The Department for Education has announced the preferred candidate to take over as Ofqual’s chief regulator.
Education secretary Nicky Morgan confirmed that Sally Collier, who has 20 years’ experience in the civil service, is first choice for the role in a letter to education select committee chair Neil Carmichael, published today.
Glenys Stacey, who had the top job for five years, stepped down at the end of last month. You can read Ms Stacey’s last interview before she left Ofqual here.
Currently Amanda Spielman is acting as interim chief regulator.
Ms Morgan said of Ms Collier: “She has held numerous senior positions, including her current role as CEO of the Crown Commercial Service, a Cabinet Office Executive Agency and Trading Fund. Sally has significant experience in the complex environment of public procurement and in leading and managing large teams through periods of significant change.
“She is experienced in building deep and productive relationships in the public and private sectors.”
Civil Service World said she “was deeply involved in negotiating changes to the EU rules governing public procurement”.
The select committee will hold a “pre-appointment hearing” with Ms Collier next Wednesday morning, after which MPs will publish a report on their opinion of Ms Collier’s suitability for the role.
Collier’s present role is described as an ‘accounting officer’ on the GovUK website. The NAO recently said the role of Govt accounting officers was becoming less effective. Their ability to ensure value for money when policies were rolled out was being outweighed by the ‘ever-increasing influence of Special Advisers’ and the growing involvement by Ministers in policy implementation. Under such pressure, ‘considerations of value for money and public value’ float into the air, the NAO said.
The Crown Commercial Service report 2014/15 shows Collier earned £215-220k in 2014/15 (including £97k pension benefits); Glenys Stacey, outgoing Ofqual chief, earned £175-180k (including £35k pension) in the same period (although she had earned £205-210k in 2013/14) according to Ofqual 2014/15 report.
Will Collier be taking a pay-cut?
Sally Collier, head of Ofquat, should be sacked. I cannot discover where SHE went to school. I’ll bet it was not a state school. She is obviously not well enough educated and has no intelligence. Actually, the same can be said of many of our MPs.