New Zealand Registered Architects Board – Chair

On behalf of the Minister for Building and Construction, the Ministry is seeking candidates who wish to be considered for appointment as the Chair of the Board.

About the Board

The New Zealand Registered Architects Board (the Board) is a body corporate, established under section 47 of the Registered Architects Act 2005 (the Act), to carry out three main regulatory functions: registration, continued registration (i.e. ensuring registered architects maintain competence and professionalism in their career) and complaints and discipline.

The Registered Architects Act 2005 (the Act) provides a registration framework and protects the title of ‘registered architect’ for those who meet the minimum standards to be registered. Registered architects are bound by a code of ethics and are accountable for their work through a complaints and disciplinary process, which is administered by the NZRAB.

Functions

The Board’s role is to decide who can be, and who can continue to be a Registered Architect. The Board is responsible for the development and administration of rules about competency standards, ethics, and complaints and discipline of members of the profession.

The Board’s functions are to:

• make rules relating to registered architects that are prepared and approved in accordance with the Act
• register architects who have been assessed by their peers as competent to practice independently
• maintain an online register, so the public can confirm that an architect is registered
• review the competence of architects at least every five years, and, if need be, decide whether to suspend or cancel an architect’s registration
• receive, investigate, and hear complaints and, if need be, discipline architects
• provide information to the public about the registration system for registered architects.

Board membership

Individual duties of the Chair

• Chair Board meetings, including
  • Setting the annual board agenda
  • Ensuring there is sufficient time to cover issues
  • Ensuring the board receives the information it needs
  • Ensuring that contributions are made by all board members
  • Assisting discussions towards the emergence of a consensus view
  • Summing up so that everyone understands what has been agreed.
• Participate in the recruitment process for new Board members. This may include:
  • Maintaining a view on the desired composition of the Board
  • Considering succession planning for members and chairperson
  • Supporting Ministers, MBIE and industry stakeholders in appointing and reappointing members
• Oversee the employment of the chief executive, including considering succession planning and organising induction for a new chief executive.
• Undertake formal assessments of the Chief Executive’s performance with respect to the Chief Executive terms and conditions at time of appointment and subsequently agreed KPI’s and performance measures.
• Provide effective leadership and direction to the organisation, consistent with the purpose of the Board and the Minister’s expectations.
• Ensure effective accountability and governance of the Board, including consistency with the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.
• Act as the leader of the Board, including presenting the Board’s objectives and strategics to the public as and when needed.
• Utilise relationship management skills, including working effectively with peers and developing valuable strategic connections with industry, consumers and other stakeholders.
• Provide guidance and support to the chief executive to ensure the organisation is managed effectively. This includes establishing and maintaining an effective working relationship with the chief executive while also taking an independent view to challenge and test management thinking.
• Ensuring that appropriate interest registers are in place, and the members’ conflicts of interest (including those of the chairperson) are dealt with appropriately.

Collective and individual duties of the Board

The Board must:

• ensure the registration of architects is efficient and fair, and ensure Registered Architects maintain the skills and knowledge to remain competent
• ensure the titles ‘Registered Architect’ and ‘Architect’ are protected in terms of the Registered Architects Act 2005
• ensure the Board has a robust strategic planning process that plans and identifies opportunities for improving the registration and licensing system and disciplinary process
• appoints and manages the performance of the Chief Executive and monitors the performance of the organisation
• set the culture and tone of the organisation including reinforcing the commitment to Kaupapa Māori and expect all Board members to demonstrate an understanding of Tikanga Māori and Te Tiriti based principles, particularly as they apply in the architecture sector
• adhere to the requirements of the Registered Architects Act 2005 and other relevant legislation.

Membership of the Board

The Board comprises six to eight members, four of which are nominated by Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects and four other persons recommended by the responsible Minister. All members are appointed by the responsible Minister.  Members can serve terms of up to five years.

Time commitment and remuneration

The typical time commitment for Board members is around 8 - 12 days per year, including board meetings, one to two strategic planning days, committee and panel meetings, some telephone conferences, ad hoc meetings, and (when required) disciplinary hearings.  Preparation time is paid on top of attendance or participation.

The Chair is expected to undertake more hours in addition to a Board member. These additional hours vary based off need and workload.

The Chair receives an annual fee of $30,030, plus reasonable travel and accommodation expenses. 

Person specifications

Specific skills required

The Minister is recruiting for a Chair of the New Zealand Registered Architects Board (the Board). To be successful in this role, applicants will have:

• proven governance experience as the Chair of a board
• ability to foster an inclusive and performance-focused Boardroom culture and an environment which encourages full participation and healthy debate on a range of complex topics
• proven skills in leadership including the ability to develop and implement strategy
• strong stakeholder relationship management skills, and the ability to gain the trust and confidence of the architecture profession
• an interest in architecture and its processes, and the wider building and construction sector
• experience in the duties and responsibilities associated with regulatory or disciplinary bodies, and an ability to bring an objective and fair approach to disciplinary hearings
• excellent verbal and written communication skills
• a clear sense of public accountability, knowledge of the machinery of government and an understanding of the relationships between the Government, statutory entities and the monitoring agency.

Disclosure of interest

Before a person is appointed as a member of the Board, they must disclose the nature and extent (including monetary value, if quantifiable) of all interests that the person has at that time, or is likely to have, in matters relating to the Board.

As part of the appointments process, candidates are required to disclose any interests that they may have. The information that is disclosed is used to assess whether a candidate would be able to contribute effectively to the entity’s affairs and, where conflicts are identified, to ensure that these can be managed appropriately.

Additional information

For enquiries about the position, email: board.appointments@mbie.govt.nz

The Minister is committed to considering candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds, including age, gender, ethnicity and geographic locations, to enable the Board to be high-performing.