Covent Garden Market Authority (CGMA) is a statutory corporation with a legal obligation to provide and run a horticulture wholesale market. CGMA owns the 47-acre site on which the New Covent Garden Market is situated, in Nine Elms, London, and is in the midst of a major redevelopment to create a vibrant new Food Quarter for London. Operating as a commercial landlord, CGMA has a statutory duty to at least break even, taking one year with another and in its latest published accounts, had a turnover of £14.4m and a workforce of 30 staff members.
The market itself is home to 164 mainly SME businesses employing 2,500 people, with a combined turnover of £888m in 2022-23. It supplies a large proportion of the fruit and vegetables in meals served outside the home in London, from hospitals to the peak of the hospitality industry, and serves a large proportion of London's florists.
Current key challenges for the organisation include successful delivery of the redevelopment project, ensuring the market tenants continue to have a voice and are integral to the vision for the new market, ensuring the market is well-managed and prepared for the future, and that the market is run efficiently and delivering value for money.
The Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for the appointment of CGMA's Chair and Board and is now seeking to appoint a financially qualified non-executive director with the integrity, skills and judgment necessary to deliver strategic direction at a time of significant change. The successful candidate will be able to command the confidence of Ministers, fellow Board members, Executive Directors, tenants and stakeholders and will be expected to contribute to corporate decisions at a senior level.
Demonstrable experience with similar sized businesses is important. Preferably this will include experience with tenant-based businesses. The CGMA financial team is small (around 6 FTE) and the role will involve providing hands-on guidance to this team at times. The successful candidate will provide financial oversight on behalf of the Board and will have a proven record in finance at a senior level. They will also be expected to chair the Audit and Risk Committee.
Stylistically, they will need to be transparent and open in their approach, inclusive and collaborative. A talented mentor, they will have a natural ability to empower, support and influence, with a good balance of emotional intelligence and commercial acumen.
All Board members are expected to adhere to the Nolan principles governing the conduct of public servants.
The market is operational overnight and attendance at night on an occasional basis (potentially a few times a year) should be expected.
This is an exciting time for the organisation, and this role will be pivotal in making sure this unique institution continues to thrive.
To view the job description and person specification, please scroll to the bottom of the page, tick to agree to the privacy policy, then click 'Continue to full details'.
Documents
Public_Appointments_Guidance_Notes.pdf
Recruitment Timetable
Closing Date:
12 noon Thursday 30 January 2025
Final Panel Interviews:
w/c 31 March 2025
How to Apply
The recruitment process is being supported by GatenbySanderson on behalf of Defra and the Authority. To apply for this post please submit the following information no later than
12 noon on Thursday 30 January 2025: a
CV
of no more than two sides of A4; a
supporting statement
of not more than 1000 words (approximately two sides of A4), setting out how you meet the essential criteria - make sure you refer to the contents of this document and provide specific examples; e-mail addresses for two referees; a completed diversity, conflicts of interest, conduct and political activity monitoring form which will form part of the online application process.
For a confidential discussion about the role to help you determine your suitability for application and/or to answer any questions you might have, please contact one of our recruitment advisors at GatenbySanderson: Zoe Bennett: Zoe.Bennett@gatenbysanderson.com Julie Myers: Julie.Myers@gatenbysanderson.com Tracy Wicik: Tracy.Wicik@gatenbysanderson.com
If you have any questions about the appointments process, you need a change to be made so that you can make your application or require additional assistance to support you in your application, please email GatenbySanderson at the email addresses above.
Alternatively, please contact the Defra Public Appointments Team on: publicappts@defra.gov.uk
#J-18808-Ljbffr
The market itself is home to 164 mainly SME businesses employing 2,500 people, with a combined turnover of £888m in 2022-23. It supplies a large proportion of the fruit and vegetables in meals served outside the home in London, from hospitals to the peak of the hospitality industry, and serves a large proportion of London's florists.
Current key challenges for the organisation include successful delivery of the redevelopment project, ensuring the market tenants continue to have a voice and are integral to the vision for the new market, ensuring the market is well-managed and prepared for the future, and that the market is run efficiently and delivering value for money.
The Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for the appointment of CGMA's Chair and Board and is now seeking to appoint a financially qualified non-executive director with the integrity, skills and judgment necessary to deliver strategic direction at a time of significant change. The successful candidate will be able to command the confidence of Ministers, fellow Board members, Executive Directors, tenants and stakeholders and will be expected to contribute to corporate decisions at a senior level.
Demonstrable experience with similar sized businesses is important. Preferably this will include experience with tenant-based businesses. The CGMA financial team is small (around 6 FTE) and the role will involve providing hands-on guidance to this team at times. The successful candidate will provide financial oversight on behalf of the Board and will have a proven record in finance at a senior level. They will also be expected to chair the Audit and Risk Committee.
Stylistically, they will need to be transparent and open in their approach, inclusive and collaborative. A talented mentor, they will have a natural ability to empower, support and influence, with a good balance of emotional intelligence and commercial acumen.
All Board members are expected to adhere to the Nolan principles governing the conduct of public servants.
The market is operational overnight and attendance at night on an occasional basis (potentially a few times a year) should be expected.
This is an exciting time for the organisation, and this role will be pivotal in making sure this unique institution continues to thrive.
To view the job description and person specification, please scroll to the bottom of the page, tick to agree to the privacy policy, then click 'Continue to full details'.
Documents
Public_Appointments_Guidance_Notes.pdf
Recruitment Timetable
Closing Date:
12 noon Thursday 30 January 2025
Final Panel Interviews:
w/c 31 March 2025
How to Apply
The recruitment process is being supported by GatenbySanderson on behalf of Defra and the Authority. To apply for this post please submit the following information no later than
12 noon on Thursday 30 January 2025: a
CV
of no more than two sides of A4; a
supporting statement
of not more than 1000 words (approximately two sides of A4), setting out how you meet the essential criteria - make sure you refer to the contents of this document and provide specific examples; e-mail addresses for two referees; a completed diversity, conflicts of interest, conduct and political activity monitoring form which will form part of the online application process.
For a confidential discussion about the role to help you determine your suitability for application and/or to answer any questions you might have, please contact one of our recruitment advisors at GatenbySanderson: Zoe Bennett: Zoe.Bennett@gatenbysanderson.com Julie Myers: Julie.Myers@gatenbysanderson.com Tracy Wicik: Tracy.Wicik@gatenbysanderson.com
If you have any questions about the appointments process, you need a change to be made so that you can make your application or require additional assistance to support you in your application, please email GatenbySanderson at the email addresses above.
Alternatively, please contact the Defra Public Appointments Team on: publicappts@defra.gov.uk
#J-18808-Ljbffr
