The Board of the OEP is its body corporate in law, to whom its legal functions and responsibilities are assigned. The Board sets the strategic direction of the organisation. It ensures the correct, efficient and effective use of the OEP’s resources, including its public funding.

The Board of the OEP includes a non-executive chair and between four and nine other members, with the majority of members being non-executives. The non-executive members are crucial in constructively challenging and holding to account the executive members.

The OEP Board has a collective responsibility to:

• establish and take forward the strategic aims and objectives of the OEP;
• set the long-term direction for the executive team and the tone and pace needed to deliver the agreed strategy and plans;
• ensure that in exercising its functions the OEP acts objectively and impartially, and has regard to the need to act proportionately and transparently, and furthers its principal objective;
• determine and review when appropriate its own procedures, meeting any statutory requirements;
• consider recommended courses of action and provide oversight and direction for staff implementing the OEP’s functions, with the Board making decisions where required for those functions that it may not delegate to Individual Board members or staff, including enforcement action against public authorities and approval of the OEP’s annual report on progress in achieving environmental improvement plans and targets;
• receive, review, and submit regular performance information concerning the ongoing delivery of the OEP against its strategy;
• ensure that Parliament is kept informed of any revision of the OEP’s strategy;
• ensure that effective and high standards of corporate governance are always in place;
• comply with the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies.

The Secretary of State is seeking to appoint up to five non-executive members to the Board of the OEP.

Board members will play an important role in supporting and encouraging the executive team in delivering the organisation’s statutory powers of scrutiny, advice, complaints and enforcement in relation to environmental law and its application. Your skills will be vital in helping the Board make the right decisions for current and future policy.

Applications are invited from high-calibre candidates from all backgrounds who can demonstrate they can contribute to the strategic leadership of the OEP and discharge a full range of non-executive responsibilities. We welcome applications from any candidates who meet the essential criteria for the role, whether experienced or first-time Non-Executive Directors.

The successful candidates must abide by the Nolan principles of public service and the Code of Conduct for Board Members.