Three days after a Brighton quango was saved from a government cull, it has advertised for a new chief executive.
The Pensions Regulator, based in Trafalgar Place, near Brighton Station, was given a reprieve from the “bonfire of the quangos” when the government set out its latest proposals on Thursday (14 October).
Yesterday in The Sunday Times the Pensions Regulator invited applications for the top job, offering a competitive six-figure salary.
The vacancy arose in May when Tony Hobman left to head the Consumer Financial Education Body.
Mr Hobman was paid a salary of £210,000 to £215,000, according to the Pension Regulator’s latest annual report.
He was also entitled to a bonus of up to 20 per cent of his salary.
His new employer, the Consumer Financial Education Body, is part of the Financial Services Authority (FSA), a quango which the government promised to scrap by the end of 2012.
The education body is thought likely to be a part of a quango called the Consumer Protection and Markets Authority which is being created to take over some of the FSA’s work.
In the meantime, Bill Galvin, the Pensions Regulator’s director for strategic development, has taken over as acting chief executive.
The task of finding the right man or woman for the top job is being handled by Hays, the recruitment agency.
Hays’ advert in The Sunday Times says: “Pensions used to be thought boring. No longer.
“Most people now recognise that they bring together some of our most challenging issues in business, economics and social policy.
“The Pensions Regulator is right at their heart.
“We are looking for someone of the highest calibre to be our new chief executive.
“You’ll work with the board and a staff of more than 300 to deliver effective risk-based regulation to more than 60,000 pension schemes and prepare for the major changes coming in 2012.”
Although it describes the job as a high-profile and demanding role, it adds: “You won’t need to be a pensions expert.”
