Background: The UK Space Agency:
The UK Space Agency (UKSA) is an executive agency of the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) and provides technical advice on the government’s space strategy, supporting the UK space sector to deliver the government’s vision.
Space is a part of everyday life. Satellites underpin our national economy, from agriculture and banking to aviation and shipping, and support our national security. Space science provides critical data to understand and address global challenges such as climate change, while missions to explore our solar system unite nations and advance humanity’s horizons.
We support a thriving space sector in the UK, which generates an annual income of £16.5 billion and employs 47,000 people across the country.
Through our portfolio of programmes and projects, we encourage the development of national space capabilities and are an early-stage investor in space research and development. We also promote the UK space sector’s interests and achievements; make connections to join up industry and academia; and represent the UK in international space programmes.
We have a powerful global voice, partnering with institutions across the world, including the European Space Agency.
More information about the Agency is available here:
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Our Inclusive Environment
We have an inclusive culture to make UK Space Agency a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.
We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.
We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion.
Primary/general responsibilities
* Ensuring that the Agency has appropriate plans, standards and practices for managing corporate risk and conducting corporate assurance and internal audit activities.
* Deputising for the Head of Corporate Governance & Assurance.
* Duties and tasks commensurate with being a manager of UK Space Agency.
* Task management of Senior Executive Officer (SEO) level Corporate Risk, Audit & Assurance Team.
People Management
Oversee support to planning by the SEO Corporate Risk, Audit & Assurance Leads, Working closely with their line manager, you will:
* Role model the behaviours in the Civil Service Leadership Statement and UK Space Agency’s values: deliver with integrity, inspire and support each other, and build a better future.
* Ensure the Leads have well-defined corporate planning and performance objectives, that are aligned with and delivered according to the Agency’s business requirements.
* Ensure Leads meet the standards of performance required of the role and the grade expectations, helping their line manager to understand and highlight their achievements and development needs.
Corporate Risk Management
* To provide structured best-practice approaches to ensure effective risk (and issue) management across the Agency, as well as to provide advice and active mitigation to the Agency’s corporate-level and aggregated risks. Confidence, credibility, and professional expertise is required to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders across a range of organisations.
* Owning, reviewing, and gaining approval of, the Agency’s Risk Appetite Statement, Risk Policy and Framework, all in line with best practice and Departmental policy.
* Advising on and developing organisational plans to raise risk management capability.
Delivery of Risk Management.
* Providing strategic advice to senior leaders to identify appropriate strategies for managing risks and issues.
* Providing advice on best practice risk management to risk owners and practitioners across the Agency.
* Interface and align with the Portfolio Management Team to ensure Portfolio risks are being managed in line with Agency policy and risk management framework, and to receive escalation to the corporate level if necessary.
* Facilitating the identification, analysis, and monitoring of corporate risks and issues, ensuring that corporate risk assurance is taking place.
* Managing regular reviews to ensure assessments and mitigation plans remain current and effective.
* Act as the Risk Manager for Corporate risks, being responsible for facilitating their identification, analysis, and monitoring. Identifying and managing trends and aggregated risks across the Agency, and escalated risks to Executive Committee.
* Directing the creation and format of periodic and ad-hoc Corporate Risk reports, including qualitative and quantitative risk analysis, as required by Governance bodies. Liaises with Departmental (external) reporting bodies.
Corporate Assurance & Compliance
* To provide the Accounting Officer, and Audit & Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC) confidence that the Agency is operating as planned, within legal and policy requirements. They will agree the strategy, set standards, and coordinate plans for conducting proportionate assurance and compliance activities. The post holder will be the Agency’s subject matter expert for assurance and will oversee the Director's Annual Assurance Statements of Internal Control (DAASIC).
* Owning, reviewing, and gaining approval of, the Agency’s, Assurance Strategy, Assurance Framework, and Integrated Assurance Map, all in line with best practice and Departmental policy.
* Advising on and developing organisational plans to raise the assurance of compliance requirements and internal controls across the Agency.
Delivery of Assurance
* Developing and overseeing regular assurance reviews with key corporate stakeholders in accordance with the Integrated Assurance Map.
* Presenting insight from assurance interventions to senior leaders, including the Audit & Risk Assurance Committee.
* Contributing the Governance Statement in the Agency’s Annual Report and Accounts, summarising the processes, plans and findings of assurance activities.
* Providing direction on collating, assessing, and challenging information from the relevant leads within the Agency including oversight of the DAASIC process (Director's Annual Assurance Statements of Internal Control) and assurance of the achievement of Functional Standards.
* Engage upwards and outwards with stakeholders in DSIT and across government to ensure alignment to assurance and compliance requirements.
Internal Audit
* Oversee internal and external audit exercises, including liaison with GIAA, the National Audit Office.
* Coordinate the provision of information to ARAC, and to any internal or external audits teams and commissions.
* Engage upwards and outwards with stakeholders in DSIT and government to ensure alignment to audit requirements.
* Create a central repository for all audit actions, coordinating their enactment with relevant teams.
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Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident .