States hunt for a “visionary leader”

Thursday 04 May 2017

Would you like “the most rewarding job in Jersey?" All you need to do is manage more than 7,000 staff, work daily with politicians, change the deeply ingrained culture of a traditional organisation, face frequent criticism in the media and be responsible for spending hundred of millions every year. No?

It's described as “no ordinary job” by the Chief Minister and means becoming the head of the public sector in Jersey, following the retirement of the current incumbent, John Richardson, next year after 35 years with the States.

According to the advertisement, also featured in the Sunday Times and Guardian newspapers, the head of the Island’s public service must be a, “…dynamic, creative and visionary leader, who is tenacious and politically astute with a strong track record in large and complex organisations.”

Key roles of "the most rewarding job in Jersey" will include acting as principal adviser to the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, as well as, “…Driv[ing] and maintain[ing] a high-performance culture across all areas of the States of Jersey.”

Chief Executive - The most rewarding job in Jersey - The States of Jersey - Competitive Package https://t.co/g9MYyVQKF5

— Odgers UK Exec Jobs (@OdgersUKjobs) May 3, 2017

In a foreword to the position brief, Chief Minister Ian Gorst commented:

“For this exceptional role we are seeking an exceptional individual. We are open-minded about what you are doing now and we welcome a wide range of experience. However, you should be ready to demonstrate a successful track record of delivering services for the public and an ability to provide leadership to our Civil Service in a fast-moving political environment. We will expect you to possess the intellectual capability to advise on domestic and foreign policy as well as work with our talented senior team on matters such as treasury, welfare benefits, health, education and infrastructure.“

Since 2012, that “exceptional individual” has been John Richardson, who next year bows out to enjoy a £2.75 million pension pot after 35 years with the States.

During his recent tenure, Mr Richardson took a salary of over £200,000, with his pension more than doubling from £995,000 to £2.57 million over five years – an allowance that would require an average private sector worker to start saving on their 20^th birthday and to continue saving for 45 years to the tune of more than £47,000 per year.