Candidates For This Role Must Have the Following Experience:
- Have been or is a Non-Executive Director, with significant experience of taking a retail customer-centric approach to development and delivery of products and services, gained in financial services.
- Demonstrable experience of working in the UK financial services market and knowledge of UK financial services regulatory regime.
- Be a professionally qualified accountant and have previous audit and risk committee experience.
Demonstrate the Following Key Competencies:
- Independence and impartiality, including an ability to question or challenge the NS&I Executive, using and applying their experience from elsewhere, and to challenge constructively the existing way of doing things.
- Business strategy skills, including an ability to interpret business and management information to determine business performance and development, an ability to simplify and focus on big issues, and an ability to understand and appreciate the impact of transformational change that has already taken place within NS&I and to support the continuing need for change.
- Influencing and communicating skills, including an ability to develop an effective, inclusive, and constructive relationship with the CEO, other executives and NEDs and other key external influencers. Ability to manage a board effectively including meeting management.
Desirable Experience:
- Direct experience of the public sector is desirable but not required.
Seven Principles of Public Life and Ensuring Public Confidence
Given the nature of public appointments, it is important that those appointed as members of public bodies maintain the confidence of Parliament and the public. If there are any issues in your personal or professional history that could, if you were appointed, be misconstrued, cause embarrassment, or cause public confidence in the appointment to be jeopardised, it is important that you bring them to the attention of the Assessment Panel and provide details of the issue/s in your covering letter. In considering whether you wish to declare any issues, you should also reflect on any public statements you have made, including through social media. The panel may explore any issues with you before they make a recommendation on the appointment. Failure to disclose such information could result in an appointment either not being made or being terminated.
“[Board members] should be open
as possible about all the decisions and
actions they take.”
Principles of Public Life
Non-executive Directors are required to uphold the seven principles of public life:
Selflessness
To act solely in terms of the public interest, not to gain financial or other benefits for themselves, their family or friends.
Integrity
Not to place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their duties as a Non-executive Director of National Savings and Investments (NS&I).
Objectivity
In carrying out business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, Non-executive Directors should make choices on merit.
Accountability
Accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their appointment.
Openness
Should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest demands.
Honesty
A duty to declare any private interests relating to their duties as a Non-executive Director of the Board and to take steps to resolve any conflicts.
Leadership
Promote and support these principles by leadership and example.