Chair - Scottish Rail Holdings Leadership Position

2 weeks ago


Glasgow, Glasgow City, United Kingdom The Scottish Government Full time

About the Role

The Scottish Government is seeking a highly skilled and experienced individual to take on the role of Chair for Scottish Rail Holdings. As the Chair, you will be responsible for providing overall leadership and direction to the Board, ensuring that it operates compliantly with Scottish Government protocols and complies with the legal duties required of a Limited Company board.

Key Responsibilities

  • Provide overall leadership of the Board of Scottish Rail Holdings, ensuring that all members act compliantly and that all Board meetings are chaired effectively.
  • Ensure that the Board of Scottish Rail Holdings delivers against the objectives of the Scottish Ministers.
  • Ensure that the Governance of Scottish Rail Holdings is run in accordance with the agreed Governance Framework, and that all substantive reports from the governance committees are given due consideration, with actions taken as required from any recommendations.
  • Ensure that the Board's activities are subject to regular self-assessment to ensure that the Board is operating strategically and effectively.
  • Ensure that all decisions taken by the Board are documented with a full audit trail for key decisions.

Strategic Responsibilities

  • To lead the relationship with the Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Parliament on matters relating to Scottish Rail Holdings and its subsidiaries.
  • Ensure that the Board facilitates the business planning cycle on an annual basis.
  • To lead the Board's succession planning on an annual basis, to ensure that there is a succession plan, along with a Board that is diverse and effective.
  • To lead the review of performance against the annual Business Plan, ensuring that any remedial action is taken where there are adverse variances against the plan.

Leadership Responsibilities

  • To ensure that all Board members are fully aware of their role accountabilities and that all training is delivered to ensure that they discharge their duties fully for the good of Scottish Rail Holdings.
  • To ensure that the Code of Conduct for Board members is followed, as approved by the Scottish Ministers.
  • Ensure that the Board operates compliantly with Scottish Government protocols including Scottish Government “On-Board” guidance.
  • Continually review the performance of the Board members, providing feedback along with an annual appraisal.
  • To conduct the annual appraisal of the Chief Executive, including consulting the other Board members.

Oversight Responsibilities

  • To provide constructive challenge to ensure that business decisions are made in a robust and sustainable manner.
  • To regularly review the interactions between Scottish Rail Holdings and its subsidiaries, ensuring that the dynamic is in line with the policies of Transport Scotland.
  • To ensure the Board meetings continually review the levels of performance being required and delivered by Scottish Rail Holdings subsidiaries.

Essential Criteria

  • Previous experience of chairing a board or equivalent overseeing management or leadership role.
  • Previous board experience ideally in a large organisation with significant delivery responsibilities.
  • Raises performance using constructive challenge and feedback. A resilient and self-aware role model, creating an environment which supports diversity & equality, health & wellbeing.
  • Interprets a wide range of financial information & options to underpin sound decisions, sharing implications for public expenditure with the wider system.
  • Supports the highest standards of value for money, internal controls and public sector governance as outlined in the Scottish Public Finance Manual.
  • Leads a way through complex issues and conflicting perspectives and understands, and influences strategy into outcome focused solutions.
  • Understands, influences and translates the wider communications agenda, supporting the development of clear and creative communications objectives and measurement criteria.
  • Oversees risks to strategic objectives, influencing others to enhance outcomes and aid continuous improvement.

About the Appointment

The appointment is for up to 3 years. The Chair receives a day rate of £498 for a time commitment of 96 days per calendar year. In order for the Chair to be able to carry out their role, we will also pay for:

  • Any travel and subsistence costs
  • Reasonable childcare or carer expenses
  • Disability-related reasonable adjustments


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