, Contact Simon Page simon.page@egonzehnder.com t. +44 (0)207 943 1947 Nicole Jones nicole.jones@egonzehnder.com t. +44 (0)207 943 1939
2 / Contents Company Background... 3 The Role... 5
3 / Company Background The Company The (SLC) is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body and a company limited by shares under the Companies Act, wholly in public ownership. The SLC administers Government-funded loans and grants to the Higher Education and Further Education sectors on behalf of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, in line with the policy aims of the relevant Administrations. Facts and figures 130m operating budget. 80m change programme funding. c. 2845 staff located across four sites: Glasgow (city centre), Glasgow (Hillington), Llandudno Junction and Darlington. Holds and manages the personal details of 6.9m customers. Pays 7bn to students in maintenance grants and loans and 7.5bn to learning providers per annum. Works closely with 825 Higher Education Institutes, 570 Learning Providers and 650 Learning Centres. Manages a loan book which had a total gross value of 74bn in March 2015, and is rising annually. Processes 1.7m student finance application per annum. Collects 2bn in repayments per annum. The challenge Over the past five years the SLC has successfully delivered year on year improvements in the services it provides to its customers and other stakeholders. Significant progress has been made towards delivering the SLC vision of being valued as a digital, customer focused centre of excellence. The SLC has recently had two of its live services accredited by the Government Digital Service as part of its digital exemplar programme. The SLC is at a critical juncture. It is midway through a programme of transformation to increase resilience, flexibility and efficiency and has a very significant change portfolio to deliver over the next few years, including reforms of the higher education student finance system, the introduction of new loans for postgraduate qualifications, and the sale of the student loan book.
4 / Strong leadership is essential to ensuring that the Company: continues to provide good customer service to its existing customer base, and successfully manage repayments to maximise the value of financial assets, successfully completes the transformation of its operations, concluding the upgrade of its core ICT systems and overseeing the digitisation of its services to customers, delivers against the complex, sometimes competing and often changing requirements of all four UK Administrations in respect of new policy, and over the longer term, there is an ambition to explore commercial opportunities for the SLC. Key relationships The SLC is sponsored by the Departments for Business, Innovation & Skills, Education and Lifelong Learning (Scotland), Education and Skills (Wales) and Employment and Learning (Northern Ireland) to provide student finance across the UK. It also works with a wide range of delivery partners, including the Student Awards Agency for Scotland, Education and Library Boards in Northern Ireland, Higher Education and Further Education providers, HM Revenue & Customs, HM Passport Office, and the Department of Work and Pensions. Delivering the different requirements of such a wide range of stakeholders is one of the challenges faced by the organisation and requires considerable input and a flexible, pragmatic approach from the Chief Executive to ensure that the SLC is successful in this environment.
5 / The Role The Reporting to the Chairman and the SLC Board, the is responsible for leading the Company and is directly responsible for the Executive Management Team. The core purpose of the CEO s role is: To provide support and accountability to the Board; To ensure that the relevant objectives of key stakeholders including Ministers, sponsoring Departments and higher and further education bodies are fully met; To lead the Executive Management Team and the wider organisation; To lead a transformation of the SLC to a more digitally enabled service, while maintaining and improving customer service and efficiency; To develop and implement further initiatives in line with the strategy, including exploitation of commercial opportunities. The Chief Executive is also SLC s Accounting Officer. This role carries with it personal responsibility for the propriety and regularity of the public finances used by the SLC, for which the Chief Executive is answerable to Parliament, and for ensuring that appropriate advice is given to the Company on all matters relating to financial propriety and regularity, for the keeping of proper accounts and for the efficient and effective use of such resources. The Accounting Officer is liable to be examined on these matters by the Committee of Public Accounts of the House of Commons. Main roles and responsibilities The roles and responsibilities of the CEO include: Operational and financial leadership To manage the day-to-day operation of the SLC; ensuring that appropriate operational plans, decision-making structures and delegated authorities are in place fully to deliver business objectives; To deliver a transformation of the business involving IT systems replacement, organisational changes and changes to sourcing delivery of selected operational processes; To drive continuous improvements in the services offered to customers and the collection of repayments as and when they are due, taking advantage of opportunities to digitise services wherever possible;
6 / On behalf of the Company, to agree with the Departments suitable performance targets and the resources necessary to achieve these, and drive continuous improvement and efficiency in service planning and delivery; To ensure that the services provided are consistently and effectively delivered, competently managed and adequately resourced; To ensure propriety, regularity, value for money and feasibility in the handling of public funds; and for the day-to-day operations and management of the SLC. Governance and accountability To ensure that the Board is properly advised and consulted, enabling effective and timely decision making; To exercise the duties and responsibilities of the Accounting Officer for the Company and take responsibility for financial regularity and to deliver value for money for the Board; To maintain effective systems of governance and control, including the development of appropriate policies; Strategy and communications To agree the SLC s Corporate and Business Plans with the Board and the sponsoring Departments, taking account of those Departments wider strategic aims and priorities; To work with the Chairman and the sponsoring Departments to review the Company s operational context and explore commercial opportunities; To support and facilitate the Government s plans to monetise the student loan book; To ensure that the Company develops an effective internal and external communications strategy. People leadership To lead the Executive Management Team to secure business and service objectives with due regard to the management of risk; To build effective team and partnership working both within the Company and with the stakeholders, including Ministers; To recruit and retain the appropriate number of skilled and motivated staff; To improve and maintain the Company s organisational health; To drive forward Company policies on equality and diversity, customer care and staff development;
7 / In addition, the CEO will perform such duties relating to the functions as are assigned from time to time by or on behalf of the Chairman, the Board and the sponsor departments. Location The CEO will be based at the Company s headquarters in Glasgow. Compensation A market competitive compensation package will be offered to candidates with the right skills and experience. The Candidate Candidates for the CEO will be accomplished and credible senior leaders with outstanding management, leadership and communications skills and will need to be able to demonstrate: A proven track record of successfully leading a complex customer-facing organisation, using robust financial and business management skills and acting as an outstanding figurehead and motivator. Experience in the financial services sector, especially in managing repayments and maximising the value of financial assets, would be an advantage. A proven track record of leading and delivering effective large-scale change programmes and effectively managing relationships with suppliers, whilst maintaining high levels of service. In a period of financial retrenchment within the wider public sector, it is vital that SLC has a strong leader who is able to demonstrate marked improvement in the service offering, drive further progress towards the Government s digital by default service agenda, and provide credible assurance to customers, the Board, Ministers, staff, and wider stakeholders. Political adeptness and first class interpersonal and influencing skills, able to establish effective partnerships and relationships with diverse stakeholder groups across Government and the higher and further education sector, and to work productively and collaboratively with Ministers, stakeholders and senior officials across BIS, Cabinet Office, HMT and the Devolved Administrations. Experience of working with Government or with complex governance arrangements would be an advantage. For the right candidate, this is an opportunity to lead the transformation of an organisation that plays a key role in the lives of current and future generations of students, as well as playing a critical role in public finance.
8 / To apply, please email a CV and short covering letter to app7@egonzehnder.com Applications must be received no later than 22 January 2016. At we value the diversity of our employees. We welcome application from suitably qualified candidates who are committed to creating a working environment that is inclusive to all. Egon Zehnder Devonshire House Mayfair Place London W1J 8AJ UK Tel +44 20 7491 1330 Fax +44 20 7629 9552