Non-Executive Board Member and Chair of Audit & Risk Assurance Committee

Government Legal Department; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Part time

Job summary

A UK governmental legal department is seeking a qualified individual to serve as a Non-Executive Board Member and Chair of the Audit & Risk Assurance Committee. This role requires strategic thinking and extensive experience in governance and financial management. The ideal candidate will be instrumental in guiding the department through significant transformations and ensuring effective oversight. Diverse applicants are encouraged to apply.

Qualifications

• Extensive senior level experience of governance, finance, audit, and risk management.
• Proven track record of leading high-performing organizations through transformation.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee for effective governance.
• Advise government in crucial legal matters.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Governance

Financial management

Audit and risk management

Leadership

Education

Qualified accountant

Job description

Overview

Employer: Government Legal Department

Role: Non-Executive Board Member and Chair of Audit & Risk Assurance Committee

Remuneration: £17,000 per annum for a time commitment of circa 15 days per annum (+/- 5 days).

Location: Primarily London HQ but some travel including to regional offices in Bristol, Leeds and Salford-Manchester may be required

Closing Date: 12 noon Monday 27 October 2025

About GLD

Much more than law

The Government Legal Department (GLD) is the largest provider of legal services across government, working with all the main Civil Service departments. We are a non-Ministerial department sponsored by the Attorney General’s Office / the Law Officers for England and Wales.

Our core mission is as simple as it is profound: we help the Government to govern well, within the rule of law. To do that we provide legal services in relation to matters of the highest importance to the UK, including expert advisory, litigation, commercial and employment law services; and advising on Ministers’ policy, giving effect to it through secondary legislation we draft on their behalf and instructing Parliamentary Counsel to draft Bills which we take through Parliament to Royal Assent.

GLD is a vibrant, dynamic, and diverse community of lawyers and wider professionals. The Department has over 3,000 employees, around 2,000 of whom are solicitors or barristers. We have advisory teams working at the very highest levels of government as the primary legal advisers for Ministers and senior officials on significant issues of the day. Our expert legal teams operate at the cutting edge of contemporary legal practice and are acclaimed across the profession for their expertise, regularly winning and being shortlisted for awards including those presented by the Bar Council, The Lawyer, and the Financial Times.

As Civil Servants, we are steeped in the values and culture of the UK Civil Service and dedicated to the finest traditions of public service, as seen in our involvement with major inquiries (e.g., UK Covid-19 Inquiry, Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Infected Blood Inquiry). Our vision is to be an outstanding legal organisation committed to the highest standards of service and professionalism. We are at a pivotal moment as we refresh our strategy to tackle future challenges in line with the government reform programme.

We are a unique legal organisation, combining the practice of law with the running of a government department and we want to make sure that GLD is a brilliant place to work, where we can all thrive and fulfil our potential.

What we are looking for

We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced Non-Executive Director to join us as a Non-Executive Board Member and Chair of our Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (a sub-committee of the GLD Board). The ideal candidate will be a qualified accountant, inherently strategic, with extensive senior level experience of governance, finance, audit, and risk management. They will also bring a proven track record of leading a high-performing organisation through extensive transformation where technological change was a key factor.

We invite you to join us in our crucially important work of upholding the law, advising Government, and serving the nation.

Diversity: Government Legal Department welcome applications from individuals representing as broad a range of views and backgrounds. Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to an effective, modern Civil Service that delivers policies and services for all of our citizens.