Governance & Compliance Officer - Perm

About the GOC

We are the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. We currently register approximately 30,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, student opticians and optical businesses. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, conduct and performance amongst opticians.

About the role

We are looking for a Governance Officer to provide effective governance and compliance support to ensure the GOC meets its statutory obligations.

Key accountabilities

• Provide governance support for committee meetings, including forward planning, support on advice on delegated decision-making authority and conflicts management, agenda and paper development, and drafting of accurate minutes and actions to ensure effective decision making within the established governance framework.
• Assist in providing information, support, advice and guidance to staff in relation to the planning and drafting of papers, corporate policies and the completion of impact assessments.
• Support the development, review and implementation of governance and compliance policies including, management of interest, corporate complaints, gifts and hospitality and financial crime, including the drafting and presenting of papers.
• Support the provision up-to-date advice, guidance, induction and training to staff and members on the GOC’s statutory responsibilities and governance and compliance policies to ensure consistency across the organisation with agreed frameworks.
• Work with the Governance and Compliance team to support other compliance activity, including:

• the corporate complaints process, including; delivery of actions to ensure compliance, undertaking investigations, coordinating responses, compiling statistics and drafting reports;
• the corporate policy review process, including; scheduling reviews, supporting staff with the review of policies, completion of impact assessments, conversion into the policy template, updating into plain English and creating process flow charts

• Keep up to date with current legislation, best practice and innovation (particularly in the regulatory sector), including engagement both internally and externally, and translate this knowledge to suggest changes to GOC’s governance and compliance practices.
• Arrange meetings, induction and development sessions, including room bookings, equipment and catering; liaising with attendees and facilitators on draft agendas; copying and posting Council and committee papers and occasionally taking basic minutes.
• Provide administration support for the corporate complaints and corporate policy review processes.

 

Essential skills/experience/qualifications

• Good coordination, organisational and planning skills, and the ability to prioritise workload.
• Experience of (any/all): governance, committees support, recruitment, and equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Good verbal and written communication skills and attention to detail.
• High levels of numeracy and preparing minutes for complex matters.
• Advanced MS office skills as appropriate to the role e.g. Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Regulatory experience (Desirable).

Governance & Compliance Officer - Job Advert - Jan 2020

Governance & Compliance Officer - JD - Jan 2020

EDI Monitoring Form 2018

Salary range: £29,327 to £34,503 – Dependent on experience

Closing date: 12pm Friday 7th February 2020

Interview date(s): 13th February 2020

We are committed to ensuring that in exercising all of our functions we operate in a fair and transparent manner and in a way that is free from discrimination, harassment and victimisation. Within all of our functions, we are committed to promoting equality; valuing diversity; being inclusive; and meeting our equality duties. We will not discriminate on age; disability; gender reassignment; race/ethnicity; religion or belief; gender; sexual orientation; marriage and civil partnership; and pregnancy and maternity.

How to apply

Please send the following to HR@optical.org:

• Your CV (up to three A4 pages)
• Your covering letter (up to two A4 Pages)

We would also appreciate it if you would submit your monitoring form (which will be held confidentially by HR, used only for the purposes of monitoring our recruitment processes, and will not be shared with anyone involved in the selection process). Please be advised it is not compulsory to complete this form. For more information about our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion please see our EDI Strategy on our website.

For further information on any of the information above, please visit our website.

Should you have any queries, please call HR on 020 7307 9470 or email HR@optical.org.  Alternative formats are available on request.

 

Lawyer - Perm

About the GOC

We are the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. We currently register approximately 30,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, student opticians and optical businesses. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, conduct and performance amongst opticians.

About the role

Provide legal advice and support on all GOC regulatory operations and projects.

The GOC's Legal team comprises a regulatory function and an advocacy function, both of which support each other as needed. This role will sit in the regulatory function and will support the senior lawyer in providing:

•           Specialist legal advice and services on all regulatory strategic issues, operational matters and projects

•           Non-specialist legal support on non-regulatory operations and projects, including low-mid value contracts, procurement, data management and company secretarial/ governance matters

Key accountabilities

• Provide legal advice and services on all regulatory strategic issues, operational matters and projects; including on the registration of optometrists, dispensing opticians, optical businesses and students; professional standards and guidance for registrants; fitness to practise; registrant education and training; registrant continuing professional development (CET)
• Assist the management of any High Court appeal and judicial review cases; including as needed instructing and liaising with external lawyers
• Assist the devising, implementation and overseeing of legal processes, including in relation to case management
• Support the GOC's learning culture, assisting colleagues’ understanding of legal issues and assisting the personal development of junior staff
• Ensure the accurate recording and maintenance of management information; including performance data required for Council reports, the Professional Standards Authority’s review and other appropriate purposes
• Assist efficient case management, particularly in relation to illegal optical practice and registration appeals; including the development of case plans, identification of appropriate lines of enquiry, drafting of witness statements, disclosure of evidence/ unused material, instruction of and liaison with external lawyers as needed, and preparation of hearing bundles  
• If required, occasionally present cases internally before the GOC's hearing panels and/ or externally eg at the County Court and/ or Magistrates Court

Essential skills/experience/qualifications

• Qualified solicitor, barrister or legal executive
• Good understanding of working in a legal or regulatory environment, including interpretation and application of regulations, drafting of documents and conduct of legal research
• Excellent customer service ethos, both internally and externally; able to manage complex/ escalated queries and resolve concerns satisfactorily
• Manages competing priorities, supporting individuals and departments to drive achievement of business objectives, while working to strict time pressures and regulatory deadlines, and maintaining quality of output
• Works collaboratively by engaging with appropriate internal and external contacts to support learning and development for the organisation; has a ‘hands-on’ approach, enthusiastic about being part of a teamwork culture
• Makes decisions and recommendations that are sound, well-reasoned, and are supported by appropriate and relevant information/ evidence 
• Good Microsoft office skills 

Critical competencies/Behaviours

• Always works in accordance with KPIs and business plans
• Has strong analytical, creative-thinking and problem-solving skills, demonstrating technical understanding of legal processes
• Conveys information (usually complex) accurately and clearly, whether verbally or in writing, ensuring understanding by all parties
• Proactively suggests, and leads effective implementation of, alternative approaches or solutions that are well thought through and workable

Lawyer - Job Advert - Jan 2020

Lawyer - JD - Jan 2020

EDI Monitoring Form 2018

Salary range: £37,135 - £43,688 – Dependent on experience

Closing date: 5pm Monday 10 February 2020

Interview date(s): 17 & 24 February 2020

We are committed to ensuring that in exercising all of our functions we operate in a fair and transparent manner and in a way that is free from discrimination, harassment and victimisation. Within all of our functions, we are committed to promoting equality; valuing diversity; being inclusive; and meeting our equality duties. We will not discriminate on age; disability; gender reassignment; race/ethnicity; religion or belief; gender; sexual orientation; marriage and civil partnership; and pregnancy and maternity.

 

How to apply

Please send the following to HR@optical.org:

• Your CV (up to three A4 pages)
• Your covering letter showing how you meet the key accountabilities and essential skills (up to two A4 Pages)

We would also appreciate it if you would submit your monitoring form (which will be held confidentially by HR, used only for the purposes of monitoring our recruitment processes, and will not be shared with anyone involved in the selection process). Please be advised it is not compulsory to complete this form. For more information about our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion please see our EDI Strategy on our website.

For further information on any of the information above, please visit our website.

Should you have any queries, please call HR on 020 7307 9470 or email HR@optical.org.  Alternative formats are available on request.