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Commissioner, Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission

Body
Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission
Appointing Department
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Sectors
Business, Finance & Skills, Charity & Public Sector, Communities, Culture, Media & Sport, Education, International
Location
London
Skills required
Accountancy, Audit and Risk, Business / Commercial, Change Management, Communication / Media / Marketing, International Experience, Legal / Judicial, Regulation
Number of Vacancies
4
Remuneration
The appointment is unpaid. Reasonable costs of travel within the UK to attend Commission meetings and events will be reimbursed, as will reasonable travel costs within the UK or to the US.
Time Requirements
The role of a Commissioner involves attending four Commission meetings per year, at least two annual Commission events, two Education Committee meetings or three to four Audit, and Risk Committee meetings, and ad hoc work requiring a time commitment of around 15 days per year.

Campaign Timeline

  1. Competition Launched

    04/02/2019

  2. Closed for Applications

    24/02/2019

  3. Panel Sift

    11/03/2019

  4. Final Interview Date

    26/03/2019

  5. Announcement

    01/05/2019

Assessment Panel

Panel Member
Ben Coates
Added
04/02/2019
Panel Role
Panel Chair
Positions
Head of the Scholarships Unit Departmental Official
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Political Activity-
Notes-
Panel Member
Christopher Fisher
Added
04/02/2019
Positions
Chair, Marshall Commission Representative of Organisation
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Political Activity-
Notes-
Panel Member
Cindy Butts
Added
04/02/2019
Positions
Senior Consultant, Police Accountability, Panellist, Judicial Appointments Committee Senior Independent Panel Member
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Political Activity-
Notes-

Vacancy Description

The Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission is the UK’s flagship scholarship programme with the United States. It enables talented postgraduate students from the US to study at Universities across the UK. Marshall is a key part of UK foreign policy, building meaningful links with future leaders and furthering the transatlantic partnership between the two countries.

The Marshall Commission was established by an Act of Parliament in 1953 to administer the Marshall Scholarship programme as an Executive Agency of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

The Commission comprises up to 10 Commissioners who act as a Board for the programme, setting direction, providing oversight and adding value to the scholars experience in the UK, using their personal networks and experience to give them access to interesting and insightful opportunities. The Commission is supported by dedicated staff at the Association of Commonwealth Universities, which is contracted to administer the Marshall Scholarship programme.

The Commission is led by the Chair, who is its Accounting Officer on behalf of the FCO. Current Commissioners have a range of senior-level experience across the private sector, higher education, the US, law, finance and third sector. Four of them will have completed their current terms this summer and replacement appointments are now being sought.

Commissioners are responsible for:

  • Overseeing the grant-in-aid provided by the FCO funding Marshall Scholarships for talented graduates from the United States, as well as nurturing the programme’s increasingly important funding partnerships with academic institutions and others.
  • Overseeing the selection of scholars, working with regional committees in the USA, in coordination with Consuls General and the Ambassador’s advisory council in Washington.
  • Ensuring scholars receive appropriate advice and assistance while in the UK.
  • The effective delivery of the Marshall programme, with support from the secretariat.
  • Ensuring Marshall makes a valuable and enduring contribution to UK-US relations.

More information about Marshall Scholarships and the Commission can be found at www.marshallscholarship.org

Candidates should ensure they can meet these commitments before applying, though please ask for reasonable adjustments if any need to be made.

Person Specification

Person Specification

Four candidates are sought whose attributes will range across the following criteria.

Essential:

  • Significant knowledge or experience of the UK higher education sector OR relevant experience of working for a public body, NGO or business
  • An interest in working closely with the UK higher education sector.
  • A keen interest in and/or experience of UK-US relations, and a commitment to improve and deepen that relationship.
  • Strong networking and stakeholder engagement skills, and a willingness to engage with the brightest and best American students.
  • Knowledge or experience of finance, governance and strategic issues.
  • Commitment to ensuring access of opportunity, regardless of background.

Desirable:

  • Knowledge or experience of US higher education.
  • Experience of working with public-funded programmes.
  • Experience at board level of an organisation in the public, private and third sectors.
  • Experience of evaluating the success of programmes and using this to develop strategy.

We are looking for one commissioner to play a senior role on the Audit and Risk Committee, as well as 1-2 commissioners with strong academic credentials to join the Education Committee.

At Marshall, we want to represent the breath and diversity of the UK and particularly welcome applications from candidates from a diverse range of professional and personal backgrounds.

How to Apply

Equality of opportunity – We welcome applications from all sections of the community and from people with diverse experience and backgrounds.

How to apply – All applicants are required to submit a letter detailing their experience against the specification and relevant skills together with a full CV. Please also provide the names and contact details of two referees who can be contacted if you are short-listed for interview. If alternative formats of this information pack and the monitoring form (below) are required, please contact us at an early stage well before the closing date for applications. Applications must be received by the closing date. Late applications will not be considered. Contact details: Stephanie.Kouloumanou@fco.gov.uk

Public Appointment Monitoring Form

All applicants for a public appointment should complete a Public Appointment Monitoring Form, attached separately. The Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) requires us to collect information on the gender, age, ethnic origin and disability of all those appointed. OCPA also requires information on whether appointees have been politically active in the past five years and whether other public appointments are held.

This form will be kept separate from your application form and will not be seen by the sift or interview panel. Assessment of your suitability for the post is made purely on the information you give on the application form and your performance at the interview should you be invited. Appointments are made strictly on merit.

Please send your completed applications by email to Stephanie.Kouloumanou@fco.gov.uk

Applications will be acknowledged by email. All applicants will be contacted again after the closing date.