Job Description

Remuneration: £5,332 per annum

Appointment: Public appointment, up to four years, subject to annual confirmation by Full Council

Location: Brent Civic Centre, Wembley, with preparation and meetings as required

Help shape governance, accountability and public confidence in Brent

Brent Council is seeking an exceptional individual to serve as the Independent Chair of its Audit and Standards Advisory Committee.

This is a unique opportunity to play a leading role in supporting good governance, strong financial stewardship, effective risk management and high standards of ethical conduct at one of London's largest and most diverse local authorities.

As Independent Chair, you will provide visible and impartial leadership to the Committee, helping it deliver effective oversight, independent challenge and constructive support across a wide range of governance, risk, audit, finance and standards matters. You will work closely with elected members, senior officers, internal and external auditors, whilst maintaining the independence and objectivity that are central to the role.

About the role

The Audit and Standards Advisory Committee is a key component of Brent Council's governance framework. The

Committee provides independent assurance, scrutiny and challenge in relation to:

• Corporate governance and accountability
• Risk management and internal control
• Internal and external audit
• Financial reporting and stewardship
• Counter-fraud and anti-corruption arrangements
• The Annual Governance Statement and Statement of Accounts
• Ethical standards and member conduct

The Committee also plays an important role in promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct amongst elected members and ensuring that public confidence remains at the heart of the Council's governance arrangements.

About you

We are looking for an individual who can demonstrate:

• Significant senior-level experience in governance, audit, finance, risk management, regulation or leadership within a large and complex organisation.
• Experience of successfully chairing boards, committees or other senior decision-making forums.
• Strong knowledge of governance, assurance, risk management and accountability frameworks.
• The ability to analyse complex information, ask insightful questions and provide effective challenge.
• Excellent communication, influencing and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to operate effectively within a political environment whilst maintaining complete independence and impartiality.
• A strong commitment to integrity, openness, accountability and the Seven Principles of Public Life.

Knowledge of local government governance, standards or audit arrangements would be advantageous, but we are also keen to hear from experienced candidates from the wider public, regulatory, voluntary or private sectors.

For more information about the opportunity and role please read our candidate pack.

For an informal conversation about this role, please contact Darren.armstrong@brent.gov.uk

If you require reasonable adjustments contact Andrew.baxter@brent.gov.uk

Eligibility for Appointment

The successful applicant must meet the following requirements:

Members’ Code of Conduct: Agree to observe the Members’ Code of Conduct.

Time Commitment: Commit to a four-year term of office, subject to annual review, and attend approximately six meetings per year, plus any required briefings, training, workshops or extraordinary meetings, and undertake necessary preparation and follow-up work.

Conflicts of Interest: Declare any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest. These will be assessed to determine whether they affect suitability or can be appropriately managed.

Independence and Political Activity: The Chair must be, and be seen to be, independent of the Council’s political and management arrangements. The successful candidate must not be an elected Member, co-opted member, officer or employee of the Council; or a relative/their close friend. They must declare and manage relevant interests; and maintain political neutrality.

Declarations will be assessed through the application form, interview and pre-appointment checks to establish the candidate’s suitability and ability to act independently, impartially and objectively.

Pre-Appointment Checks

Final recommendation and formal appointment shall be conditional upon the Council being satisfied with all pre-appointment checks being complete. These include Identity and right to work; Declaration of interests; References; Basic DBS and CIFAS fraud check. The formal appointment will not take effect until it has been approved by Full Council.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please submit your CV as well as a supporting statement which should demonstrate how you meet the criteria set out in the About you section above and include the necessary declarations. The supporting statement should be no more than 3 sides in length.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. If you are interested, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Closing date: Tuesday 10 November (midnight)

Interview date: To be confirmed (In person).

Brent Council values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects the people we serve. We welcome all applications from all sections of the community and encourage applicants to complete the diversity survey section of the application.

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. This includes people with hidden disabilities, long term health conditions, diagnosis, and mental health conditions. We also guarantee an interview to care-experienced applicants who meet the essential criteria. Information shared for this purpose will be treated fairly and used only to confirm eligibility under these schemes.

Candidate Pack