Health and Safety Executive (Hse)

HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE (HSE)

Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
Audit Committee – Additional Independent Member

Contents

About Us: / 3
About The Role / 4
Application Process / 5
Audit Committee Terms of Reference / 6

About the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

HSE is the national regulatory body responsible for promoting the cause of better health and safety at work within Great Britain.

At the Health and Safety Executive our mission is the prevention of death, injury and ill health to those at work and those affected by work activities. Fundamental to the delivery of that mission is the sensible management of risk.

We employ more than 3,500 at almost 40 locations and manage one of the most diverse workforces within the public sector, including technical, professional and managerial staff from a vast array of disciplines.

Our challenge is to deliver those aspects of the Strategy “The Health and Safety of Great Britain\\ Be part of the solution” that fall within HSE’s remit and to build upon past successes while continuing to adapt and change our organisation to be fit for purpose in the present and future.

Further information on HSE can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/index.htm

HSE is seeking to appoint an independent external member to serve on its Audit Committee.

About the Audit Committee

In line with the principles of good governance as laid down by the Treasury, the Audit Committee is set up as a sub committee of the HSE Board. It has an HSE wide remit and exists to provide assurance to the HSE Board on the adequacy and effectiveness of HSE’s systems of governance, risk management and internal control. The Audit Committee Terms of Reference is attached at Annex A.

The Committee is a non-executive committee and has no executive powers, other than those specifically delegated within its Terms of Reference. It has particular engagement with the work of internal audit and HSE’s external auditor (National Audit Office).

The Committee formally reports to the Board after each meeting and ensures it also has effective communications with HSE’s Accounting Officer (the Chief Executive), Internal Audit unit and the National Audit Office and other key stakeholders.

The Audit Committee is currently comprised of 2 non-executive members of the HSE Board, one of whom serves as Chair of the Audit Committee and 2 independent external members.

About the role

The Board wishes to appoint an independent member with a strong background in finance and accounting management to complement the skills and experience of the existing Committee members and to add an additional perspective to the Committee’s oversight.

The successful appointee will be expected to participate fully in the Committee’s business and will be expected to attend each meeting of the Committee, usually at least 4 times per annum, which are normally held at HSE’s offices in Bootle, Merseyside.

An annual time commitment of around 8 days is envisaged which will include preparation for and attendance at meetings, travel and dealing with issues outside meetings by correspondence. A time commitment for induction will also be required.

Person Specification

The preferred candidate will have a high level of strategic financial and accounting awareness and also possess knowledge of effective risk management techniques to support business delivery.

It would be desirable for the successful candidate to have a broad understanding of the public sector environment, particularly in relation to accountability and current major initiatives such as Better Regulation, the Operational Efficiency Programme and data handling initiatives.

In addition, experience in the following areas is being sought:

· Value for Money Assessment;

· Performance Management; and

· Securing maximum value from internal audit resources.

Period of Appointment

Independent members will be appointed for an initial three year period, with the possibility of one renewable term thereafter.

Remuneration

Independent members will receive an annual honorarium of £3,000 plus reasonable travel expenses necessarily incurred in undertaking the role will be reimbursed.

Conflicts of Interest

It is a requirement for the independent member not to have, or acquire, any financial or other personal interest likely to influence the performance of his/her functions of the Audit Committee for the duration of the appointment.

Equal opportunities

HSE is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals regardless of disability, gender, marital status, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, age, working pattern, religion and/or belief.

Application Process

To apply please email your CV and a covering letter setting out how you meet the requirements of the person specification to by Wednesday 16 March 2011.

Interviews will be conducted with shortlisted candidates in London on 18 or 19 April 2011.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact David Whatley, Head of Internal Audit, on 0151 951 4338 or .

Annex A

HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE

AUDIT COMMITTEE

TERMS OF REFERENCE

1. The Audit Committee has been established as a committee of the Board of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Its role is to support the HSE Board on issues of risk, control and governance by reviewing the comprehensiveness of assurances in meeting the Accounting Officer’s assurance needs and reviewing the reliability and integrity of these assurances.

Aims

2. The aims of the Audit Committee are to:

· promote the highest standards of propriety in the use of public funds and encourage accountability for the use of those funds;

· improve the quality of financial reporting and promote a climate of financial discipline and control;

· promote the development of internal control systems, including sensible business risk management; and

· promote value for money within HSE.

Authority

3. The Committee is authorised:

· to investigate any activity within its terms of reference; and

· to seek any information it requires from any HSE employee; all employees should co-operate with any request made by the Audit Committee.

Membership of the Audit Committee

4. The membership shall be:

· a non-executive director from the HSE Board as Chair;

· a non-executive director from the HSE Board as vice chair; and

· a minimum of two independent members.

5. The current membership of the Committee is:

Robin Dahlberg (Chair) Non-Executive Director of HSE

David Gartside Non-Executive Director of HSE

Kash Pandya Independent External Member

Peter Conway Independent External Member

6. The Audit Committee will be provided with a secretariat function by HSE.

Reporting

7. The Audit Committee will formally report in writing to the HSE Board and Accounting Officer after each meeting.

8. The Audit Committee will provide the HSE Board and Accounting Officer with an Annual Report, timed to support the finalisation of the accounts and the Statement of Internal Control, summarising its conclusions from the work it has done during the year.

Responsibilities

9. The Audit Committee will advise the HSE Board and Accounting Officer on the:

· adequacy of the management of governance, risk and control and the Statement on Internal Control;

· assurance over adequacy and appropriateness of governance arrangements;

· accounting policies, the accounts and the annual report of the organisation including the process for review of the accounts before submission for audit, levels of error identified, and HSE’s letter of representation to the external auditors;

· planned activity and results of both internal and external audit including the Internal Audit Strategy, Annual Audit Plans and Annual Report,(including access to individual audit reports where Audit Committee members request such access);

· adequacy of HSE’s response to issues identified by audit activity, including external audit;

· resourcing of Internal Audit;

· Terms of Reference (or equivalent) for Internal Audit;

· adequacy of anti- fraud policies, “whistleblowing” processes and arrangements for special investigations within HSE; and

· Audit Committee will also periodically review its own effectiveness and report the results of that review to the HSE Board.

Meetings

10. The Audit Committee will meet a minimum of four times per annum. The Chair of the Audit Committee may convene additional meetings, as he or she deems necessary;

11. A minimum of two members of the Audit Committee shall be present for the meeting to be quorate.

12. Audit Committee meetings will normally be attended by:

· the Accounting Officer

· the Director, Planning and Finance

· the Head of Internal Audit

· a representative of NAO; and

· a representative of Department of Work and Pensions.

13. The Audit Committee may ask for other HSE officials to attend to assist with discussions on specific issues.

14. The Audit Committee may also ask for regular attendees who are not members to withdraw to facilitate full and frank discussion of particular matters.

15. The HSE Board or Accounting Officer may ask the Audit Committee to hold further meetings to discuss particular issues on which the Committee’s advice is wanted.

Rights

16. The Audit Committee may:

· co-opt additional members for a period not exceeding a year to provide specialist skills, knowledge and experience; and

· procure specialist ad-hoc advice at the expense of the organisation, subject to budgets agreed by the Accounting Officer.

Access

17. The Head of Internal Audit and Assurance and the representative of NAO will have free and confidential access to the Audit Committee Chair.

Information

18. Before each meeting the committee will be provided with:

· a copy of finalised Internal Audit reports and the management response;

· a progress report from the Head of Internal Audit and Assurance summarising:

· progress on plan of work;

· key issues emerging;

· management response to audit recommendations;

· changes to the Annual Plan;

· any resourcing issues affecting delivery of plan;

· a progress report from external audit summarising work done and emerging findings; and

· a report summarising any significant changes in the Corporate Risk Management Plan (CRMP)

19. The Audit Committee will also be provided with (as necessary):

· proposals for changes to its terms of reference;

· proposals for the Terms of Reference of Internal Audit;

· the Head of Internal Audit’s Annual Report and Opinion;

· any quality assurance reports on the Internal Audit function;

· the Internal Audit Strategy;

· the Internal Audit Plan in draft before each operating year;

· the draft accounts;

· the draft Statement on Internal Control;

· a report on any changes to accounting policies;

· External Audit’s Strategy;

· External Audit’s Audit Report ;

· a report on co-operation between Internal and External Audit; and

· a report on any proposals to tender for audit functions

· Annual report and minutes of meeting from HSL Audit Committee

· Regular report on the Operational Efficiency Plan (OEP) or its successors

Complaints Under the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles

The HSE’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the principle of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Principles which can be found at www.civilservicecommissioners.org. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Code and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact . If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from HSE, please contact the Office of the Civil Service Commissioners.