Lead Non Executive Director – Department Education

The Department for Education is leading delivery of the Government’s Opportunity Mission, seeking to break the link between young people’s background and future success. Working closely with key partners across and beyond government we will create opportunities for children and learners to achieve and thrive today, so they have the freedom to succeed and flourish tomorrow, strengthening our society, powering our economy and enabling equality.

We also have a key role to play in delivery of the Government’s other missions, including:

• Working with HMT and other departments to ensure a strong skills offer and pathways into work – helping to kick start economic growth
• Developing the skills needed to make Britain a clean energy superpower
• Building opportunities for young people, helping to prevent them falling into crime
• Working with the Department for Health and Social Care to improve child health and develop the skills our NHS needs

The DfE’ s Non-Executive Directors are central to supporting the Department in all of this – by providing strong advice and challenge, to me, my ministerial team and senior officials.

In doing so, it is vital that the DfE Board is diverse, including in skills, experience and backgrounds. Whether you’re from an underrepresented group, or you have achieved success through non-traditional education routes, I encourage candidates from all backgrounds and professions to apply for this role.

Thank you for your interest and for taking the time to read through this pack. If you have the skills and experience that we are seeking, I hope that you will apply. It is truly an exciting time to join the Department for Education and help to achieve our missions.

The DfE is responsible for children’s services and education, including early years, schools, higher and further education policy, apprenticeships and wider skills in England. The DfE is leading the delivery of the Opportunity Mission, seeking to break the link between young people’s background and future success; and contributing to all of the Government’s other missions.

The DfE Board is chaired by the Secretary of State for Education. The Chair is supported by a Lead Non-Executive Board Member, Baroness Smith (as Minister for the departmental Board), other Non-Executive Directors, and senior departmental officials (executives who are senior civil servants).

The departmental Board has three main responsibilities: to provide strategic and operational leadership to the department; to scrutinise the delivery and performance of policy; and to challenge the department and its senior officials on how well it is achieving its objectives. You can read more about departmental governance here.

Our governance – Department for Education –  ()

Non-executive Directors provide independent challenge, scrutiny and support to ministers and departmental executives. They advise on organisational performance; the running of the Department, including the operational and delivery implications of policy proposals; and on the effective management of the department (including succession planning, senior civil service talent and underperformance).

In addition to the above, the Lead NED will:

• Lead the Department’s non-executive team, ensuring that they are able to fulfil their role effectively;
• Support the Secretary of State in their role as Chair of the Board;
• Lead on tasks normally fulfilled by a Board chair outside meetings as requested by the Secretary of State, including taking an active role in maximising the effectiveness of the DfE Board;
• Work with the Government-wide Lead Non-executive Board Member, and non-executives across government, to learn from the experiences of other government departments and other comparable organisations;
• Contribute to the Department’s annual report and accounts and the Permanent Secretary’s…