University Initiatives Portfolio Board Risk Management Advisory Group

Chair: Anne-Marie Coriat, College Registrar, CMVM 

Members:  

• Gillian Richardson, Director of Strategic Change, CSG
• Matthias Schwannauer, Head of School of Health in Social Science, CAHSS
• James Saville, Director of Human Resources
• Maggie Mackie, Acting Head of Corporate and Commercial Finance
• Jennifer Milne, Deputy CIO and Director of Applications Development and Operations, ISG
• Rona Smith, Deputy Secretary Governance and Strategic Planning
• Programme managers of the current portfolio

Serviced by:  

• Members of the Strategic Change Portfolio Office
• Chris Maclean, University Risk Manager

Frequency: Every two months and ad hoc as required.

Reporting Line Out: University Initiatives Portfolio Board

Reporting Line In: Programmes / Projects that report to UIPB

Time commitment:

• Preparation for sub group meetings: Reading agenda & materials ahead of meeting
• Travel: generally, to be hybrid meetings, with members to advise intent to be online or in person attendance in advance of each meeting
• Building and maintaining knowledge: Time aside to maintain understanding of specific programme/project risk context and information  
• Attendance at sub group meetings: Frequency outlined in 1.1
• Informal discussions: Time to have informal conversations to inform and progress the work of the group
• Actions: Progression of any allocated risk mitigations  
• Engagement activities: Supporting planned activities that promote the work overseen by the group.  
• Meetings will be bi-monthly (every two months), with attendance expected at all meetings by all members to ensure regular monitoring of portfolio risk profile and progress of mitigating actions. Additional meetings may be scheduled in support of escalated risks that cannot wait. 

Overview 

The purpose of the Risk Advisory Group is to oversee the identification, management, and reporting of risk associated with the University of Edinburgh’s projects and programmes overseen by the UIPB, in order to contribute to their success.  

The advisory group will have overall responsibility for establishing a strategic approach to risk management across the UIPB’s portfolio, ensuring that the approach is pro-active, coordinated and synergistic. While effective management of risk within each of the projects and programmes is the responsibility of the respective Programme/Project Lead and associated Programme/Project Manager, the advisory group will be responsible for overall co-ordination of risk management activity.

The advisory group is established by the convener of the UIPB in fulfilment of the UIPB’s remit to, “Identify, monitor, resolve escalated issues, risks and dependencies and consider their aggregated impact, including escalation to the University Executive as appropriate”.

Governance responsibilities

The advisory group will take responsibility for:

• Developing the UIPB risk management strategy and framework for approval by the UIPB.  
• Acting as the UIPB co-ordinating body on all risk-related procedures in conjunction with UIPB-overseen projects and programmes.  

The advisory group will ensure effective, and co-ordinated, risk reporting to UIPB, including the escalation of risks when appropriate. The UIPB can in turn escalate risks to the University Executive. 

3.1 Programmes and projects

The advisory groups remit includes change programmes and projects within the portfolio governed by the UIPB, from initiation through to closure.

Details of the current portfolio: UIPB: Current Portfolio (EASE Login)

3.2 Strategic direction

• Provide recommendations to UIPB on priority risk areas and appropriate action required.
• Consider the collective portfolio risk profile including the monitoring of trend data to ensure that both macro and micro risk implications are considered and actioned.
• Provide feedback to programme and project teams on risk related matters via their members on the advisory group.
• Identify any interdependencies with other strategic priorities and subsequent associated risk
• Maintain an awareness of the boarder internal and external risk context to inform assessments of risk likelihood and impact. 

3.3. Strategic delivery

• Assist the UIPB in defining acceptable risk within the portfolio.  
• Ensure that adequate organisational systems are in place for implementing, monitoring and reviewing assurances on controls.  
• Report regularly on the management of risk across the UIPB portfolio and within each of the overseen Programmes and Projects.
• Assist individual projects and programmes in the identification and implementation of risk registers and risk management action plans.  
• Demonstrate progress of risk action plans through periodic reporting.  
• Provide assurance that the necessary processes are in place so risks assumed are within the Risk Appetite set by Court.

3.4 People

• Fulfil the considerations of a positive staff and student experience by monitoring the people impact associated with the change programmes and project risks.  
• Ensure that the required leaders and managers are assigned to relevant people risks and demonstrate ownership of associated mitigating actions.  
• Liaise with the Staff Experience Committee and Health and Wellbeing Committee as appropriate on people related risks.

3.5 Matter reserved

• The Programme, Project and UIPB’s will remain the decision-making boards for any change control submitted to address an unsustainable level of risk with University Executive acting as ultimate decision-making body where tolerances delegated to the chain of governance boards is exceeded.  
• Any escalation of risk to University Executive will be via UIPB 

All members of the advisory group will:

• Embody the University Values and lead by example
• Provide direction and cohesion, working collectively to ensure the risk profile of each programme and project, and collectively the overall portfolio is in line with overall Risk Appetite as set by University Court.
• Promote collective responsibility for university risk position in relation to the portfolio of programmes and projects reporting to the UIPB, rather than reinforce functional or territorial silos
• Be collegial in approach, fostering trust through common purpose, constructive challenge and a collective mitigation of risks
• Consider the organisational culture and ensure approach and language is appropriate to promote engagement with required action to mitigate risks identified
• Attend regularly and participate fully in the work of the advisory group. This will involve looking ahead and when appropriate consulting/gathering input to provide the broad spectrum of thoughts and opinions which are necessary for proper consideration of the risks being discussed
• Draw on good practice and lessons learned to balance ambition with risk management maturity, and
• Be committed to communicating the work of the advisory group to the wider University as appropriate. 

• Will provide programme/project risk status reports in a coherent and consistent format to allow collective assessment  
• Will provide a consolidated portfolio risk profile;  
• Will provide information of sufficient detail to enable the advisory group to assess risk, manage actions;  
• Will provide visibility of planned key communications and engagement events to ensure they are briefed before wider colleagues and committees are contacted/updated;  
• Provide comprehensive option and proposal papers based on appropriate risk data and considering impacts to the portfolio.
• Will provide any relevant dissemination materials required for advisory group members 

• Agenda to be agreed in advance with the advisory group chair and circulated to members via email linking to advisory group SharePoint repository
• All papers are Open as default unless specific justification to be closed, in which case reference to standard exemption rationale will be made
• All subsequent papers or presentations shared during the advisory group meetings will be uploaded to the advisory group SharePoint repository in advance of, or directly following the meeting
• Sharing of information between advisory group meetings will be managed via email
• An action and recommendations log will be maintained with all members able to view via the advisory group SharePoint Repository
• Half of members are required as quorum for this advisory group
• A summary report including any recommendations for consideration will be submitted to the UIPB in line with its meeting dates 

Role Title: Chair

Role Purpose

The Risk Advisory Group Chair is responsible for ensuring the effectiveness of the advisory group.

Main responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Advisory group Chair include:

• Set the advisory group meeting agenda including leads and timings for each item are detailed and coordinates the running of the meeting on this basis
• Chair the advisory group meeting itself; opening the meeting, welcome members and introduce guests, setting the tone and facilitating useful discussions, accepting motions and amendments and ruling on points of order
• Maintaining order and ensuring everyone has an opportunity to air their viewpoint
• Ensure decisions arising at the meeting are made in a timely manner based on the consensus of the advisory group
• Provides direction to ensure the meeting runs timely and efficiently achieving the goals of the meeting
• Sum up risks, issues, points of note, recommendations and agreed actions discussed during the meeting to ensure collective understanding
• Ensure risks, recommendations and actions are documented, followed up and shared with the advisory group, other members of the wider team and form part of the reporting to the University Initiatives Portfolio Board as appropriate

Attributes

The attributes of the advisory group Chair include: 

• Leading by example, engenders respect and trust from the advisory group
• Effective communicator, active listener
• Decisive
• Good time manager
• Courage to navigate challenging conversations 

Role Title: Risk Advisory Group Member

Role Purpose

Be collectively responsible for making recommendations to support decision making which progresses the effective risk management of the University Initiatives Portfolio.

Main responsibilities

The responsibilities of the advisory group Member include:

Vision and Direction

• Provide recommendation, acting as critical friends and collectively as a conduit between individual Programmes/Projects and the University Initiatives Portfolio Board  
• Promote collective responsibility for university risk position in relation to the portfolio of programmes and projects reporting to the UIPB, rather than reinforce functional or territorial silos
• Be collegial in approach, fostering trust through common purpose, constructive challenge and a collective mitigation of risks  
• Draw on good practice and lessons learned to balance ambition with risk management maturity

Advocacy and Engagement

• Consider the organisational culture and ensure approach and language is appropriate to promote engagement  
• Attend regularly and participate fully in the work of the advisory group. This will involve looking ahead and when appropriate consulting/gathering input to provide the broad spectrum of thoughts and opinions which are necessary for proper consideration of the risks being discussed
• Be committed to communicating the work of the advisory group to the wider University as appropriate.

Attributes

The attributes of the advisory group Member include:  

• Demonstrate the University Values and lead by example  
• Proficient in building relationships, leveraging networks and influencing across stakeholder groups within the University
• Knowledge of subject matter, strategic priorities, organisation risk appetite, landscape and culture and sector context
• Sufficient capacity to provide the time required to fulfil responsibilities of an advisory group member