Head of Assurance System (group)

Job Introduction

The Role: 

Reporting to the Group Performance Assurance Director, the Head of Group Assurance will be responsible for developing and maintaining a common system of assurance for the NDA group. This will include setting clear interfaces with the NDA Internal Audit and Risk functions to ensure holistic arrangements consistent with the One NDA model. It will also require strong links with the teams responsible for Assurance arrangements in the Operating Companies.  

Through clear and concise reporting the role will support decision making at the highest levels in the organisation including the NDA Board, the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee, the Programmes and Projects Committee, and the Accounting Officer. It will also support the NDA’s engagement with external stakeholders, including the IPA, UKGI and HMG departments.

The Head of Group Assurance will own the integrated assurance framework for the NDA and its subsidiaries; recognising the duties and responsibilities of site license holders to monitor their own performance and to implement independent oversight and challenge. 

The role will focus on creating collaborative relationships across the NDA Group to develop and drive continuous improvement of the System of Assurance to ensure its consistent application in the NDA and its subsidiaries.  

The Head of Group Assurance will be responsible for development and delivery of the NDA’s Integrated Assurance Plan, including provision of specialist assurance resources to the Heads of Performance Assurance. The Head of Group Assurance will also be responsible for the delivery of all 

Performance Assurance activities for NDA-delivered Programmes and Projects, and broader NDA functional activity.

Key Accountabilities:

Integrated Assurance Framework
 

• Establish and maintain a complete and current set of documents in the NDA QMS that sets out the assurance arrangements for the group and can flow down to each operating company in a manner consistent with the One NDA model and industry best practice. 
• Monitor and assess the extent to which the NDA System of Assurance is implemented across the group, working with Operating Companies to improve this as required. Measure the performance of the System of Assurance to assess its effectiveness.
• Assess the maturity of assurance across the group against appropriate internal of external benchmarks.  
• Lead, develop and promote the overall assurance capabilities of the group, including collaboration across the NDA and its subsidiaries to build an engaged and enthusiastic assurance community that drives continuous improvement of the System of Assurance.
• Establish and maintain the NDA Group capability framework for assurance.
• Liaise with HMG and professional bodies on best practice in assurance and share learning as appropriate.
• Develop and implement the NDA’s rolling Assurance Improvement Plan. Support and monitor the development and implementation of the Operating Companies’ Assurance Improvement Plans. 
• Drive coordination and alignment of the NDA’s and Operating Companies’ Integrated Assurance Plans to help maximise the overall efficiency of the System of Assurance.
• Provide accurate and concise insights to support decision making across the group through structured assurance reporting.     

Stakeholder and Relationship Management

• Ensure responsive and genuine engagement with internal stakeholders across the NDA group, and with external partners and stakeholders, including HMG.
• Act as the lead point of contact with IPA for any external Assurance activities.

Assurance reviews & interventions

• Coordinate delivery of the NDA’s Integrated Assurance Plan, including development and robust in-year Change Control. 
  • Coordinate and deliver assurance interventions (within both the NDA and its subsidiaries) based on established planning and prioritisation processes.
  • Provide support to decision makers by leading assurance of project/programme business cases and sanction requests. 
  • Work with Executive management, the Board and other NDA functions to support the assessment of key risks to the business, and to ensure key controls and mitigations are subjected to appropriate assurance and audit interventions.
  • Commission reviews or other interventions to provide assurance that NDA’s strategic objectives are on course for successful delivery, risks are being managed and appropriate mitigations are in place. 
  • Act as the client for procurement and deployment of specialist external resources to supplement NDA’s capability.
    
    Reporting and communication:
  • Responsibility for providing an ‘Assurance view’ to the NDA Board, the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee, the Programmes and Projects Committee, and the Accounting Officer on progress against NDA group objectives, risks and issues.
  • Provide reporting capability to feed into Plan / Do / Act / Review cycle and identify underlying trends/issues to NDA governance bodies and other NDA functions, including summarising and sharing thematic learning.
  • Monitor and report on progress towards closure of recommendations and actions from reviews to make sure they remain applicable, are being delivered, and to reinforce the accountability of their owners for close-out.
  • Maintaining a repository of assurance evidence to allow lessons to be identified, learned, and to ensure they are embedded.
  • Providing quarterly reports to Executive team, Board and HMG that assess risk exposure and health of controls.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience required:

• Shares and demonstrates the NDA values of, respect, openness, collaboration, performance, and creativity.
• Experience and expertise in thematic and risk-based assurance.
• Effective track record in leadership and collaboration, across a diverse set of businesses / organisations, including HMG.
• Experience in a leadership position in project/programme management or assurance in a major complex programme, ideally in a corporate HQ or as client or contractor.
• Ability to take a strategic business view of projects and programmes, including cost, time and scope, and to clearly articulate their status. 
• Comprehensive knowledge of tools and techniques in project management, and their deployment in a wide range of industries.
  • Flexibility to adapt to changing business context and respond dynamically to the changing needs of internal and external stakeholders.
  • Ability to communicate at all levels, and flex leadership style as required to influence across functional and organizational boundaries.
  • Sound business knowledge and experience.
  • Excellent organisational skills.
    
     
    Other knowledge and qualifications include:
  • Educated to graduate level (or equivalent), preferably in a field such as engineering, business operations, project management or other numerate discipline.
  • Professional qualification in project/programme management or risk management desirable.
    
     
    We value the unique differences that each of our colleagues bring to work every day and are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels respected, included and able to perform at their best. At NDA, we are committed to creating a workplace that is diverse and inclusive. We value the diversity of our people and actively seek to have a workforce that represents the rich diversity of the communities we support. Currently, we are underrepresented in some areas, and would particularly welcome applicants from Women, Black, Asian and Ethnic Minorities, LGBTQ+ and candidates who have a disability.
    
    NDA is a member of the disability confident scheme, when requested we will make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, and we guarantee to interview all candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group.
    
    We are happy to discuss flexible working. We will also make workplace adjustments for disabled employees if these are needed to help them perform at their best in the role, and we are happy to discuss this once a job offer has been made.