Closed Applications (Archive)

URN503 Climate Change Committee, Chair *Now extended 03/10/2022*

• Body: Climate Change Committee
• Appointing Department: Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
• Sector: Energy
• Location: The Climate Change Committee, 1 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0ET. Meetings take place once a month by conference call (subject to change).
• Number of Vacancies: 1
• Remuneration: £1000 per day. Remuneration and expenses are taxable.
• Time Requirements: 2 days per month. An initial period of 5 years. There may be an opportunity for re-appointment for a second term.

Campaign Timeline

1. Competition Launched

   27/07/2022

2. Closed for Applications

   03/10/2022

3. Panel Sift

   October

4. Final Interview Date

   November

5. Announcement

   TBC

This is not a ministerial appointment.

Assessment Panel

• Panel Member: Lee McDonough, Director General Net Zero Strategy and International​, BEIS
• Panel Role: Panel Chair

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• Panel Member: Roy Brannen, Director-General Net Zero, Scottish Government

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• Panel Member: Liv Garfield, Chief Executive, Severn Trent
• Positions: Senior Independent Panel Member

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Vacancy Description

The CCC is made up of two separate committees: one on mitigation (the Committee) and one on adaptation (the Adaptation Committee). The CCC Chair also chairs the Committee.

The Committee comprises also not less than five and not more than eight other Members appointed by the national authorities (UK Government and the Devolved Governments). Details of current membership can be found on the CCC’s website – https://www.theccc.org.uk/.

The CCC is supported by a Secretariat of around 35 staff who provide analytical and corporate support, led by the Chief Executive.

The Role

The UK Government, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive are seeking to appoint a new Chair to the Committee.

The Chair of the Committee will be responsible for steering and developing the overall work of the Climate Change Committee, while the Chief Executive manages the day to day running of the body.

The Committee will normally meet 12 times a year. The Chair will be expected to attend all the meetings and maintain sufficient flexibility to respond to additional ad hoc duties. This will involve an estimated time commitment of 2 days a month. The Chair will also represent the Committee and promote its strategy and overall direction.

Your fee will be £1000 per day, based on a time commitment of 2 days per month.

Person Specification

Candidates must provide evidence to demonstrate all of the essential criteria (slide 8 and 9), and should try to use specific examples where possible to show this.  We are also interested in applicants’ experience in or knowledge of the differences in circumstances across the UK and the capacity of national authorities to take action in relation to climate change, to ensure that matters discussed by the Committee consider the impact and relevance to policies of these countries.

Should a large number of applications be received, candidates will be sifted on the first three bullets:

• A track record of achieving results and providing strategic vision to lead a high-profile public organisation;
• An exceptional ability to communicate and build relationships at all levels alongside strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to negotiate, persuade and influence;
• The capability to provide independent and pragmatic advice to Ministers and a track record of dealing with senior representatives of academic, NGO and business sectors, the media, and with policy-makers in the UK Government, Devolved Governments and/or internationally;
• Expert ability to process and interpret complex information; well-developed and insightful reasoning skills and judgment, and the ability to provide intellectual leadership and demonstrate a creative and proactive approach to problem solving and a high level of professionalism;
• Ability to ensure that the organisation’s financial dealings are prudently and systematically accounted for, audited and publicly available;
• A commitment to work according to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership;
• A good knowledge of the range of the Committee’s work and an understanding of climate change policy across the UK and its delivery. The Committee’s work covers: climate change policy – including its social impacts; business competitiveness; climate science; differences in circumstances between UK countries; economic analysis and forecasting; emissions trading; energy production and supply; financial investment; and technology development and diffusion.

Additional Information

Pre-appointment Scrutiny

This role is subject to pre-appointment scrutiny by the BEIS Select Committee. Pre-appointment scrutiny is an important part of the appointment process for some of the most significant public appointments. It is designed to provide an added level of scrutiny to verify that the recruitment meets the principles set out in the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The pre-appointment scrutiny aspect of the appointment has two parts.

First, information concerning the appointment and the preferred candidate will be shared with the BEIS Select Committee. As part of this process, you will need to be content for your name and your CV to be shared with the Select Committee as the preferred candidate. You may also be required to complete a pre-appointment hearing questionnaire which could include, among other things:

• declarations of any relevant potential conflicts of interest;
• what you see as the priorities and key risks for the organisation;
• questions about how you would lead the board and work with stakeholders;
• your commitment to standards in public life and how you would handle being in the public eye.

Normally any information provided to the Select Committee by the Government or a candidate will be published.

Second, it is likely that the Select Committee will decide to call the preferred candidate to a public hearing to answer questions relating to their suitability to the role. You would not be expected to have an in-depth technical knowledge of how the CCC works or an exact plan of what you would do in the role; however you will be expected to provide a credible representation of your understanding of the work of the CCC and what your role in its future would be.

The proposed date for a pre-appointment hearing is yet to be confirmed.

We are committed to making the public appointments as accessible as possible so that no one is deterred from applying. BEIS will provide support to you to help you prepare for the hearing and the clerks to the Select Committee will also be available to discuss with you how the hearing will run. You will also be supported by BEIS in working with the Select Committee should you require any adjustment to enable you to participate fully in the hearing process.

For more information about pre-appointment scrutiny, please see the Cabinet Office   Guidance: Pre-appointment scrutiny by House of Commons Select Committees