Vacancies

Assistant Board and Governance Secretary

Job Introduction

Assistant Board and Governance Secretary

Location: British Transport Police Authority (BTPA), 200 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 9TJ.
Reports to: Board and Governance Secretary (BTPA).
Salary: £43,527.51 – £49,915.06 per annum plus £4,613.61 Police Staff London Allowance per annum.
Contract Type: Permanent / Full-time including compressed hours / job share.

Role Purpose

The Assistant Board and Governance Secretary supports the effective operation of the British Transport Police Authority’s (BTPA) governance and oversight work. Reporting to the Board and Governance Secretary, the postholder plays a key role in supporting the Full Authority and committee operations and ensuring governance processes are delivered to a high standard. This role assists in the coordination of Member oversight activities, contributes to policy and regulatory compliance and supports continuous improvement across governance practices. It strengthens the team’s resilience while offering opportunities for professional growth, including support to achieve recognised governance qualifications.

Key Responsibilities

Member Oversight and Support

Lead the end-to-end onboarding, induction and ongoing development of Authority Members, including the Chair and Deputy Chair, ensuring a high-quality and strategically aligned programme that supports Members to perform their oversight duties effectively from appointment onwards.
Assist in oversight of the accuracy, completeness, and timely maintenance of the Member Activity Log, ensuring it provides a credible and transparent record for inclusion in the externally published Annual Report.

Board and Committee Operations

Support the planning and delivery of Authority and committee meetings, including agenda preparation, minute-taking and action tracking - the postholder will commission, quality-assure and communicate complex governance information using clear, concise and accessible language, ensuring senior stakeholders (including Authority Members, the Executive Team, BTP senior leaders and DfT officials) receive well‑framed advice that supports effective oversight and decision‑making.
Compile Full Authority and Committee agendas, meeting papers and packs which are produced and circulated, including received papers being reviewed for governance quality.

Governance and Compliance

Provide strategic support in maintaining, embedding and continually strengthening the Authority’s governance framework, including the Code of Governance and the Terms of Reference for all committees and the Full Authority, ensuring clarity of roles, decision‑making, and accountability.
Work collaboratively with the Board and Governance Secretary to lead the annual review and refresh of governance documents, ensuring they remain current, compliant and aligned with best‑practice public‑sector governance standards.

Policy and Regulatory Support

Provide authoritative input into the annual review, refresh and implementation of BTPA policies, ensuring they remain compliant with evolving legislation, regulatory standards and best‑practice governance frameworks, and that they support effective oversight of the Force.
Maintain a proactive horizon‑scanning approach to developments in public sector governance, regulatory expectations and ethical standards, translating emerging requirements into actionable insights to strengthen the Authority’s governance arrangements.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

Cultivate and sustain influential, trust‑based relationships with Authority Members, the Executive Team, BTP leadership and key external partners, including the Department for Transport, to enable effective governance, enhance organisational insight and ensure cohesive delivery of the Authority’s strategic objectives.
Provide confident, authoritative communication across all levels of the organisation, tailoring messages for senior stakeholders and translating complex information into clear, actionable insight.

Person Specification

Essential

Experience in a governance, board secretariat, or public sector administrative role.

Exceptional organisational skills, with the ability to plan, prioritise and manage multiple workstreams, deadlines and stakeholder inputs in a fast‑paced governance environment with the ability to manage multiple priorities at the same time.
Demonstrates exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly, persuasively and with authority to senior stakeholders, external partners and Members.

Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
Familiarity with UK public sector governance and policy frameworks including knowledge of how public bodies formulate policy, deliver services, and are held accountable is essential. Public sector governance requires understanding how institutions operate, how evidence informs decisions, and how organisations are structured. This includes:
- How public bodies plan strategically.
- How executive teams deliver against plans.
- How governance teams assure performance and compliance.
Proficient in Microsoft Office and document management systems, with experience in board portals and board-specific software.

Strong commissioning and follow‑up skills, able to clarify requirements, track progress, and ensure high‑quality contributions from the Force, Executive team and external stakeholders.

Selection Process

To apply please submit a two-page CV and a supporting statement, of no more than two pages of A4 (both Arial font size 12), providing clear examples of how you meet the essential criteria as listed. The evidence should be specific and focused on your personal involvement, experience, actions and the resultant outcome.

Interviews will be held in person at British Transport Police Authority (BTPA), 200 Bucking-ham Palace Road, London, SW1W 9TJ.

Completed applications must be submitted by 11:55pm on Monday 27th of April 2026.

Further information

If you have any questions, please contact joe.boyle@btp.police.uk

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