Compliance Officer

Compliance Officer for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) - 5 Year Term

Westminster

Salary: £60,000 - £70,000 pro-rated.

Contracted hours: This is a part time role – usually 0.4 FTE

IPSA is the body created in 2009 to independently regulate and administer MPs’ pay, pensions, business costs and expenses. It is a small organisation with significant responsibility for public money and the way it is spent. It manages a budget of £170m and is responsible for ensuring that MPs are remunerated fairly and transparently.

The office of the Compliance Officer for IPSA was established by the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009, as amended by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. The Compliance Officer is an independent statutory office holder who has no links to the executive functions of IPSA and reports directly to IPSA’s Board.

The purpose of the role is to be solely responsible for handling complaints that there has been a breach of the MPs’ Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses (“the Scheme”), and to conduct investigations where there is evidence of wrongdoing. The Compliance Officer may also instigate investigations on his/her own initiative. The volume of cases handled by the Compliance Officer varies per year (34 in 2015-16 and 26 in 2016-17).

The key responsibilities of the role are:

• To carry out assessments of complaints and requests for investigation received from IPSA, the public or MPs alleging a breach of the Scheme to establish if they require formal investigation.
• To impose sanctions for breaches of the Scheme including civil penalties.
• To author, manage and upload reports onto the Compliance website in line with regulatory requirements.

What are we looking for?

• Significant investigatory experience within a complex and highly pressured environment.
• Someone who is able to build credibility and to communicate with impact.
• Someone with strong analytical and communication skills, good drafting skills and an ability to present complex issues to varied audiences.
• Someone who has experience of exercising sound judgement, based upon evidence.
• Someone who can work independently and on their own initiative.

This is an exciting opportunity to take sole responsibility for investigations into potential breaches of the rules that regulate MPs’ use of public money and to utilise your knowledge and expertise to make the role your own.

If you are interested in applying for this role please send your covering letter and C.V. to hr@theipsa.org.uk.

If you would like further information or an informal discussion please contact Matthew Terry -Senior Executive Assistant and Board Secretary on 020 7811 6471.

Closing date: 7 May

Interview date: W/C 14 May

Start date: On appointment