Id Job: 316a324
Contents
Location
About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information
Location
About the job
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) is a hybrid organisation. We have an office in central London which you can work from, although we welcome applications from all across the UK, offering flexible homeworking on UK mainland locations. In-person presence in London required at quarterly Board meetings and for investigations as and when necessary.
Background:
IPSA is the independent body that regulates and administers the business costs and decides the pay and pensions of the 650 elected Members of Parliament and their staff in the UK. We were created by the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009, as the world’s first independent regulator of MPs’ financial remuneration.
IPSA is on a mission! We want to enable MPs to do what really matters by providing an exemplary, seamless regulatory service. We have a compelling plan and we’re intent on transforming IPSA. Transparency lies at the heart of everything we do. We publish details of business costs claims made by MPs and their staff, as well as annual data about every MP’s spending and other aspects of their activity.
The Compliance Officer for IPSA was established as part of the reforms to the regulation of MPs’ business costs under the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009 as amended by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. As an office holder appointed under statute, the Compliance Officer acts independently of IPSA’s executive, and reports to, but cannot be directed by, IPSA’s Board. To ensure the smooth functioning of the role and its duties, the independent Compliance Officer will necessarily liaise closely with members of the IPSA Executive on individual cases and with the Chief Executive’s office on wider issues as appropriate.
The Compliance Officer is an independent office holder with legislative responsibility for handling complaints and requests for investigation regarding alleged breaches of the Scheme. Such investigations can be referred by IPSA or requested by an MP or member of the public. The Compliance Officer also conducts reviews following requests from an MP in circumstances where IPSA have refused to pay a business cost claim.
The Compliance Officer is appointed for a single five-year term by the People Committee of the IPSA Board.
A key function of the office is to adjudicate on disputes between IPSA and MPs regarding business costs (but not pay or pensions). While the position requires a close working relationship with IPSA, the postholder may reach conclusions and take positions distinct from IPSA. MPs’ expenditure is an issue of high public interest and media scrutiny, necessitating a deep understanding of the wider political climate in which IPSA operates and how compliance investigations may be politically sensitive.
In 2021-22, the Compliance Officer handled 27 complaints, largely made by members of the public. One led to a formal investigation. A further seven complaints were made to the Compliance Officer but fell outside of their remit. In the same reporting period, five MPs requested reviews of claims.
The Compliance Officer retains statutory powers to issue penalty notices to MPs who fail to cooperate with enquiries. To date, there has been no requirement to initiate formal measures compelling cooperation. More information can be found on the Compliance Officer’s website.
Main responsibilities:
You’ll have demonstrable track record in a senior investigatory role in a comparably complex environment. Your ability to assess complex information and exercise sound judgement will be first rate, and you’ll always base your decisions upon evidence and the principle of proportionality, and outline these logically verbally and in writing. You’ll bring with you a proven record of remaining neutral and demonstrating a genuine independence and impartiality in a highly politicised environment.
You’ll have experience of interpreting and implementing a complex framework of rules and regulations whilst remaining pragmatic, focused on reaching a satisfactory outcome, and mindful of the bigger picture and wider operating context.
You’ll be confident, sensitive, and have effective communication skills with an interpersonal influence that will succeed with a range of audiences and under intense media scrutiny. You’ll bring with you experience of building effective working relationships across bodies/stakeholders whilst providing appropriate challenge when necessary.
A full person specification is available on our website
Benefits
Our commitment and values
We’re committed to making IPSA a more diverse and inclusive organisation and we choose to recruit, retain, and develop people with a diverse mix of skills and experience We are a high-performing organisation that values diversity and we live our values through all the work that we do. Our inclusive workplace environment welcomes people from all backgrounds and our ID, Green, Women’s and LGBTQIA+ networks signal our commitment to celebrating and promoting diversity, inclusion, and sustainability.
Our core values are Staying Connected, Seeing the Bigger Picture, Being Open, Doing the Right Thing and Making a Difference. If you share and live our values, then we would like to hear from you. We are a values-based organisation, and you can expect these to feature throughout the recruitment process and beyond.
Things you need to know
If you are interested in applying for this role, please send your CV and a one-page cover letter to ipsa.recruitment@theipsa.org.uk. We ask you to be succinct and to the point in your cover letter, highlighting why you’d be a great match, and it’s always a good idea focus this around some of your key achievements which might be relevant to this role.
We anticipate a high volume of applications for this role, and regretfully we will only be able to respond to you if you are shortlisted.
Before you apply, you’re asked to read the ‘how to apply’ section on our website here, detailing our approach to reducing unconscious bias in our recruitment process.
If you would like more information or an informal discussion, please contact our People team at HR@theipsa.org.uk who can discuss further or arrange an informal call with our Chief of Staff.
Interview process
Our interviews are to be conducted in-person in our central London office. We aim to issue an offer before the end of March, which will be subject to appropriate references, security clearance, and identity checks.
Our onboarding processes are virtual. If you want to join our team, you’ll need access to a secure WIFI network and a private space to work from. If you’re successful we will provide you with equipment for onboarding, training, and working from home.
As an independent officeholder and with hybrid working in place at IPSA, reasonable costs can also be covered for the successful applicant when required to work in London.
If you are shortlisted, there will be a competency-based interview where we will ask you a series of questions designed to help the panel assess your suitability for the role and for IPSA, and we may also ask you prepare a short presentation.
We expect to shortlist for this role in w/c 06th March, with interviews in w/c 13th March, although we may decide to conduct initial telephone interviews before that date, depending on the volume of applications.
Important information
We aim to keep our application window open for four weeks which means the closing date for this role will be Thursday 9th March. However, we will sift applications as they are submitted and therefore, we reserve the right to close the advert at any point after two weeks.
We expect to receive a high number of applications for this role, so we strongly advise you to apply before Sunday 26th February.
Privacy notice and right to work
By applying you confirm you have the right to work in the UK and have read our Human Resources privacy notice.
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
Apply and further information
Job contact :
Recruitment team :
