Non-Executive Board Member

Location

Wales, South Yorkshire | United Kingdom

Job description

Organisation: HM Land Registry (HMLR)

Sponsor department: Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC)

Role: Non-Executive Board Member

Location: London and at HMLR sites across England and Wales

Remuneration: £20,000 per annum for a minimum of 20 days per year

Terms Length: Successful candidates will be appointed for a period ranging from three years to four years

Introduction 

HM Land Registry (HMLR) is a non-ministerial department and a partner body of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).  UK Government Investments (UKGI) act as an agent of DLUHC, carrying out aspects of the sponsor role and representing the government’s interest in the governance and performance of HMLR as an organisation.  A UKGI employee also sits on the HMLR Board as the nominated non-executive representative of the Secretary of State.

For more than 160 years HMLR has played a key role in the UK’s economic stability and growth. A secure registration system has the benefit of trust, which enables confident investment decisions for all.  We provide essential guarantees for our citizens’ greatest assets, the cornerstone of a vibrant lending market that provides opportunities in all regions of this country.

Land is our nation’s greatest asset and the physical foundation of our lives.  The value of land in England and Wales is estimated at around £8 trillion – more than half the wealth of the nation. In the 2022-23 financial year alone, £260 billion worth of property transactions took place in the UK, and HMLR is at the heart of the conveyancing process.

The property market supports hundreds of thousands of jobs in construction, financial services and legal services, which are spread throughout all regions of the country. HMLR provides statutory and non-statutory services available either through third-party, professional customers or directly to citizens and businesses. These services span the many stages of property ownership, from looking to buy or selling a property, to the entirety of the conveyancing process, to guaranteeing property ownership.

We have ambitious plans to transform our services to make them quicker, simpler and increasingly digital.

The Role

HMLR is seeking up to four outstanding Non-Executive Board Members (NEBMs) to join the Board in 2024 to support the delivery of HMLR’s objectives.  The final Board will comprise the Chair, up to six independent NEBMs, one NEBM appointed by DLUHC as sponsor representative, and three executive directors. Appointees will be asked to serve on HMLR Board sub-committees with possible succession to Chairs of these committees, which currently comprise the Audit and Risk Committee, the Remuneration and Nominations Committee, and the Change Committee.  Following the appointment of the new NEBMs, the Chair will nominate a new Senior Independent Board Member (SIBM).

HMLR intends to promote diversity and inclusion through its refreshed Board to ensure it can bring varied insights and experiences and reflect the changing needs of HMLR and the external environment.

The purpose of the HMLR Board is to support, constructively challenge and provide guidance to the Senior Executive Team, to supervise the development and delivery of the agreed business strategy and to ensure appropriate governance of the activities of HM Land Registry.   Day-to-day management of the business is the responsibility of the Senior Executive Team. As an Independent NEBM on an advisory Board, you are expected to contribute to the work of HMLR in the following areas:

• Constructively challenge and contribute to the development of strategy and business planning, including the setting and development of key objectives and targets.
• Provide independent support, guidance and challenge on the progress and implementation of the business plan.
• Scrutinise the performance of the organisation in meeting agreed goals and objectives, and monitor the reporting of performance, including financial targets.
• Develop and encourage appropriate behaviours and organisational culture to maintain or improve the departmental people strategy, including ethical and directional issues such as diversity and senior jobholder moves.
• Satisfy that governance, internal control and risk management systems are effective and capable of delivering relevant, accurate and timely management and financial information to the Board.
• Support the Board in developing skills and tools to help it engage with strategic issues.
• Connect the Board to people and organisations who can provide different perspectives, opinions and expertise which will assist in furthering the organisation.
• Provide challenge and guidance on HMLR’s operations and services through experience and knowledge of the property market.
• Contribute to the maintenance of an effective Board together with appropriate corporate governance in line with best practice.
• Act as a source of advice and support to the Executive Management Team.

The Candidate 

We are seeking to appoint up-to four Non-Executive Board Members who will provide functional expertise on Finance, Property, Technology and Land Transparency. Therefore, it is essential you can demonstrate one or more of the following;

• Relevant property experience gained either in the property industry in senior leadership roles, with relevant industry connections e.g. with SMEs in the housing market, or senior leadership experience in conveyancing, with a deep understanding of the different legal structures operated in the property market, including trusts.
• Championing transparency ideally in the land space with expertise in data governance, data privacy and data security principles with experience of managing and implementing open data initiatives and enhancing data accessibility with the ability to act as a Board level advocate for open data initiatives.
• Leading complex digital transformation to support improved services to customers as a Non-Executive Director or Executive.
• Relevant professional experience to be able to chair the Audit and Risk committee with;
  • Qualifications as an accountant with a proven track record in strategic financial planning and financial management advising at Board level.
  • An ability to develop strategy at a senior level across all areas of a business, challenge assumptions and decision-making as appropriate and provide financial analysis and guidance on all activities, plans, targets and business drivers.

Regulation of appointment 
This post is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. For more information, please refer to the Commissioner’s website. For further details click Apply, or to have a confidential conversation about the role and your suitability, contact: 

Russell Brandon, Research Lead – Central Government at GatenbySanderson: [email protected]
Rosemary Baylis-West, Principal Consultant – Central Government at GatenbySanderson: [email protected]

Closing Date: 12 noon Thursday 21 st March 2024

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Salary