Private and Confidential
Position Specification
Director
FINAL
1702-001L
Doc#843071
Position Specification
UKGI Director
Introduction
UKGI was formerly known as the Shareholder Executive (ShEx) which was established in 2003 to
improve the Government’s performance as a shareholder in businesses. UKGI was formed on 1 April
2016 as part of a merger with UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI), and is a public company wholly
owned HM Treasury. It currently has a portfolio of circa 20 businesses in which Government has a
shareholding (see Appendix 1), and works with Government departments and management teams to
help these businesses perform better.
UKGI also has a wider role as a corporate finance resource within Government, which includes leading
on asset sales and advising on corporate governance, special situations (companies in distress) and
other Government commercial interventions. As ShEx, it also led on the incubation of new public
bodies such as the Green Investment Bank and the British Business Bank.
Additional information about UKGI can be found at
[https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-government-investments].
The Role
The Director will be SRO for a range of projects and assets and will play a major role in delivering UKGI’s
key objective of fundamentally improving the Government's performance as a shareholder in the
businesses it owns, as well as helping to ensure best value is achieved for the taxpayer in the disposal
of Government assets. In addition, UKGI provides corporate finance advice and expertise across
Whitehall on a range of commercial issues, including Government investments, rescue packages, good
corporate governance and company restructuring.
UKGI comprises around 100 staff, representing a mix of public servants, civil servants on secondment
and individuals (often on fixed term contracts) with backgrounds in corporate finance, private equity
investment management, accountancy, corporate law and corporate development. There are
currently some 20 Executive Directors who report to the four Directors in UKGI’s senior management
team. The successful candidate will be part of this team.
UKGI operates a flexible approach to resourcing that reflects the fluid nature of its work, which is often
dictated by Ministerial priorities, market fluctuations and unpredictable events to which UKGI has to
react urgently. The specific projects and assets for which the post-holder will have responsibility will
therefore depend on pressures and priorities at the time of appointment, as well as on the post
holder’s own skill set, experience and background.
Specific responsibilities will include:
 provide effective and visible leadership across UKGI;
 develop strategies for Government-owned businesses and other assets;
 review business cases for investments to ensure that they represent good value for money for
the taxpayer in changing circumstances;
 take responsibility and drive forward projects, often against tight timescales, whilst engaging
multiple and often challenging stakeholders;
Position Specification
UKGI Director
 manage and lead teams effectively, taking an overview of resourcing to ensure resources are
applied to priority areas;
 support the development of team members to ensure they fulfil their potential and increase
their value to UKGI and wider Government;
 play a full role in the corporate management and leadership of UKGI as a member of the Board
and Senior Management Team.
Candidate Profile
Candidates must be able to demonstrate experience commensurate with this role, together with the
highest levels of integrity, authority and independence.
The following competencies are expected:
 Corporate finance – corporate finance experience gained at a senior level, including a proven
track record of excellent technical and financial transaction skills.
 Leading and communicating – establishing a strong direction and persuasive vision to relevant
teams, managing and engaging with staff and external stakeholders with honesty and integrity
and upholding the reputation of UKGI.
 Achieving commercial outcomes – strong leadership, influence and accountability to support
the achievement of commercial outcomes relevant to UKGI’s objectives, ensuring appropriate
levels of commercial awareness within the team, and creating and embedding an organisational
culture that supports it.
 Seeing the big picture – scanning the political context and taking account of wider impacts to
develop longer term strategies for ensuring best value for Government, both as shareholder
and as asset manager.
 Making effective decisions – the ability to evaluate options, impacts, risks and solutions aiming
to maximise returns and minimise risks, as well as the ability to make unpopular decisions and
defend them at the highest level within HM Treasury and Government Departments.
 Collaborating and partnering – deliver business objectives through creating an inclusive
environment, encouraging collaboration and building effective partnerships with Board
members, Accounting Officers and Ministers.
 Delivering at pace – the ability to build a performance culture to deliver outcomes with a focus
on prioritisation and addressing performance issues. Providing focus and energy to drive
activities forward through others and encourage staff to perform effectively during challenging
and changing times.
In addition to these competencies it would be desirable for the post holder to have experience of
working with the public sector and/or with Ministers, as well as experience of being a non-Executive
Director.
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Position Specification
UKGI Director
The Selection and Recruitment Process
Russell Reynolds Associates has been appointed to support this recruitment. Short-listing of
candidates will involve the assessment of information provided in application documentation.
Indicative Timetable subject to change:
Closing date for applications Noon, Wednesday 1 March
Long List Meeting – client/RRA Week from 14 March
First round interviews with RRA Weeks 20 and 27 March
Short List Meeting – client/RRA Week 3 April
‘Fireside chats’ with relevant stakeholders to Week 10 April
inform and build knowledge of UKGI
Panel Interviews with finalist candidates Week 10 or 17 April
Diversity statement
UKGI has a strong commitment to equality and diversity and aims to be an organisation which is open
and accessible recruiting and retaining diverse talent and high performing people who support and
develop one another.
UKGI guarantees to interview any disabled applicants, provided they meet the essential criteria for the
post, and confirm on their application, their eligibility for the guaranteed interview scheme.
Eligibility Statement
Individuals appointed to UKGI will be subject to National Security Vetting. To allow for meaningful
checks to be carried out applicants will normally need to have lived in the UK for at least three years.
A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessary a bar to security clearance but the organisation will
need to consider on a case by case basis using all information that can be obtained following a
successful application.
Hours of work
The working hours of this post are 42 per week (including meal breaks of 1 hour a day).
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Position Specification
UKGI Director
Application Instructions
The closing date for application is Noon, Wednesday 1 March 2017. All applications must include the
following:
 The reference number 1702-001L in the subject line.
 A short covering letter of not more than two A4 sized pages explaining why this appointment
interests you and how you meet the appointment criteria and competencies as detailed in the
candidate profile.
 A current CV with educational and professional qualifications and full employment history where
possible giving details where applicable, of budgets and numbers of people managed, relevant
achievements in recent posts, together with reasons for absence within the last two years.
 Names of at least two referees who may be contacted at short list stage, i.e. before final interview.
 Confirmation from you that you are happy for Russell Reynolds Associates or its client to undertake
any necessary background checks, including career, credit and qualifications, or similar, post short
list stage.
 Notification of any dates you are unable to accommodate within the indicative timetable set out in
the previous section.
 The completed Appendix 2 giving your preferred contact details which will be used for all
correspondence between us.
 The completed questionnaires contained in Appendix 3.
Please submit your full application to:
By email to [[email protected]] quoting 1702-001L in the subject line
If you need assistance, please email [[email protected]]
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Position Specification
UKGI Director
Appendix 1: Portfolio Businesses
Business
Shareholding
Department
British Business Bank
BEIS
Companies House
BEIS
Green Investment Bank
BEIS
Insolvency Service
BEIS
Land Registry
BEIS
Ordnance Survey
BEIS
Post Office Limited
BEIS
Urenco
BEIS
Electricity Settlements Company
BEIS
Low Carbon Contracts Company
BEIS
National Nuclear Laboratories
BEIS
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
BEIS
Nuclear Liabilities Fund
BEIS
Channel 4
CDC Group plc (formerly the Commonwealth Development Corporation
DCMS
DfID
Highways England
DfT
London and Continental Railways
DfT
NATS
DfT
Network Rail
DfT
UK Export Finance
DIT
Royal Mint
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HMT
Questionnaires – UKGI, Reference 1702-001L
Appendix 2: Personal Details
Surname:
Forename(s):
Address for correspondence:
Postcode:
Contact Telephone Number (including national
or international dialing code):
Mobile Telephone Number:
E-mail address:
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Title:
Appendix 3: Diversity Monitoring Questionnaire
Name
CAPITALS)
(BLOCK
This section of your submission will be detached from your application. The information collected will
only be used for monitoring purposes in an anonymised format and will help the organisation analyse
the profile and make up of applicants and appointees to jobs in support of their equal opportunities
policies. Your answers will be treated confidentially and will not affect your job application in any way.
We thank you in advance for your co-operation.
Part A: Gender
Male
Female
Part B: Age
Under 25
45-49
25-29
50-54
30-34
55-59
35-39
60-64
40-44
65+
Do not wish to answer
Part C: National Identity
What do you consider your nationality to be?
British
English
Irish
Scottish
Welsh
Other (please specify if you wish)
Do not wish to answer
Part D: Ethnic Background
What is your ethnic background?
Asian
Mixed ethnic background
Bangladeshi
Asian and White
Indian
Black African and White
Black Caribbean and White
Other mixed ethnic background (specify below if
you wish)
Pakistani
Other Asian background (specify below if
you wish)
Black
White
African
Any White background (specify below if you
wish)
Caribbean
Other Black background (specify below if
you wish)
Other ethnic background
Any other ethnic background (specify below if
you wish)
Chinese
Any Chinese background (specify below if
you wish)
Do not wish to answer
Other
information you
wish to specify
Part E: Disability monitoring
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) defines a disabled person as someone with a physical or
mental impairment, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect of at least one year on a
person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
Do you consider yourself to be disabled as defined in the Disability Discrimination Act?
Yes
No
If you are selected for interview will you require any additional arrangements at interview? If so please
specify below:
Part F: Sexual orientation
Which of the following best describes how you think of yourself?
Bisexual
A gay man
A gay woman / lesbian
Heterosexual
Other (please specify)
Do not wish to answer
Part G: Religion
What is your religion?
No Religion
Jewish
Buddhist
Muslim
Christian
Sikh
Hindu
Do not wish to answer
Any other religion (please specify)?
Please return the completed questionnaire together with your application form. This form will
not be disclosed to anyone involved in assessing your application.