This is a fantastic opportunity to work in the largest Civil Service department, that touches the lives of citizens across the breadth of the UK. What we do matters. We serve over 22 million customers a year - we keep children out of poverty; we help people without jobs to find work so that they can support themselves and their families; we ensure the most vulnerable in society are protected.

Reporting to the Finance Director General, the Chief Risk Officer plays a key strategic leadership role and is integral to the championing of a healthy risk culture and the successful management of rapidly evolving risks across this large, complex, operational delivery department. Leading a small, specialist, geographically dispersed team of c.15 colleagues, you will have overall responsibility for the strategic management of risk across the Department and our Arms’ Length Bodies, with responsibility for setting our Risk Management Strategy, defining our Risk Management Policies and Procedures and supporting the Board to set the organisation’s risk appetite. Crucially, you will provide trusted advice and wise counsel to our Ministers, Permanent Secretary and our wider Executive team.

To be successful, you will be a natural relationship builder, comfortable working across a large and complex organisation.  You will be capable of quickly understanding the strategic context, our delivery challenges and opportunities, and will be comfortable with handling uncertainty and ambiguity. You will have a strong background in operations, finance, audit or risk management to provide you with the credibility to influence at the most senior level of the department, and will have clear business acumen.

Independence of thought, curiosity and absolute integrity are essential traits.

The importance we place on risk is why this role has a single-minded focus and is why we are able to offer such a senior role on a part-time basis. We hope this will be an attractive proposition for those looking to pursue their senior career in risk.

If you meet the criteria and are excited by the scale of this challenge, we would love to hear from you.

Please use the link to apply for the full job details