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Role details

Commissioners for the Equality and Human Rights Commission

Application deadline 22 July 2022

Summary

• Organisation: Equality and Human Rights Commission
• Sponsor department: Cabinet Office
• Location: Various
• Sectors: Public Administration
• Skills: Audit and Risk, Communication, Legal, Regulation
• Number of vacancies: 3
• Time commitment: 2 day(s) per month
• Remuneration: £400 per day
• Length of term: 4 years
• Application deadline: 5pm on 22 July 2022

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Application deadline

   5pm on 22 July 2022

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the role

Introduction from the Secretary of State

Thank you for your interest in becoming a Commissioner of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

The EHRC is an independent body responsible for promoting and enforcing the laws that protect fairness, dignity and respect. It contributes to making and keeping Britain a fair society in which everyone, regardless of background, has an equal opportunity to fulfil their potential. The EHRC uses its unique powers to challenge discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and protect human rights.

The following pages will tell you more about the purpose of the Commission and the nature of a Commissioner’s role.

Applications are welcomed from as diverse a range of applicants and mix of backgrounds as possible. We seek candidates with a practical mind-set, energy, insight and the ability to operate strategically.

You should have a good track record of driving progress on equality and the credibility to challenge others. If you believe you have the experience and qualities we are seeking, we very much look forward to hearing from you.

The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP

Role description

The Foreign Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities wishes to appoint Commissioners to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). These appointments fulfil the requirements of the Equality Act 2006, that there must be between 10 and 15 EHRC Commissioners.

The roles and responsibilities of EHRC Commissioners are set out in the Commission’s Governance Manual.

Commissioners are responsible for:

●      working with the Chair and Chief Executive to set the strategic direction of the EHRC;

●      scrutinising the EHRC’s performance, and supporting the Chair in holding the Chief Executive to account; and

●      complying at all times with the Cabinet Office’s Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies (2011) and the EHRC’s Code of Conduct and conflicts of interest guidance (Part 4 of the EHRC’s Governance Framework).

Organisation description

The EHRC is Great Britain’s national equality body and has been awarded an ‘A’ status as a National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) by the United Nations. Its role is to help make Britain fairer and it achieves this by safeguarding and enforcing the laws that protect people’s rights to fairness, dignity and respect.

As a statutory non-departmental public body established by the Equality Act 2006, the Commission operates independently. It has as a unique role in enforcing anti-discrimination law and helping individuals who are bringing claims of discrimination, harassment or victimisation under the Act.  It aims to be a centre of excellence for evidence, analysis and equality and human rights law and an essential point of contact for policy makers, public bodies and business.

The EHRC uses its unique powers to challenge discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and protect human rights.

For further information about the Commission, please visit its website at www.equalityhumanrights.com.

Board composition

The Board of Commissioners is the highest level decision-making body in the organisation, responsible for the strategic oversight of the Commission.

The Board currently comprises 11 members. Members of the Board are listed below and biographical information for each Board Member can be found on the EHRC’s website.

●      Baroness Kishwer Falkner (Chair)

●      Caroline Waters OBE (Deputy Chair)

●      Eryl Besse (Wales Commissioner)

●      Jessica Butcher MBE

●      David Goodhart

●      Alasdair Henderson

●      Helen Mahy CBE

●      Akua Reindorf

●      Dr Lesley Sawers OBE (Scotland Commissioner)

●      Su-Mei Thompson

●      Marcial Boo (Chief Executive)

The Board has a strategic oversight role. It does not directly manage the Commission’s operations, but delegates that role to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Commission’s staff. It holds the CEO and the staff to account by monitoring performance against the Commission’s strategic priorities and ensuring that resources are being used to good effect.

Further information on the EHRC and its activities, including its most recent

annual report, can be found on the EHRC’s website.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• The ability to work collaboratively, including the ability to bring a practical mind-set to discussions and the credibility to effectively challenge others;
• The ability to build constructive relationships and influence at the highest level, and to act as an ambassador for the Commission, working with key stakeholders and promoting the organisation’s role and aims to the public and a wide range of partners;
• The ability to provide strategic, knowledgeable, impartial and balanced perspectives on a range of sensitive and complex issues and the ability to contribute to the development of strategic priorities, weighing up competing arguments capable of justification under close scrutiny;
• A commitment to and knowledge or experience of equality and human rights;
• An understanding of the context in which the Commission operates and knowledge of conditions across Great Britain;
• High standards of integrity, and commitment to public service values.

Application and selection process

How to apply

In order to apply you will need to provide:

1. A  Curriculum Vitae which provides details of your education and qualifications, employment history, directorships, membership of professional bodies and details of any publications or awards;

2. A supporting statement setting out how you meet the eligibility criteria;

3. Information relating to any outside interests or reputational issues;

4. Diversity monitoring information. This form allows us to see if there are any unfair barriers to becoming a public appointee and whether there are any changes that we could make to encourage a more diverse field to apply. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be used as part of the selection process and will not be seen by the interview panel.

5. Disability Confident – If you want to be considered for the disability confident scheme, please identify this on your diversity monitoring form.

6. Reasonable adjustments - requests for reasonable adjustments that you would like to the application process (if applicable).

Full application pack here.

Completed applications should be submitted to EHRC.publicappointments@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

The Advisory Assessment Panel reserves the right to only consider applications that contain all of the elements listed above, and that arrive before the published deadline for applications.

If you have any questions about the appointments process, please contact EHRC.publicappointments@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Overview of the application process

Public appointments are made on merit following a fair and open competition process which is conducted in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. We will deal with your application as quickly as possible and will keep you informed at key stages. We aim to conclude the appointment process within three months of the deadline for applications – this is in accordance with the Governance Code.

The assessment process

1. Ministers are responsible and accountable to Parliament for the public appointments made within their department. As a result, they must be consulted at every stage of the appointments process.

2. An Advisory Assessment Panel (“Panel”) is appointed by Ministers to assist them in their decision making. The role of the Panel is to decide, objectively, which candidates meet the eligibility criteria for the role.

3. At the shortlisting meeting the Panel will assess applications against the eligibility criteria and decide which candidates should be recommended for interview. Ministers will then be consulted on the Panel’s recommended shortlist.

4. Once the shortlist has been agreed by Ministers, you will be advised (by e-mail) whether you have been shortlisted. Those shortlisted will be invited to an interview.

5. The Panel will meet again to interview candidates and determine who is appointable to the role. The names of all appointable candidates are provided to Ministers. It is then for Ministers to determine merit and decide who should be appointed. In some circumstances, Ministers may choose not to appoint any candidates and re-run the competition.

6. The Panel’s recommendations will be provided to Ministers in a report which details the assessment method used and the outcome of each interview. They will then be asked to agree on the candidate(s) who should be appointed.

7. Once the decision on the appointment has been made, interviewed candidates will be advised of the outcome of their application. Successful candidates will be issued with their Terms & Conditions and a letter of appointment should they agree to take up the position.

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

Advisory Assessment Panels (AAP) are chosen by ministers to assist them in their decision-making. These include a departmental official and an independent member. For competitions recruiting non-executive members of a board (apart from the Chair), the panel will usually include a representative from the public body concerned.

AAP’s perform a number of functions, including agreeing an assessment strategy with ministers, undertaking sifting, carrying out interviews in line with the advertised criteria and deciding objectively who meets the published selection criteria for the role before recommending to ministers which candidates they find appointable. It is then for the minister to decide who to appoint to the role.

Panel:

Bns Kishwer Falkner, Chair, EHRC

Marcus Bell, Director, Equality Hub

Dr Samir Shah CBE, Independent Panel Member

Eligibility criteria

In general, you should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment.

There are a small number of specialist roles that are not open to non-British citizens. Any nationality requirements will be specified in the vacancy details.

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. 

You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:

• you are disqualified from acting as a company director  (under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986);

• have an unspent conviction on your criminal record;

• your estate has been sequestrated in Scotland or you enter into a debt arrangement programme under Part 1 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17) as the debtor or have, under Scots law, granted a trust deed for creditors.

When you apply, you should declare if:

• you are, or have been, bankrupt or you have made an arrangement with a creditor at any point, including the dates of this. 

• you are subject to a current police investigation.

You must inform the sponsor department if, during the application process, your circumstances change in respect of any of the above points. 

When you apply you should also declare any relevant interests, highlighting any that you think may call into question your ability to properly discharge the responsibilities of the role you are applying for. You should also declare any other matters which may mean you may not be able to meet the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Board Members (see Outside interests and reputational issues section below)

If you need further advice, please contact EHRC.publicappointments@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Security clearance

The successful candidate will be required to undertake Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks in line with the Civil Service guidelines. Additional Security Clearance may also be required for certain roles. However, where this applies, candidates will be notified during the appointment process. Further information on National Security Vetting can be found on the Gov.uk website here.

Additional information for candidates

Equality and diversity

We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and across the whole of the United Kingdom. Boards of public bodies are most effective when they reflect the diversity of views of the society they serve and this is an important part of the Government’s levelling up agenda.

We collect data about applicants’ characteristics and backgrounds, including information about people’s educational and professional backgrounds, so that we can make sure we are attracting a broad range of people to these roles and that our selection processes are fair for everyone. Without this information, it makes it difficult to see if our outreach is working, if the application process is having an unfair impact on certain groups and whether changes are making a positive difference.

When you submit your application, your responses are collected by the Cabinet Office and the government department(s) managing your application. The data is used to produce management information about the diversity of applicants. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be seen by the Advisory Assessment Panel who review applications against the advertised criteria and conduct interviews.

Disability confident

We are a member of the Government’s Disability Confident scheme. We use the Disability Confident scheme symbol, along with other like-minded employers, to show our commitment to good practice in employing people with a disability. The scheme helps recruit and retain disabled people. 

As part of implementing the scheme, we guarantee an interview for anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the role and who has asked that their application is considered under the scheme. Indicating that you wish your application to be considered under the scheme will in no way prejudice your application.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to select if you would like your application considered under this scheme.

Reasonable adjustments

Government departments are committed to making reasonable adjustments to make sure applicants with disabilities, physical or mental health conditions, or other needs are not substantially disadvantaged when applying for public appointments. This can include changing the recruitment process to enable people who wish to apply to do so.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments to the application process.

Principles of public life

Holders of public office are expected to adhere to and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-7-principles-of-public-life/the-7-principles-of-public-life--2. These are:

1. SELFLESSNESS - Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family or their friends;
2. INTEGRITY - Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties;
3. OBJECTIVITY - In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit;
4. ACCOUNTABILITY - Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office;
5. OPENNESS - Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands;
6. HONESTY - Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest;
7. LEADERSHIP - Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

Code of conduct for board members

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. In support of this, all non-executive board members of UK public bodies must abide by the principles set out in the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. The Code sets out the standards expected from those who serve on the boards of UK public bodies and will form part of your terms and conditions of appointment.

Management of outside interests and consideration of reputational issues

Holders of public office are expected to adhere and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life and the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Before you apply you should consider carefully: 

• any outside interests that you may have, such as shares you may hold in a company providing services to government; 
• any possible reputational issues arising from your past actions or or public statements that you have made; 
• and/or - any political roles you hold or political campaigns you have supported; 

which may call into question your ability to do the role you are applying for.

You will need to answer relevant questions in relation to these points when making an application. Many conflicts of interest can be satisfactorily resolved and declaring a potential conflict does not prevent you from being interviewed. If you are shortlisted for an interview, the panel will discuss any potential conflicts with you during that interview, including any proposals you may have to mitigate them and record that in their advice to ministers. Alongside your own declaration, we will conduct appropriate checks, as part of which we will consider anything in the public domain related to your conduct or professional capacity. This may include searches of previous public statements and social media, blogs or any other publicly available information. The successful candidate(s) may be required to give up any conflicting interests and their other business and financial interests may be published in line with organisational policies. 

Details of declared political activity will be published when the appointment is announced, as required by the Governance Code (political activity is not a bar to appointment, but must be declared).

Status of appointment

You will not become a member of the Civil Service. You will not be subject to the provisions of employment law.

Appointment and tenure of office

Appointments are for the term set out in this advert, with the possibility of re-appointment for a further term, at the discretion of Ministers.  Any re-appointment is subject to satisfactory annual appraisals of performance during the first term in the post. If re-appointed, the total time served in post will not exceed more than two terms or serve in any one post for more than ten years

Remuneration, allowances and abatement

Remuneration for this role is treated as employment income and will be subject to tax and National Insurance contributions, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid.

You can claim reimbursement for reasonable travel and subsistence costs necessarily incurred on official business however these payments are taxable as earnings and will be subject to tax and national insurance, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid. 

Pension and redundancy

This is an office holder appointment and does not attract any benefits under any Civil Service Pension Scheme. You will not be eligible for redundancy pay as you are not an employee. No other arrangements have been made for compensation upon termination because an office holder who is appointed for a limited duration would have no expectation of serving beyond that period.

Application feedback

We will notify you of the status of your application. We regret that due to the volume of applications received, we are only able to offer feedback to candidates who have been unsuccessful at the interview stage.

How to complain

We aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and to treat all applicants with courtesy.

Please contact the EHRC public appointments team in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application at EHRC.publicappointments@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. They will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and respond within 15 working days.

Data protection

The Cabinet Office will use your data in line with our privacy policy.

Contact details

EHRC.publicappointments@cabinetoffice.gov.uk