Board Secretary and Head of Governance

Government Internal Audit Agency; Leeds, Bristol, Croydon, Birmingham; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A governmental auditing body in the UK seeks an experienced leader to manage governance and risk frameworks, provide strategic guidance to the Board, and build relationships with stakeholders. This role requires substantial experience in corporate governance and strong leadership skills, offering opportunities for career progression within the civil service.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in leading corporate governance within public sector.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with sound judgement.
• Strong experience managing people and fostering inclusive cultures.

Responsibilities

• Lead governance, risk, and assurance frameworks.
• Advise executive team on governance issues.
• Oversee Board meetings and improve effectiveness.
• Lead recruitment and support for non-executives.
• Develop the Agency's risk management policies.

Skills

Leadership

Governance expertise

Diplomacy skills

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Job description

Overview

The Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA) is driven by its unparalleled access across government to build better insights, better outcomes for our clients. This role offers a strong platform for career progression within the Agency and the wider civil service, providing opportunities to develop leadership, partner engagement and strategic relationship management skills across government. The Agency’s unique access across the public sector exposes you to different risk and control environments, allowing you to gain insights, apply experience, contribute meaningfully, and continue developing professionally.

Role Responsibilities

• Leading the development, implementation and continuous improvement of the Agency’s governance, risk and assurance frameworks.
• Advising the Board and Executive team on complex governance issues, providing authoritative guidance on statutory obligations, government requirements and best practice.
• Serving as Board Secretary, overseeing the cyclical programme of Board and Committee meetings ensuring effective agendas, decision recording and forward planning. Identifying opportunities to improve Board effectiveness and embedding high-quality governance practices.
• Ensuring the Board operates within the principles of the Corporate governance code for central government departments.
• Leading on recruitment, training, and ongoing support for non-executive directors.
• Developing, implementing and continuously improving the Agency’s risk management framework and policies. Assessing and prioritising current and emerging risks, providing reports on risk exposures, trends and mitigation across the organisation.
• Planning and overseeing assurance activities to provide evidence of effective management of risk. This includes the annual self‑assessment of compliance with functional standards expectations as well as assurance to the Chief Executive on the effectiveness of the internal control environment.
• Being the functional lead for counter fraud for the Agency with responsibility for developing and implementing the Counter Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Strategy and maintaining the corporate policy and response plan.
• Leading the annual production of the Annual Report and Accounts to ensure it is laid before Parliament in a timely manner and compliant with the Financial Reporting Manual.
• Building and maintaining influential relationships with senior stakeholders in the Agency, particularly with the Executive team and the Board.
• Developing a culture of continuous improvement and initiatives within governance processes, and leading by example in adopting new, innovative and technological practices.

About You

• Substantial experience leading corporate governance functions in a government or public sector setting, including working with Boards, and senior executives on complex governance matters.
• Sound judgement and highly developed diplomacy skills with experience of working with sensitive and confidential information.
• Strong people leadership experience, able to foster a culture with a well‑rounded knowledge of employee relations, resourcing, learning and development, policies and procedures and diversity and inclusion.
• An excellent communicator both in writing and in person who can calibrate style depending on the audience.
• Able to deliver at pace and manage several competing priorities.
• Highly collaborative with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to influence, persuade and communicate with senior stakeholders.