MINISTRY OF HOUSING COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is seeking to appoint an outstanding individual as the new Chair for the Local Audit Office. Appointment details - Local Audit Office - Chair - Apply for a public appointment - GOV.UK Local public bodies are at the heart of our communities. They support democracy and help deliver vital public services. The local audit system covers a wide range of public sector bodies (including local authorities, police, fire and National Health Service bodies). An effective and efficient external audit system is vital to ensure transparency and accountability for billions of pounds of public funds. This government is driving a major overhaul of the local audit system by leading one of the most ambitious and wide-reaching reform programmes in over a decade. These efforts mark a decisive shift toward modernising a broken system that has struggled with complexity, fragmentation and capacity challenges. The scale of the problem has been epitomised by the backlog of outstanding unaudited accounts, which led to a paralysis of local audit prior to this government's decision action to tackle it. The problems in local government financial reporting and the backlog in unaudited accounts has regrettably led to the disclaimer on the Whole of Government Accounts for both 2022/23 and 2023/24, and a general loss of public accountability and trust in the system. As part of our overhaul of the local audit system, we are launching the new Local Audit Office. The Local Audit Office will play a critical role in ensuring the effective delivery of reforms, strengthening accountability, securing better value for money for taxpayers, and supporting long-term economic growth. The Local Audit Office will reduce the complexity of the current arrangements; improve coordination across the system; and improve capacity and capability. The vision for the Local Audit Office is to oversee and coordinate the auditing of local public bodies to promote effective, value for money and timely local audit, and to put the system back onto a secure and reliable footing. The Local Audit Office will be pivotal to rebuilding transparency, accountability and public trust. It will restore a crucial part of the early warning system for authorities facing potential failure and challenge. The Local Audit Office's development will be an iterative process, and its functions will develop over time to fulfil its long-term vision. The Local Audit Office's role is particularly critical during the biggest reforms to local government in a generation. The government is undertaking a historic programme of local government reorganisation across England. By ending the two-tier system, we will set up local government to help grow the economy with new homes and infrastructure, improve public services by investing in prevention and deliver better value for money for taxpayers. The Local Audit Office will play a key role in oversight of the quality and timeliness of financial reporting in local government including those newly created through reorganisation to embed the highest standards of transparency and accountability for taxpayers. We are looking for a charismatic and influential leader with strong strategic leadership experience to oversee the establishment of the Local Audit Office. You will lead on the establishment and strategic development of the organisation following launch, while ensuring the broader programme of audit reform for local bodies (including rebuilding assurance following the backlog) is delivered successfully to restore accountability, transparency, and public trust. You will provide visible, public facing leadership for the Local Audit Office, and play a crucial role in the development and growth of the Local Audit Office through support, challenge and advice on both the immediate delivery milestones and the strategic and longer-term direction of the organisation. You will influence a wide range of government and sector stakeholders, build consensus and navigate complex challenges. Through collaborative leadership across organisational boundaries, you will play a key role in driving forward these critical reforms. You will be at the heart of a bold and ambitious mission to transform the local audit system. This is an exciting opportunity to make a real impact for communities and taxpayers across the country. If you believe you have the experience and skills we are seeking, we would like to encourage you to consider applying to help the government tackle the challenges and rebuild the system. Full details of the role, responsibilities and commitments are set out in this document, and we hope you will decide to apply. We want to receive applications from a wide range of individuals; we welcome candidates from traditionally under-represented groups, including those from an ethnic minority background. If you have further questions about any aspect of the role or the application process, please contact . Key responsibilities for the role include: Leadership and governance Operational delivery Strategy and vision Engagement Essential criteria: Local Audit. A strong interest in advancing the importance of local audit in underpinning public sector accountability, with an excellent understanding of public finances, and the role of public audit. Political astuteness and wider public sector insight. Proven experience of strategic leadership within complex and public-facing organisations, with strong political awareness and understanding of both local and national government, Parliament, and the wider public sector. Familiarity with public sector structures including governance, and accountability frameworks, and operational environments. Able to demonstrate public service values such as transparency and efficiency. Leadership. Strong leadership skills, with experience of operating at board level within large and/or complex organisations in the public or private sector; this could include arm's-length bodies in the public sector or third sectors, either in the United Kingdom or overseas, or both. Proven record of exercising strong intellect, sound judgement and diplomacy. A supportive team player, able to build consensus, navigate complexity and ambiguity, and work effectively with United Kingdom Government colleagues. Organisational development. Track record of building up an organisation, operational capability and culture, bringing together a diverse staff from a range of backgrounds and organisations to develop an inclusive workplace which can attract and retain talent and create a strong reputation. Communication skills. Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with a proven ability to build trust and rapport across diverse audiences. Ability to command credibility and influence at senior levels, unite key stakeholders across the local audit system to drive collaboration and shared solutions to difficult challenges, working across institutional divides to deliver meaningful reform within the local audit system. Desirable criteria: Experience of setting up and/or working with/within arm's-length bodies. Leadership experience in one or more of local audit bodies, audit suppliers or regulatory bodies in the system or wider UK local public audit bodies would be an advantage. A strong understanding of the policy and regulatory framework for local financial reporting and local audit. Experience of working in, transforming and/or overseeing a highly complex regulatory system with notable achievements in tackling difficult problems and holding the executive team to account on delivering sustainable long-term reforms that are in the public interest. Understanding of business market management, contract management and commercial procurement. Experience and knowledge of managing public money. Remuneration: £765 per day. This remuneration is treated as employment income and will be subject to tax and National Insurance contributions, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid. Time Commitment: During the early years of establishment, given the work involved, your time commitment may need to be up to 5 days a week. Once the Local Audit Office is established, your time commitment is expected to be 3 days per week. Term: This appointment is made by ministers for a term of 5 years. Location: The location of the Local Audit Office headquarters will be 23 Stephenson Street, B2 4BH, in central Birmingham. The successful candidate can work remotely from anywhere in the UK, with occasional travel to the Birmingham office. Please note: This appointment is subject to the passage of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. Ministers will need to formally re-confirm the appointment following commencement. How to Apply Candidates will need to apply for this role using the Public Appointments website. You can access the website by visiting this web page: Appointment details - Local Audit Office - Chair - Apply for a public appointment - GOV.UK . To apply you will need to create an account or sign in. Once you are logged into your account, click on 'apply for this role' and follow the on-screen instructions. To apply, all candidates are required to provide: Curriculum Vitae (maximum 2 pages). Include your education, professional qualifications and full employment history. Supporting Statement (maximum 2 pages) . click apply for full job details