Government begins search for interim chief executive

Outgoing government chief executive Suzanne Wylie

THE process to recruit an interim government chief executive to replace Suzanne Wylie has begun.

Chief Minister Kristina Moore previously said that the role would be advertised in the Island in April, and the successful candidate would be selected from a shortlist of three this month.

The Deputy outlined the timeline in a letter dated 6 April in response to requests for information from the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel about the sudden resignation of government chief executive, Mrs Wylie.

Chief Minister Kristina Moore Picture: ROB CURRIE. (35836307)

In that letter, she said that the successful candidate would take up the role between June and July, which would feature a handover period with Mrs Wylie.

However, the government only announced the launch of the recruitment process yesterday, with ‘the ambition’ that an interim chief executive would be in place before Mrs Wylie steps down at the end of July.

In a press statement issued yesterday, the government said that the States Employment Board had launched a recruitment process to find an ‘experienced senior executive to lead the Island’s public services for an interim period of nine to 12 months’.

The advert for the interim chief executive role describes the salary on offer as ‘competitive’. Mrs Wylie’s salary was in the region of £250,000.

The government also confirmed that ‘discussions are currently under way over changes to the role before a new CEO is appointed to the role on a permanent basis’ but ‘the interim CEO will undertake the role in its current form while those discussions continue and will oversee the organisational changes the Chief Minister has announced to the Government of Jersey’.

In her resignation letter – released following requests by Bailiwick Express and the JEP – Mrs Wylie wrote that there was ‘much political debate on the role of the CEO and my departure will also open the opportunity to assess if it should be changed and to what degree’.

Candidates are being encouraged to apply from both the public and private sectors, with ‘an understanding of governance in a political environment’ deemed ‘beneficial’ but ‘not essential’.

The successful candidate will be appointed through ‘a fair, equitable and open process as set out in legislation, and will follow the guidance of the Jersey Appointments Commission’.

The government also confirmed that shortlisted candidates would be interviewed by a recruitment panel comprising the Chief Minister, who chairs the States Employment Board, Jersey Appointments Commissioners and an independent voting member, as well as a non-voting independent chair and technical adviser.

Deputy Moore said: ‘It is important that we find the right person to lead the public service and continue the excellent work of Suzanne Wylie. I am confident we have appropriate measures in place to ensure this is a fair and open process, and that we are able to appoint the best person for the job.’

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