Low Pay Commissioners x3
- Body
- Low Pay Commission
- Appointing Department
- Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
- Sector
- Business, Finance & Skills
- Location
- London, virtual for foreseeable future
- Number of Vacancies
- 3
- Remuneration
- £242.12 for each full day
- Time Requirements
- 16 days per annum
Campaign Timeline
-
Competition Launched
27/11/2020
-
Closed for Applications
04/01/2021
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Panel Sift
26/01/2021
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Final Interview Date
W/C 22/02/2021
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Announcement
13/08/2021 at 14:00
Announcement
An announcement has been made on the outcome of this appointment.
Dr Patricia Rice, Louise Fisher and Matthew Fell have been appointed as Low Pay Commissioners, and started in their roles w/c 9 August.
Assessment Panel
- Panel Member
- Mike Warren
- Panel Role
- Panel Chair
- Positions
- Director, Labour Markets, BEIS Departmental Official
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- Panel Member
- Bryan Sanderson
- Positions
- Chair of the Low Pay Commission Representative of Organisation
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- Panel Member
- Amerdeep Somal
- Positions
- Independent Member
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Vacancy Description
The Organisation
The Low Pay Commission (LPC) is an independent body set up under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 to advise the government on the National Living Wage (NLW) and the National Minimum Wage (NMW). Made up of nine Commissioners and supported by a small secretariat, its goal is to recommend minimum wage rates that help as many low-paid workers as possible without any significant adverse impact on employment or the economy. This involves careful consideration of evidence on the economy, pay, the opinions of stakeholders, testimony from front-line visits and commissioned research with a view to reaching a shared judgement on the right balance.
For twenty years the minimum wage has successfully raised pay for those at the bottom without significant negative effects on jobs. Now the policy has entered a new phase with the introduction of the National Living Wage – a higher rate for workers aged 25 and over which is subject to a goal of reaching 66 per cent of median earnings by 2024, as long as economic conditions allow. Whoever is appointed to these vacancies will play a critical role in guiding the new policy including monitoring its effects. The reach of the LPC’s recommendations is significant: an estimated 2.3m workers (8.5%) is on one of the existing minimum wage rates, and a further 4-5m are affected indirectly.
More information is available on the LPC website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/low-pay-commission with the key findings of its most recent report summarised here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-national-minimum-wage-in-2020
Low Pay Commissioners
The Secretary of State is seeking to appoint three new Commissioners at the Low Pay Commission. The Commissioners are drawn from employee, employer and academic (independent expert) backgrounds. We are looking to appoint two employer members and one independent expert member.
Person Specification
For both roles, you must demonstrate the following essential criteria:
- Able to extract the essence of an argument from detailed papers or presented evidence and make important and difficult objective decisions within fixed timeframes, whilst maintaining independence of mind.
- Able to challenge constructively the opinion of others, work to achieve a shared consensus and accept collective responsibility.
- Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, and be able to express oneself clearly and succinctly.
- Able to work as part of a team with a proven track record of collaborative working.
You must also demonstrate the essential criteria relevant to the role(s) for which you apply:
Employer Member
- Knowledge and experience of working in business at a senior level and matters relating to employers and the employment of workers.
- Ability to apply own experience as a business representative to issues of low pay.
- A commitment to an evidence-based approach and the capacity to appreciate the implications of complex evidence, including economic data.
Independent Expert Member
- Ability to apply own experience as a senior academic in an appropriate field, for example labour economics, labour market institutions, or employment relations, to issues of low pay.
- A commitment to an evidence-based approach and the ability to analyse and evaluate complex evidence, including economic research and statistical analysis.
The following criteria are also desirable:
- An understanding of the remit of the Low Pay Commission.
- An understanding of the challenges facing small businesses (Employer Member role only).
Additional Information
If you are shortlisted for the role, due diligence will be carried out and your referees are likely to be contacted.
You will be asked to prepare some identification documents if you are invited to an interview – further information will be provided at that stage.
Interviews are likely to be held remotely via Microsoft Teams.
Further information can be found in the applicant pack.
How to Apply
For us to progress your application, you must submit both of the following documents before 11pm on 4 January 2021. You must submit:
- a curriculum vitae; and
- a supporting statement
by email, with the subject “LPC (URN 245)” to: publicappointments@beis.gov.uk.
If you do not submit both a curriculum vitae and a supporting statement by 11pm on 4 January 2021, your application will not be progressed any further. Late applications will not be accepted.
We also ask that you complete an online application form, including diversity monitoring information, which can be found here.
Your curriculum vitae and supporting statement must each be no longer than two pages in length. If you submit documents which are longer than two pages, any information not contained within the first two pages of each document will be disregarded and will not be seen by the assessment panel.
The closing date for applications is 11pm on 3 January 2021.
Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.
Applicant packs can be provided in other formats upon request.
As a Disability Confident Leader, BEIS will offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the published minimum requirements for a job or role. If you wish to apply for consideration under this scheme, please complete the declaration in the Diversity Monitoring Form provided. It is not necessary to state the nature of your disability.
Whether you choose to apply under the Disability Confident scheme or not, you can still ask us to make particular adjustments for you when attending an interview.
If you experience problems accessing or completing the diversity monitoring form or if you have any questions about the application process, please contact Sophie Austin at publicappointments@beis.gov.uk.
Please specify when sending your application which role (s) you are applying for.