Executive Opportunities

If you are interested in a role that you understand Russell Reynolds Associates may be handling but do not see this listed below, please contact us at responses@russellreynolds.com and we will direct your query to the responsible consultant.

SBTi – Science Target Based Initiative  
Chief Executive Officer

London, United Kingdom
2304-047L

The Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) seeks to appoint a new Chief Executive Officer.

The SBTi is a corporate climate action organisation that enables companies and financial institutions worldwide to play their part in combating the climate crisis. It develops standards, tools and guidance which allow companies to set greenhouse gas emissions reductions targets in line with what is needed to keep global heating below catastrophic levels and reach net zero by 2050 at the latest. It also provides a validation service for companies to ensure that their emissions reductions targets conform with the SBTi’s science-based criteria.

Founded in 2014 by CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, the We Mean Business Coalition, the World Resources Institute (WRI), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the SBTi’s original ambition was to encourage 100 companies to commit to setting greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in line with climate science. Since then, its impact and reach have grown significantly: at the end of 2023, 4,205 companies had validated SBTi targets, representing 39% of global market capitalisation.

The SBTi’s governance has evolved and matured alongside the organisation’s scale and scope. In 2023, the SBTi initiated the separation of its standard-setting activities and its target validation services into two entities, which will allow the organisation to better deliver on its mission and goals. To reflect this separation, the SBTi incorporated as a UK limited company, gained recognition as a UK charity, and incorporated a separate UK trading subsidiary, SBTi Services Limited, which will house revenue-generating target validation services. The revised governance and operational model brought about a new Board of Trustees comprised of representatives of the founding partners (serving in their individual capacities) and three independent trustees. It also developed a technical governance and oversight model to enhance the effectiveness, rigor, and credibility of the SBTi’s standards, methods, and guidance.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer will have both organisations under his or her remit, and will lead the development and implementation of the SBTi’s vision and strategy at the outset of a new strategy cycle. S/he will represent, protect, and strengthen the SBTi’s credibility and independence as the pioneering initiative for demonstrating corporate climate leadership and will build confidence and momentum among stakeholder groups, including donors. The CEO will also play a key role in managing and motivating staff, and will have final oversight of day-to-day operations.

The SBTi has retained Russell Reynolds Associates to assist with this appointment. To apply, please send your full CV, and supporting statement briefly highlighting your experience and skills against the requirements of the role to responses@russellreynolds.com.

The closing date for applications is 11 October at 11:59 pm CET.

Position Specification

Cabinet Office
Government Chief Commercial Officer

United Kingdom
2404-063L

The Civil Service is one of the biggest and most complex employers in the UK, employing over 400,000 Civil Servants serving both Ministers and the public to deliver the priorities of the Government of the day. These include major projects with a lifecycle cost of around £500bn, as well as programmes and services that affect everyone in the United Kingdom. The annual spend is c. £70bn per annum with a range of suppliers including SMEs.

Based within the Cabinet Office, the Government Chief Commercial Officer (GCCO) leads the Commercial Function across the entire Civil Service, partnering and advising at the most senior levels. Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer of the Civil Service, the role is accountable for evolving and implementing the commercial strategy for the Civil Service, positioning the commercial function as a key delivery partner in all commercial relationships and helping departments realise efficiency savings.

The GCCO is responsible for implementing professional standards for circa 6,000 Commercial professionals, as well as leading and building strong commercial expertise across all Government Departments. Commercial resources overseen by the Function consist of;

• a number of core interlocking central teams working together on Policy, Standards and Continuous Improvement, Complex Transactions, Markets and Suppliers (that will build pan-government relationships with key suppliers) and Commercial Capability;
• colleagues in the Commercial Directorates within Departments and Agencies, and;
• the Crown Commercial Service, a trading fund sourcing common goods and services for the Civil Service and the wider public sector, managing spend of circa £30bn in 2022/23.

The Cabinet Office has retained Russell Reynolds Associates to advise on this appointment. For further information about the position and additional details on qualifications, requirements, terms and conditions of service and how to apply, please review the position specification below.

The closing date for applications is 23:55 on the 15^th of October.

Position Specification

UK Government Investments (UKGI)
Director (x2)

United Kingdom 
P2406-004L

At UK Government Investments (UKGI) we create value for society from government’s most complex commercial interests. What we do is unique, and so are we. Wholly owned by His Majesty’s Treasury (HMT), our team comprises c.150 experts who work together to provide corporate governance and corporate finance expertise to government departments in support of their policy objectives. Working for UKGI provides a unique opportunity for talented individuals from the public and private sector to contribute to work of national importance, with significant social, economic, and political impact.

Reporting to the Chief Executive, we are looking for two Directors to join UKGI and be a member of our Executive Committee. The successful candidate(s) will take responsibility for a range of workstreams across our four areas of expertise:

• Corporate Governance: Act as shareholder representative for, and lead establishment of, UK Government’s most complex and commercial arm’s length bodies on behalf of sponsor Departments. We typically perform this via a dedicated shareholder team and provide a Shareholder Non-Executive Director as a member of the arm’s length body’s board. UKGI works on behalf of 9 departments to improve the performance of 24 publicly owned businesses which together employ over 158,000 people, generate around £30bn of gross income and manage over £1trillion of assets.
  
  
• Corporate Finance: Advise on major UK government corporate finance matters, including financial interventions into corporate structures and corporate finance negotiations. We regularly work on high profile transactions such as the sale of Chelsea Football Club and the procurement of vaccines during the Covid pandemic, as well as providing broader advice like supporting the launch of the Energy Markets Financing Scheme.
  
  
• Transactions: Advise, manage and execute the sale or purchase of significant corporate assets for the UK government, such as the disposal of the UK Government’s stake in NatWest Group.
  
  
• Contingent Liabilities: Improve the UK government’s decision making regarding the structuring, and management of, contingent liabilities in a responsible way that creates value for money.  Recent work in this area includes   the provision of advice on contingent liability risk for military satellite launches to the Ministry of Defence.

UKGI has a strong commitment to maintaining a culture where its people thrive underpinned by lived values and behaviours. We pride ourselves on being a diverse and inclusive organisation – creating an excellent place to work for all our colleagues. We actively seek to attract, develop and support people with a diversity of experience, skills, perspectives and backgrounds, which helps us deliver excellent outcomes for our client departments and the wider public we serve.

Candidates must be able to demonstrate significant depth of leadership experience in at least two of the following areas: corporate finance, corporate governance, or the Civil Service. You will excel in delivering results, leading and communicating, collaborating both internally and externally and building capability for all, underpinned with the highest levels of integrity and independence.

UKGI has retained Russell Reynolds Associates to advise on this appointment. For further information about the position and additional details on qualifications, requirements, terms and conditions of service and how to apply, please follow the link to the position specification below.

The closing date for applications is 6th October 2024.

Position Specification

Ofcom 
Group Director, Online Safety

London and Manchester
2407-092L

At the end of 2023, Ofcom took on the regulation of tech platforms, following the passing of the UK’s new Online Safety Act, a highly ambitious piece of legislation which places a much wider duty of care on global social media, search and gaming companies to protect their UK users from harm. We are now looking for an exceptional individual to lead the next phase of this groundbreaking work as we aim to build a safer life online.

The Group Director for Online Safety will shape and lead this work, which represents the biggest expansion of Ofcom’s remit since we were first set up in 2003. We already have more than 400 people across the organisation working on online safety, and over the next three to five years our task is to turn the new legislation into reality. The Group Director will lead a team of online policy and technology specialists to finalise detailed codes of practice and drive concrete change across the 150,000 companies in scope of the new rules. There is a strong international element to this role – a big part of the job involves collaboration and partnership with other regulators, both in the UK and overseas.

The Group Director will be a key member of Ofcom’s senior management team, reporting directly to the Chief Executive. The role holder will bring a good understanding of the business models, technology and consumer issues in the online sector, and the credibility and ability to inspire the regulated entities to create the changes required. He/she will be an empowering leader, who can take people with them and make the most of the fantastic skill and talent we have already recruited across Ofcom, including in our legal, research, enforcement and economics functions as well as those in the Online Safety Group itself.

There has never been a more exciting time to join Ofcom. This is a unique chance to shape the way social media services are developed globally, through UK regulation. You will be joining and leading a strong and highly motivated team that is determined to make a difference. If you have the skills and experience we are seeking, and most importantly, a passion to make the online world a safer place, we welcome your application. We prize the creation of a diverse and inclusive workforce, so that we can truly represent and work on behalf of people across the whole of the UK.

The closing date for applications is 23:59 on 7^th October 2024.

Ofcom has retained Russell Reynolds Associates to advise on this appointment. For further information about the position and how to apply, please review the Position Specification below.

Position Specification