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Role details

Diplomatic and International Affairs Trustee, Imperial War Museum

Application deadline 26 March 2023

Summary

• Organisation: Imperial War Museum
• Sponsor department: Department for Culture, Media and Sport
• Location: London
• Sectors: Culture, Media & Sport
• Skills: International Experience
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 12 day(s) per annum
• Length of term: 4 Year Term
• Application deadline: 11:59pm on 26 March 2023

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   2 March 2023

2. Application deadline

   11:59pm on 26 March 2023

3. Sifting date

   18 April 2023

4. Interviews expected to end on

   23 May 2023

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the role

Introduction from the Secretary of State

Dear Candidate

Thank you for your interest in this vacancy for a Diplomatic and International Affairs Trustee of the Imperial War Museum.

You may already have some idea about the important work of Imperial War Museum. The following pages will tell you more about its purpose, the nature of the Board and the Diplomatic and International Affairs Trustee role, as well as the application process. Please do also view the Imperial War Museum’s website to understand their work and the strategic framework review they are currently undertaking: Imperial War Museums (iwm.org.uk).

If, after reading the material, you have further questions about any aspect of this post you or the appointment process are welcome to speak to the Arm’s Length Body Hub via email ALBPublicAppointments@fcdo.gov.uk

If you believe you have the experience and qualities we are seeking, we very much look forward to hearing from you.

Foreign Secretary

Role description

This is both a challenging and exciting time to join the Imperial War Museum.

Whilst the Board’s Chair has overall responsibility for the performance of the Board, all members of the Board have an important individual and collective role in working with the Chair, the Chief Executive and the Senior Management Team to evolve the strategic direction of the body, to ensure delivery goals, and to ensure that it fulfils the governance, financial management, and efficiency standards required of it as a public body.

Organisation description

The Imperial War Museum (IWM) is an independent body which provides for, and encourages, the study and understanding of the history of modern war and wartime experience. 

Further information on the IWM’s and its activities, including its most recent annual report can be found on IWM’s website:  Imperial War Museums (iwm.org.uk)

Board composition

The Board currently comprises 22 Members. Members of the Board are listed below and biographical information for each Board Member can be found on the Imperial War Museum’s website (https://www.iwm.org.uk/)

●      Matthew Westerman (Chair);

●      Sherin Aminossehe;

●      Hugh Bullock;

●      Lieutenant-General Andrew Figgures CB CBE;

●      Professor Margaret MacMillan CH CC DPhil;

●      Tim Marlow OBE (Deputy Chair);

●      Suzanne Raine;

●      Air Marshal Edward Stringer CB CBE;

●      Tamsin Todd;

●      Mark Urban;

●      Vice Admiral Mike Utley CB OBE;

●      Sir Guy Weston;

●      Two Vacancies;

●      His Excellency Stephen Smith (High Commissioner for Australia);

●      His Excellency Ralph Goodale (High Commissioner for Canada);

●      His Excellency Gaitri Issar Kumar (High Commissioner for India);

●      His Excellency The Hon Phil Goff (High Commissioner for New Zealand);

●      His Excellency Moazzam Ahmad Khan (High Commissioner for Pakistan);

●      His Excellency Jeremiah Nyamane Mamabolo (High Commissioner for South Africa);

●      Her Excellency Saroja Sirisena (High Commissioner for Sri Lanka)

Regulation of appointment

This post is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. For more information, please refer to the Commissioner’s website 

Person specification

Essential criteria

•        A knowledge of and commitment to IWM, and support of the purposes and values of the Museum, including its public educational purpose;

•        Proven ability to take responsibility and demonstrate sound judgement in strategic decision making;

•        Excellent presentational and communication skills;

•        A clear understanding of the principles of corporate governance in the public sector.

•        A commitment to preserving cultural heritage and improving education and understanding of British and World history.

•        A demonstrable understanding of the Imperial War Museum’s Commonwealth role and remit

•        Recent demonstrable experience at a senior level in the field of international affairs.  

•        A commitment to the benefits of diversity and inclusion to the IWM as a public institution and to the Board of Trustees in the execution of their duties.

Desirable criteria

•        Experience in one of the following areas would be especially relevant:

•        working in areas of the world affected by conflict;

•        working in Europe, the US, the Far East or Commonwealth countries not already represented on the Board*

*Commonwealth countries already represented on the Board of Trustees are: Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

Application and selection process

How to apply

To apply, please send:

•        A Curriculum Vitae (maximum two sides of A4) with your education, professional qualifications and full employment history.

•        A supporting statement (maximum two sides of A4), setting out how you meet the eligibility criteria – make sure you refer to the contents of this document; please ensure your full name is clearly noted at the top of your letter.

•        Recruitment Monitoring – If you experience problems accessing the monitoring form please contact the Sponsor Team.

•        Disability Confident – Offering an interview to disabled people declaration (if applicable)

•        Contact details including e-mail addresses for two referees;

If you have any questions about the appointments process, please contact the FCDO Arm’s Length Bodies Hub at: ALBPublicAppointments@fcdo.gov.uk.

We will acknowledge receipt of your application via email in 2 working days. If you do not receive this acknowledgement, please contact the FCDO Arm’s Length Bodies Hub via the contact details provided above.

Completed applications should be submitted to ALBPublicAppointments@fcdo.gov.uk

The Advisory Assessment Panel reserves the right to only consider applications that contain all of the elements listed above, and that arrive before the published deadline for applications.

Overview of the application process

Public appointments are made on merit following a fair and open competition process which is conducted in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. We will deal with your application as quickly as possible and will keep you informed at key stages. We aim to conclude the appointment process within three months of the deadline for applications – this is in accordance with the Governance Code.

The assessment process

1. Ministers are responsible and accountable to Parliament for the public appointments made within their department. As a result, they must be consulted at every stage of the appointments process.

2. An Advisory Assessment Panel (“Panel”) is appointed by Ministers to assist them in their decision making. The role of the Panel is to decide, objectively, which candidates meet the eligibility criteria for the role.

3. At the shortlisting meeting the Panel will assess applications against the eligibility criteria and decide which candidates have best met the criteria, who should be recommended for interview. Ministers will then be consulted on the Panel’s recommended shortlist. If you have applied under the Disability Confident Scheme and you meet all the essential criteria, then you will also be invited for an interview.

4. Once the shortlist has been agreed by Ministers, you will be advised (by e-mail) whether you have been shortlisted. Those shortlisted will be invited to an interview.

5. The Panel will meet again to interview candidates and determine who is appointable to the role. The Panel may invite you to make a brief presentation at the start of the interview and will go on to question you about your skills and experience, including asking specific questions to assess whether you meet the criteria set out for the post. The Panel will also explore with you any potential conflicts of interest or any other issues arising from your personal and professional history which may impact on an appointment decision.

6. Details of the panel’s assessment of interviewed candidates are provided to Ministers, including whether they have judged a candidate to be appointable to the role. It is then for Ministers to determine merit and decide who should be appointed. In some circumstances, Ministers may choose not to appoint any candidates and re-run the competition.

7. Ministers may choose to meet with candidates before deciding the outcome. Candidates should therefore be prepared for a short time gap between interview and a final appointment decision being made. Candidates who have been interviewed will be kept informed of progress.

8. Once the decision on the appointment has been made, interviewed candidates will be advised of the outcome of their application, including whom they may approach for feedback. Successful candidates will be issued with their Terms & Conditions and a letter of appointment should they agree to take up the position.

Further information about appointments, including tips on applying, can be found on our guidance pages on gov.uk.

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

Advisory Assessment Panels (AAP) are chosen by ministers to assist them in their decision-making. These include a departmental official and an independent member. For competitions recruiting non-executive members of a board (apart from the Chair), the panel will usually include a representative from the public body concerned.

AAP’s perform a number of functions, including agreeing an assessment strategy with ministers, undertaking sifting, carrying out interviews in line with the advertised criteria and deciding objectively who meets the published selection criteria for the role before recommending to ministers which candidates they find appointable. It is then for the minister to decide who to appoint to the role.

The Advisory Assessment Panel will consist of:

•        Panel Chair: Dominic Lake, Deputy Director in FCDO for Partnerships & Corporate Governance.

•        IWM representative: Matthew Westerman, Chair of the IWM.

•        Independent Panel Member: Dame Patricia Hodgson

Eligibility criteria

In general, you should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment.

There are a small number of specialist roles that are not open to non-British citizens. Any nationality requirements will be specified in the vacancy details.

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. 

You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:

• you are disqualified from acting as a company director  (under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986);

• have an unspent conviction on your criminal record;

• your estate has been sequestrated in Scotland or you enter into a debt arrangement programme under Part 1 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17) as the debtor or have, under Scots law, granted a trust deed for creditors.

When you apply, you should declare if:

• you are, or have been, bankrupt or you have made an arrangement with a creditor at any point, including the dates of this. 

• you are subject to a current police investigation.

You must inform the sponsor department if, during the application process, your circumstances change in respect of any of the above points. 

When you apply you should also declare any relevant interests, highlighting any that you think may call into question your ability to properly discharge the responsibilities of the role you are applying for. You should also declare any other matters which may mean you may not be able to meet the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Board Members (see Outside interests and reputational issues section below)

If you need further advice, please contact ALBPublicAppointments@fcdo.gov.uk

Security clearance

The successful candidate will be required to undertake Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks in line with the Civil Service guidelines. Additional Security Clearance may also be required for certain roles. However, where this applies, candidates will be notified during the appointment process. Further information on National Security Vetting can be found on the Gov.uk website here.

Additional information for candidates

Equality and diversity

We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and across the whole of the United Kingdom. Boards of public bodies are most effective when they reflect the diversity of views of the society they serve and this is an important part of the Government’s levelling up agenda.

We collect data about applicants’ characteristics and backgrounds, including information about people’s educational and professional backgrounds, so that we can make sure we are attracting a broad range of people to these roles and that our selection processes are fair for everyone. Without this information, it makes it difficult to see if our outreach is working, if the application process is having an unfair impact on certain groups and whether changes are making a positive difference.

When you submit your application, your responses are collected by the Cabinet Office and the government department(s) managing your application. The data is used to produce management information about the diversity of applicants. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be seen by the Advisory Assessment Panel who review applications against the advertised criteria and conduct interviews.

Disability confident

We are a member of the Government’s Disability Confident scheme. We use the Disability Confident scheme symbol, along with other like-minded employers, to show our commitment to good practice in employing people with a disability. The scheme helps recruit and retain disabled people. 

As part of implementing the scheme, we guarantee an interview for anyone with a disability whose application meets the essential criteria for the role, set out in the advert, and who has asked that their application is considered under the scheme. Indicating that you wish your application to be considered under the scheme will in no way prejudice your application. By ‘minimum criteria,’ we mean that you must provide evidence which demonstrates that you meet the level of competence required under each of the essential criteria, as set out in the job-advert.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to select if you would like your application considered under this scheme.

Reasonable adjustments

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to make sure applicants with disabilities, physical or mental health conditions, or other needs are not substantially disadvantaged when applying for public appointments. This can include changing the recruitment process to enable people who wish to apply to do so.

Some examples of common changes are:

• ensuring that application forms are available in different or accessible formats;
• making adaptations to interview locations;
• allowing candidates to present their skills and experience in a different way;
• giving additional detailed information on the selection / interview process in advance to allow candidates time to prepare themselves;
• allowing support workers, for example sign language interpreters;
• making provision for support animals to attend.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments to the application process.

Principles of public life

Holders of public office are expected to adhere to and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-7-principles-of-public-life/the-7-principles-of-public-life--2. These are:

1. SELFLESSNESS - Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family or their friends;
2. INTEGRITY - Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties;
3. OBJECTIVITY - In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit;
4. ACCOUNTABILITY - Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office;
5. OPENNESS - Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands;
6. HONESTY - Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest;
7. LEADERSHIP - Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

Code of conduct for board members

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. In support of this, all non-executive board members of UK public bodies must abide by the principles set out in the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. The Code sets out the standards expected from those who serve on the boards of UK public bodies and will form part of your terms and conditions of appointment.

Management of outside interests and consideration of reputational issues

Holders of public office are expected to adhere and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life and the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Before you apply you should consider carefully: 

• any outside interests that you may have, such as shares you may hold in a company providing services to government; 
• any possible reputational issues arising from your past actions or public statements that you have made; 
• and/or - any political roles you hold or political campaigns you have supported; 

which may call into question your ability to do the role you are applying for.

You will need to answer relevant questions in relation to these points when making an application. Many conflicts of interest can be satisfactorily resolved and declaring a potential conflict does not prevent you from being interviewed. If you are shortlisted for an interview, the panel will discuss any potential conflicts with you during that interview, including any proposals you may have to mitigate them and record that in their advice to ministers. Alongside your own declaration, we will conduct appropriate checks, as part of which we will consider anything in the public domain related to your conduct or professional capacity. This may include searches of previous public statements and social media, blogs or any other publicly available information. The successful candidate(s) may be required to give up any conflicting interests and their other business and financial interests may be published in line with organisational policies. 

Details of declared political activity will be published when the appointment is announced, as required by the Governance Code (political activity is not a bar to appointment, but must be declared).

Status of appointment

As this is an office holder appointment, you will not become a member of the Civil Service. You will not be subject to the provisions of employment law.

Appointment and tenure of office

•        This appointment will be made by the Foreign Secretary.

•      Appointments are for a 4 year term with the possibility of re-appointment for a second term, at the discretion of Ministers.  Any re-appointment is subject to satisfactory annual appraisals of performance during the first term in the post. If re-appointed, the total time served in post will not exceed more than two terms or serve in any one post for more than ten years

•      It will be important that a Member’s other commitments do not cast any doubt on their ability to act independently and impartially in discharging the role; any potential conflict of interest must be declared and will be discussed at interview (more detail below).

All Board Members are required to adhere to:

•        The Cabinet Office Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies.

•        The Seven Principles of Public Life (see Annex A)

Performance appraisal

The board member will be assessed at least once a year against their performance for each year of their appointment, which will be carried out by the Chair of the IWM.

Commitment

The Board Member will be expected to commit up to 12 days each year to:

•        Attend four full Board meetings per year, the majority of which will be held in London;

•        Travel to attend meetings and visits at other sites across the country;

Read and consider papers outside meetings.

Remuneration, allowances and abatement

•        The time commitment for a Trustee is up to 12 days per year.

•        This role is unremunerated. However, Trustee’s will be reimbursed for reasonable standard travel expenses in accordance with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s reasonable expenses policy.

•        The post is not pensionable.

Pension and redundancy

This is an office holder appointment and does not attract any benefits under any Civil Service Pension Scheme. You will not be eligible for redundancy pay as you are not an employee. No other arrangements have been made for compensation upon the end of your term of appointment because an office holder who is appointed for a limited duration would have no expectation of serving beyond that period.

Application feedback

We will notify you of the status of your application. We regret that we are only able to offer detailed feedback to candidates who have been unsuccessful at the interview stage.

How to complain

We aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and to treat all applicants with courtesy.

Please contact the FCDO Public appointments team in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application at ALBPublicAppointments@fcdo.gov.uk. They will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and respond within 15 working days.

How to complain to Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA)

If you are not content with the appointing department’s response you may wish to further complain to the Commissioner at publicappointments@csc.gov.uk.Further information on how the Commissioner handles complaints can be found on the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ website https://publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk/regulating-appointments/investigating-complaints/

Data protection

The Cabinet Office will use your data in line with our privacy policy.

Please see the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's privacy policy in our Candidate pack at Annex B.

Contact details

For any further information, please contact FCDO Public Appointments Team at ALBPublicAppointments@fcdo.gov.uk