Appointment of Commissioners - Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historic Monuments of Wales
- Body
- Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historic Monuments of Wales
- Appointing Department
- Welsh Government
- Sector
- Culture, Media & Sport
- Location
- Meetings are normally held in Aberystwyth, but may on occasion be held elsewhere in Wales.
- Number of Vacancies
- 2
- Remuneration
- £198 per day attended plus travel and other reasonable expenses within the recognised limits. You may also be eligible to claim reimbursement for costs in relation to child care/care of the elderly/assistant carer whilst carrying out work on behalf of the Royal Commission.
- Time Requirements
- 10 days per year
Campaign Timeline
-
Competition Launched
06/08/2018
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Closed for Applications
16/09/2018 at 16:00
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Panel Sift
15/10/2018
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Final Interview Date
26/11/2018
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Announcement
TBC
Vacancy Description
The Board of Commissioners provides leadership and governance for the organisation, and provides scrutiny and constructive challenge to all of the Royal Commission’s activities. The Board also shapes the future of the organisation. The Royal Commission is keen to appoint individuals who are committed to providing the best possible historic environment service for the benefit of all the people of Wales.
As a Commissioner, you will:
- Review the Organisation’s Operational Plan, taking account of work in progress, the directions contained in the Remit Letter from the Welsh Government and initiatives that originate within the Organisation;
- Ensure that the governance of the Organisation complies with the requirements of the Framework document, and that the Organisation’s activities fall within the terms of the Royal Warrant;
- Ensure that the performance required of the Organisation by the Welsh Government is attained and that a report is published annually on the Organisation’s activities;
- Provide guidance and direction to the expert staff of the Organisation, and to monitor their work, in committee or individually;
- Be directly involved in, and take responsibility for, the content of the specialist publications of the Organisation; and
- Represent the Royal Commission and its interests when called upon to do so.
Commissioners are also expected to:
- Have an understanding of the historic environment and its significance;
- Have a clear vision on how the Royal Commission can continue to work with key partners to provide the best possible historic environment service for Wales;
- Work as part of a high performing Board of Commissioners that carries out strong performance management, displays core team behaviours and values, constructively challenges and supports one another, and that continuously measures the achievements of the team against the Commission’s goals; and
- Subscribe to and uphold the seven principles of public life (the “Nolan principles”).
Person Specification
To be considered, you must be able to demonstrate that you have the qualities, skills and experience to meet all the essential criteria (divided up in ‘essential expertise’ and ‘essential personal skills’) for appointment.
Essential Criteria
The Royal Commission is committed to strengthening and diversifying its board, and so we are looking for two new Commissioners who will have significant expertise in one of the following areas:
Twentieth-century architecture: Increasingly twentieth-century buildings are under threat of redevelopment, with the closure of places of worship, schools, hospitals, housing blocks, leisure centres, factories and civic buildings. Buildings of this period tend to be less well studied and understood than older historic buildings; equally they require an understanding of constructional techniques that are radically different from those built using traditional construction techniques.
This is a growing area of the Royal Commission’s work, and we therefore wish to recruit a Commissioner with a firm understanding of buildings and constructional techniques of the period and with the strategic vision to help us prioritise our work and advise the Commission on the potential significance of building types, individual buildings and planned townscapes.
Maritime heritage: The Royal Commission maintains Wales’s maritime record, which extends to the limit of the Welsh Marine Plan area and encompasses a wide range of maritime heritage assets, including submerged landscapes and shipping and aircraft lost at sea. We are currently involved in major projects to commemorate shipping losses during the Great War and to explore the impacts of climate change on the coastal heritage and underwater of the Irish Sea basin. We are responsible for advising and supporting Natural Resources Wales and the Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport with regards to determining the potential impacts of offshore developments such as marine aggregate extraction, tidal and wind energy generation, and port and harbour developments. We are also involved in helping to shape emerging policy in the marine zone with regards to maritime cultural heritage.
We therefore wish to recruit a Commissioner with experience in this field to advise the Commission on strategic priorities to ensure that the significance of Wales’s maritime heritage is understood, promoted, and given adequate protection.
Essential Personal Skills
Candidates will also need to demonstrate that they have:
- Strong intellectual and analytical skills;
- The ability to represent the Royal Commission in public and communicate effectively with key stakeholders;
- An understanding of the diverse communities in Wales and a commitment to sharing the benefits of engagement with Welsh heritage;
- The ability to collaborate effectively, and work with and through others to achieve objectives; and
- The ability to bring fresh ideas to discussions on both strategic and practical issues.
Welsh Language
The ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable for at least one of the posts. The Commission would like to strengthen its current Welsh language skills on the Board. However, all candidates should demonstrate an awareness of the importance of the Welsh language in a bilingual Wales with an appreciation of the Royal Commission’s policies and strategies for the language.
Additional Information
The role and responsibilities of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales
The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales is the unique, independent national archive and investigation service for Wales, dedicated to the authoritative recording and interpretation of our rich historic environment. Located within the National Library of Wales building in Aberystwyth, we operate at arm’s length from the Welsh Government, with skilled staff providing professional advice and expert information to the public. We are committed to delivering the best possible service for Wales, fostering greater understanding and care for our historic buildings and landscapes, and recognising the potential for heritage to help improve people’s lives.
Background
The Royal Commission has a long history in Wales. It was established in 1908 by Royal Warrant, which was revised in 2000. The Warrant directs the Royal Commission ‘to provide for the survey and recording of ancient and historical monuments and constructions from the earliest times (including the ancient and historical monuments in, on or under the sea bed) by compiling, maintaining and curating the National Monuments Record of Wales as the basic national record of the archaeological and historical environment’.
The Royal Commission is a Welsh Government Sponsored Body (WGSB) whose role and responsibilities are set out in the Royal Warrant of 2000. Our governance and accountability arrangements are set out in a Framework Document. The Royal Commission’s operational priorities and performance targets are informed by an annual Remit Letter from the Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport. This letter sets out strategic priorities, specific policies and action plans, and the wider policies and procedures of the Welsh Government.
Board’s Role
The Board of Commissioners provides leadership and governance for the organisation, and provides scrutiny and constructive challenge to all of the Commission’s activities. The Board also shapes the future of the organisation.
The Board of Commissioners comprises a Chair and up to ten other Commissioners. Currently, there are nine Commissioners, including the Chair, Dr Eurwyn Wiliam. The other Commissioners are: Catherine Hardman (Vice-Chair), Thomas Lloyd, Caroline Crewe-Read, Dr Louise Emanuel, Neil Beagrie, Chris Brayne – and Professor Chris Williams and Dr Mark Redknap, both of whom are coming to the end of their terms of office.
Key facts about the post
Location: Meetings are normally held in Aberystwyth, but may on occasion be held elsewhere in Wales.
Time Commitment: An average official time commitment of about 10 days a year, though more can be spent in preparation. Commissioners will be expected to be able to attend two meetings each year, usually in October and April. Each meeting is of two- to three-day duration, plus such occasional meetings as Commissioners agree are necessary. In the case of the members of the Corporate Governance Committee, this includes participating in additional teleconference meetings in January and July.
Commissioners will need to be prepared to read background material, to represent the Royal Commission between meetings, to sit on interview panels and in strategic review bodies from time to time and possibly to assess texts for publication.
Tenure of office: Appointment of 5 years; eligible for reappointment for a further 5 years.
Eligibility
Applicants should note that being a Commissioner of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales is a disqualifying post for membership of the National Assembly for Wales under the National Assembly for Wales (Disqualification) order 2015. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/1536/contents/made
Conflict of Interests
You will be asked to declare any private interests which may, or may be perceived to, conflict with the role and responsibilities as Commissioner of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, including any business interests and positions of authority outside of the role in the Royal Commission.
Any conflicts of interest will be explored at interview. If appointed, you will also be required to declare these interests on a register which is available to the public.
Standards in public life
You will be expected to demonstrate high standards of corporate and personal conduct. All successful candidates will be asked to subscribe to the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies, you can access this document at:
http://www.bl.uk/aboutus/governance/blboard/Board%20Code%20of%20Practice%202011.pdf