Historic England - x 1 Commissioner
- Body
- Historic England
- Appointing Department
- Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
- Sectors
- Communities, Culture, Media & Sport
- Location
- London with some visits required to other locations
- Number of Vacancies
- 3
- Remuneration
- £4,133 per year. Reasonable expenses will also be repaid.
- Time Requirements
- Around 15-20 days per year.
Campaign Timeline
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Competition Launched
05/04/2019
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Closed for Applications
22/05/2019 at 11:00
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Panel Sift
11/06/2019
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Final Interview Date
Interviews to be held on 1st, 5th and 19th July 2019
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Announcement
15/10/2019
Announcement
An announcement has been made on the outcome of this appointment.
The Secretary of State has appointed Sandie Dawe as a Commissioners on the Historic England board for four years from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2023.
Date: 15/10/2019
Assessment Panel
- Panel Member
- DCMS Senior Civil Servant
- Panel Role
- Panel Chair
- Positions
- DCMS Director Departmental Official
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- Panel Member
- Sir Laurie Magnus
- Positions
- Chair of Historic England Representative of Organisation
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- Panel Member
- Rebecca Surender
- Positions
- Independent Member
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Vacancy Description
Historic England
Historic England is the public body that helps people care for, enjoy and celebrate England’s spectacular historic environment, from churches and battlefields to parks and high streets. We champion and protect the places that define who we are and where we have come from as a nation.
We champion the historic environment, helping people discover the great places that add colour and character to our lives. We include everyone’s history because we know every community has made a contribution that is worth understanding and celebrating. We protect by identifying the most important parts of our heritage, by listing and conserving, and by speaking up for places that are at risk. We care by helping communities and professionals to look after their local heritage.
The role of the Commission The Commission is the governing body of Historic England and provides expert advice and guidance to the Executive. It has corporate responsibility for establishing the overall strategic direction of the organisation and for monitoring its performance against strategic objectives and targets. Commissioners ensure that the organisation carries out its statutory responsibilities, maintaining high standards of probity in the administration of public funds and the effective use of resources.
The Commission is assisted by a number of advisory and sub committees, on which many Commissioners (including the Chair) additionally serve. These include the Historic England Advisory Committee, the London Advisory Committee, the Historic Estates Conservation Committee and the Historic Places Panel, set up to offer expert advice to staff and the Commission on the exercise of Historic England’s functions under the National Heritage Act 1983.
Further information about the Commission and its committees can be found here: https://historicengland.org.uk/about/who-we-are/
Person Specification
All Commissioners will be expected to contribute effectively to the overall work of the Commission and will be required to demonstrate:
- Sympathy with the overall aims of Historic England in protecting the historic environment and handing on our national legacy of historic buildings and places to future generations;
- An understanding of Historic England’s work, the environment in which it operates and a commitment to its aims and objectives;
- An ability to think strategically and exercise sound judgment;
- Strong communication, influencing and persuading skills;
- An ability to work constructively with fellow Commissioners and wider stakeholders;
- An ability to represent their own area of expertise in the full range of Commission discussions;
- An ability to challenge and support the executive team on the full range of issues; and
- Experience at board or similar level and an ability to contribute to collective decision-making.
The following criteria will be used in the selection process. This is not intended to be an exclusive list, nor to imply that candidates need satisfy all of the criteria:
We are seeking to appoint up to three new Commissioners, each with a background in one of the following areas:
Architecture:
- Experience of modern architecture and place-based design;
- Knowledge of preservation and the conservation of buildings and monuments, including in the context of the National Heritage Collection;
- Commitment to heritage as a driver of place-shaping and economic and social regeneration.
Archaeology:
- Academic archaeological experience and reputation;
- Experience of archaeology in the field;
- Knowledge of archaeological research and archaeological science.
Tourism:
- Experience of the tourism industry, nationally or regionally;
- Experience of promotion and championing of the historic environment in relation to tourism;
- Engaging diverse public audiences through a range of media;
- A commitment to strengthening the link between heritage, culture and tourism.
We are particularly keen to improve the gender balance and ethnic diversity of our Commission membership. Historic England recognises the positive value of diversity, and promotes equality and challenges discrimination. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those from underrepresented groups including women, disabled people, and black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) people.
Additional Information
Background Historic England was established by the National Heritage Act 1983 as the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England. It is the Government’s statutory adviser on the historic environment. It is an executive Non-Departmental Public Body with a Commission appointed by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
Historic England’s role is to champion and protect the historic environment. Its activities bring it into regular contact with local and regional government and with other central government departments, principally the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), who are co-signatories of its Funding Agreement.
Location of meetings London with some visits required to other locations.
Term of Appointment
The term of appointment will be for 3 or 4 years, to be determined upon appointment. In exceptional circumstances the Secretary of State may reappoint a Commissioner for a second term.
How to Apply
To apply, please send:
- A CV of no more than two sides of A4; this should provide details of any relevant experience, including where appropriate your education and qualifications, employment history, directorships, membership of professional bodies and details of any publications or awards;
- A supporting statement of not more than two sides of A4, setting out how you meet the criteria – please make sure you refer to the contents of this document; and
- The Conflicts of Interest Form and the Diversity Form [attached at the end of the advert]. The Diversity Form will be kept separately from your application and Conflicts of Interest Form, and will not be seen by the selection panel in order to meet the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments.
Completed applications should be sent to publicappointments@culture.gov.uk with the subject as ‘Historic England – Commissioner’. Please specify which role(s) you are interested in, in the subject title. Alternatively, they can be posted to Public Appointments, 100 Parliament Street, London, SW1A 2BQ.
Alternatively, if this is not possible, please post a hard copy to Christabel Austen, Public Appointments Team, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, 100 Parliament Street, London SW1A 2BQ.
Applications should to arrive no later than 11AM on Wednesday 22nd May. Please note that applications after this time will not be considered.
Interviews are scheduled to take place at the Historic England offices in London on Monday 1st, Friday 5th and Friday 19th July. Please note DCMS does not reimburse travel expenses.
If you would like to find out more information about the role of Commissioner before applying, please contact Andrew.Wiseman@HistoricEngland.org.uk
Supporting information
This process is regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ (OCPA‘s) Code of Practice. All applicants are expected to have adhered to the Seven Principles of Public Life.