – in terms of climate change, emissions, noise and air quality - are minimised as far as possible.

The UK aviation industry remains dynamic and competitive and international comparisons show that UK consumers are well served in terms of the choice available to them. The UK also has one of the best aviation safety records in the world.

The sector is however, facing many challenges. From global airlines and busy airports at one end of the spectrum, to individual recreational pilots and small businesses at the other, the sector is facing pressures from the economic turbulence, global competition, environmental challenges, and the need to maintain the sector’s excellent safety record in the face of an increasingly complex, capacity constrained and rapidly changing total aviation system.

The CAA’s regulation is required to keep pace with changes in this fast moving industry and to do so within an interdependent, international network. This means making sure we identify the key risks facing consumers and the wider public and that we tackle these risks in a proportionate way. We also have an extensive programme to be more efficient: to modernise the way we manage and carry out our activities and the way we interact with the industry we regulate. We will be investing in new processes and systems. And we must make sure we have the right people with the right skills available, and that we motivate those people in a period of change.

Above all, we are committed to ensuring that the interests of consumers and the public are at the heart of all that we do.

For more information about the CAA, including the latest corporate reports, please visit

For more information about the Department for Transport, please visit

Person Specification

Background and Experience

1.High level executive or non-executive Board experience in either the private or public sector.

2.Experience of working at a senior level in some or all of the following will be required having regard to the need to achieve an overall balance of skills and experience amongst the Non-executive Members.

  • A safety critical organisation
  • Consumer focussed industry
  • Central Government
  • International experience (e.g. EU)
  • The aviation industry
  • A major regulator or regulated organisation
  • Leading change in complex organisations
  • Policymaking in a relevant area e.g. environmental
  • Finance
  • Security management

Skills and Qualities

1.A high level of understanding of, or interest in, the context of regulation.

2.Ability to inspire trust and confidence and demonstrate authority, integrity, commitment and the highest ethical standards.

3.Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to challenge effectively and constructively.

4.Ability to make sound, open and impartial decisions and to employ complex problem solving, analysis and evaluation skills.

5.Awareness of political and/or economic issues and ability to operate effectively in an environment that can be politically and legally sensitive.

6.Commitment to display the CAA’s values. (Clarity, Integrity, Respect, Collaboration, Learning, Energy.)

Job Description

Job Purpose

Non-executive Members of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), are appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport and report to the CAA Chair. The role is to provide independent challenge to the executive team and to offer a fresh perspective on the CAA Board’s deliberations. In addition, Non-Executive Members ensure that:

  • the CAA remains focussed on delivering its strategic objectives whilst effectively discharging its statutory and governance duties.
  • there is appropriate oversight, governance and leadership of the CAA, which allows it to make appropriate and robust decisions.
  • the CAA fosters a culture of continuous improvement and performance management.
  • the CAA keeps the interests of the consumer and the public as its key focus.
  • the interests of a wide range of stakeholders are properly considered.

Accountabilities

1.Provide soundadvice to the Chair and Chief Executive.

2.Work as a Board to set strategic direction for the CAA.

3.Provide constructive challenge to ensure that policies and proposals developed by the CAA contribute towards the CAA’s strategic objectives.

4.Participate in governance committees as agreed with the Chair.

5.Participate in ad-hoc panels, as agreed with the Chair, covering appeals against regulatory decisions and specific topics that arise from time to time (for example NATS Related Risk View).

6.Collectively ensure that decisions made by the Board follow proper procedures and are supported by sufficient high quality information.

7.Support the executive team in their leadership of the CAA.

8.Promote the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in support of the CAA’s values: Clarity, Integrity, Respect, Collaboration, Learning, Energy.

9.Ensure that the CAA discharges its statutory duties lawfully, taking account of directions or guidance issued by Government.

10.Ensure high standards of corporate governance and financial management and control are observed at all times, including establishing appropriate terms of reference for the committees required by the UK Corporate Governance Code.

11.Promote the highest standards of propriety and regulatory practice, ensuring that better regulation principles are embedded and that the CAA makes efficient and effective use of its resources, and delivers value for money.

12.Scrutinise the performance of the CAA in meeting agreed goals and objectives and monitor the reporting of performance information.

13.Ensure the integrity of financial information and that financial and operational controls and systems of risk management are robust and defensible.

14.Maintain appropriate links to the DfT as part of effectively discharging the duties and responsibilities of an NED.

Terms and Conditions

CAA non-executive Members(NEMs)are appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport according to the Code set out by the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA -

Appointments are for a fixed term, usually 4 years initially.

The role will require a time commitment of 1 day per week on average for which a salary of £22,000 p.a.will apply. Non-executive Members are also sometimes required to sit on panel hearings, which will be reimbursed at an additional day rate of £430.

Salary and day rate payments are paid via the CAA payroll with tax and national insurance deductions made at source via the PAYE system.

Reasonable travelling expenses incurred when onCAA Business at any location necessary to conduct NEM duties will be reimbursed according to the CAA’s Travel and Related Expenses Policy for NEMs. (Acopy of the policy is available separately.) Any personal tax liability this kind of expensegenerates on the part of the NEM is met by theCAA.

NEMs are required to uphold the standards of conduct set out in the Seven Principles of Public Life defined by the Committee on Standards In Public Life (appended to the OCPA Code).

NEMs are expected to avoid situations in which duties and private interests conflict or could give rise to a suspicion of conflict. NEMs are required at appointmentto disclose interests of potential conflictto the Secretary of State through the provision of certain information to the Department for Transport, copied to the CAA Chair, Dame Deirdre Hutton. Thereafter, if any relevant interests arise, NEMs should notify the Department for Transport and theCAA Chair. Should a particular matter give rise to a conflict of interest, NEMs should inform the CAA Chair. NEMs arealso expected toensure that any gifts and hospitality they acceptcan stand up to public scrutiny, including scrutiny of their reasons for accepting the gift or hospitality, the appropriateness of the level of the gift or hospitality or the reasons why that gift or hospitality might have been offered. NEMs are required to ensure that gifts and hospitality are properly recorded in the appropriate hospitality register or registers.

Political activity is no bar in itself to appointment. However, candidates should declare to the CAA Chair any significant political activity (which includes holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or being considered as or standing as a candidature for election) which they have undertaken in the last 5 years. This information for those selected for interview will be provided to the interviewpanel; otherwise the information will not be disclosed to anyone. Details of the declared political activity of any successful candidate will be published by the Department for Transport when the appointment is publicised.

The Civil Aviation Act 2012 does not require the Secretary of State to give notice for the termination of appointments in specified exceptional circumstances. Should the Secretary of State consider it necessary to terminate an appointment in circumstances other than those set out in the Act, the NEM willbe given 6 months written notice. Should a NEM wish to resign their office at any time, they may do so byinforming the Secretary of State in writing andgiving 3 months notice.

How to Apply

For all applications we require:

  • A comprehensive CV
  • A supporting statement that fully addresses the appointment criteria
  • Equality Monitoring Questionnaire
  • Advertising source (e.g. Sunday Times Online or Public Appointments website)

The closing date for applications is 30 April

Please email your application documents and Equality Monitoring Questionnaire to ensuring that you quote the appropriate reference number for the role clearly on your application.

Reference Number: CAA/NEM/02/15

Equalities monitoring

As part of the application process we ask candidates to complete the Equality Monitoring Questionnaire available from the Public Appointments website.

How the equalities monitoring data will be used

CAA and DfT are committed to equality and diversity in its workforce. We are committed to a policy of equality of opportunity for employment and advancement. To help us implement and monitor this policy and to find out if it is working we need to have certain details about those who apply to join us.

The questionnaire will be separated form your application and the information you give will not be shared with those involved in the selection process unless you declare that you have a disability and require reasonable adjustments to be made to the recruitment process. Other than that, your answers will only be used for the purposes of finding out if our Equality and Diversity policy is working.

The information on this form is strictly confidential and the related data will be used for planning and development purposes as mentioned above. Access to any related files will be compliant with the Data Protection Act 1988.

The Recruitment Process

All applications will be acknowledged by email. A selection panel will meet to consider applications. All candidates will be advised whether they have been selected for preliminary interview.

The selection panel willagree the short-list and candidates will be informed of the results. For those going forward there will be a formal panel interview to be held in London and the opportunity beforehand for one to one discussions with the Chair of the CAA, Dame Deirdre Hutton. Those selected for formal interview will be notified in advance the names of those on the interview panel.

Green Park are assisting with the recruitment process. They are an organisation specialising in executive selection in the public and private sectors, including the selection and appointment of non-executives. Their role will be to advise the CAA and the DfT on the suitability of candidates and to manage the process of interviewing and selection on behalf of the CAA. If you wish to speak to Green Park about anything in relation to this recruitment process or the progress of your application please contact them on the number below.

Please see the timetable below for indicative, potentialdates.

Closing Date / 30 April 2015
Long-list decision / 22 May 2015
Short-list decision / 5 June 2015
Final interviews / w/c15 June 2015

Queries

If you have any queries about any aspect of the appointment process, need additional information or wish to have an informal discussion, please contact Roger Russell at Green Park on020 7399 4304 or email

Complaints

If you feel your application has not been treated appropriately and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact:

Debbie Riley

Head of Departmental Resourcing Group

DfT Group HR Operations

The Innovation Facility

Richard Ley Development Centre

Upper Fforest Way

Swansea Vale

SA7 0AN

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