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Appointment details

Chair of the Animal Sentience Committee

Summary

• Organisation: DEFRA Departmental Board
• Sponsor department: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Location: Various
• Sectors: Environment, Agriculture & Fishing
• Skills: Transformation
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 20 day(s) per annum
• Remuneration: £500 per day
• Length of term: An initial term of four years, which may be renewed once (eight years in total).
• Application deadline: 11:59pm on 31 July 2022

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   20 July 2022

2. Application deadline

   11:59pm on 31 July 2022

3. Sifting date

   8 August 2022

4. Interviews expected to end on

   19 August 2022

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction

This is a recruitment round for the Chair of the new Animal Sentience Committee.

This is an opportunity to help set the direction of a new expert Committee, which will consider how individual central Government policies take account of animal welfare. We are looking for individuals with experience in the animal sector, who would like to be a part of this new Committee.

Appointment description

About the Animal Sentience Committee

The Animal Sentience Committee is a new Committee, established under the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022. The Act provides assurance about how the welfare of sentient animals is taken into account in central Government policy decisions. The Committee’s remit does not extend to devolved matters.

The Animal Sentience Committee scrutinises policy decision making. It has statutory powers to produce reports containing its view on whether, or to what extent, the UK Government is having, or has had, all due regard to the ways in which policy decisions might have an adverse effect on the welfare of animals as sentient beings. The Committee ensures that UK Government policy decisions are appropriately informed by a scientific understanding of the impacts of those decisions on the welfare of sentient animals. The Animal Sentience Committee, therefore, is also able to select which UK Government policy decisions it wishes to investigate and needs the capability and capacity to fulfil this function.

You can find the Animal Sentience Committee’s draft Terms of Reference here.

Responsibilities of the Animal Sentience Committee Chair 

The Chair has responsibility for providing effective leadership and is the public face of the Animal Sentience Committee. Typical responsibilities will include working with Government policy teams, Committee members and external stakeholders to produce expert reports, leading Committee meetings and representing the Committee at external events. The Chair is accountable for:  

• Leading collective consideration of the issues, taking account of the full range of relevant evidence. 

• Ensuring that the Committee works within its statutory remit. 

• Ensuring that the Committee’s policy on transparency is adhered to. 

In detail, this means the Chair is responsible for: 

• The operation and output of the Committee, including assessing the workload and ensuring that the volume of work does not compromise the rigour of the discussion. 

• Ensuring that the Committee meets at appropriate intervals, and that the minutes of meetings and any advice to Departments accurately record the decisions taken.

• Ensuring that the Committee makes best use of its available funding, in line with its work plan.

• Ensuring that every member has the opportunity to be heard and that no view is ignored or overlooked, using, where appropriate, a structured process which ensures that all views are captured and explored.

• Embedding a culture of inclusion and equal opportunity for all, where the diversity of individuals’ backgrounds and experiences are valued and respected. 

• Ensuring that any significant diversity of opinion among the members is fully explored and discussed and, if it cannot be reconciled, is accurately reflected in the advice. 

• Providing final quality assurance and signing off all Animal Sentience Committee reports. 

• Meeting with Defra Ministers and reporting the views of the Committee to Defra and other Government Departments. 

• Ensuring that new members are briefed on appointment and their training needs considered. 

• Developing and maintaining strategic relationships with decision-makers and opinion-formers, e.g. sector groups, welfare groups and the research community. 

• Responding appropriately to complaints, if necessary, with reference to the sponsor departments.  

• Overseeing liaison between the Committee and other affiliates of the Animal Welfare Centre of Expertise and other Government Committees, e.g. AWC, Animal Health and Welfare Board for England, Zoos Expert Committee. 

• Conducting investigations and assessments into how Departments have taken evidence into account. 

• Issuing selection judgement and auditing the outcomes of any reports conducted by the Committee.

Please refer to the attached Candidate Pack for full details.

Person specification

Essential criteria

In your application, please provide examples, where applicable, of:

• How you have used your written and oral communication skills to put forward views clearly and cogently in discussion and to contribute effectively to the formulation of written advice when presenting complex findings to a generalist audience.

•  Your ability to think analytically and creatively when contributing to advice for Government. 

• Your ability to understand and value different perspectives and to build productive working relationships both within and outside the Committee. 

• Your ability to work as part of a team to deliver agreed objectives. 

• Expertise in veterinary or other relevant science, or animal ethics. 

• How you have used your extensive knowledge and understanding of animal welfare legislation and policy to think analytically and creatively when contributing advice or in your engagement with Government Departments in policy development.

•  Your awareness of current research/science in the animal welfare space and the ability to assess to what extent decision making is led by relevant research/science. 

We are looking for a Chair with a range of skills and experience, including, but not limited to: 

• Practical knowledge and experience chairing meetings/committees with good prioritisation skills. 

• Strong and progressive leadership skills. 

• The ability to understand and value different perspectives and to build productive working relationships both within and outside the Committee. 

• Good communication skills with experience of playing a leading role in informing the strategic direction of organisations in an expert veterinary or scientific advisory capacity and making sure that expertise is heard and respected by the people shaping the policies. 

• Confidence in engaging publicly. 

• Experience of working with Government Ministers. 

• Experience of working with stakeholders in an open, honest and transparent manner.  

• Expertise in the policy decision making process.  

• Experience of leading a new committee in its development and evolution, ensuring it is established and functioning in line with the Animal Sentience Committee’s purpose as set out in the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 and operates effectively and efficiently. 

• Ability to understand, influence, and lead within a complex political or administrative system, corporate or public body, while remaining objective and evidence led.  

• An understanding of domestic and international developments in animal welfare legislation. 

• Significant understanding of animal behaviour for a variety of animals and a general knowledge of the welfare of kept animals. 

• Practical knowledge of a variety of animals and their welfare needs with regard to caring for and keeping animals, either in private ownership or commercially.  

• Academic experience of research into animal welfare and caring for animals. 

• Experience in informing the strategic direction of organisations in an advisory capacity. 

• Practical knowledge and experience of conservation, ecology, or a biological background.  

• Practical or academic experience of animal ethics, with an understanding of the concepts of stress, pain and suffering and how these relate to animal welfare.

Please refer to the attached Candidate Pack for full details.

Application and selection process

How to apply

Candidate Pack :ASC Chair_Candidate_Pack_.docx

All candidates are required to complete the following forms:

• Monitoring form 1 (Conflicts of interest conduct and advertising Questionnaire): Monitoring+form+1+(Conflicts+of+interest+conduct+and+advertising+Questionnaire).doc

•  Monitoring form 2 (Diversity Questionnaire): Monitoring+form+2+(Diversity+Questionnaire).docx

Candidates should submit:

•  A CV of no more than two sides of A4 including education, professional qualifications and employment history. 

•  A supporting suitability statement of not more than 750 words, setting out how you meet the essential and desirable criteria (skills, knowledge and experience) for this role. 

• At least two supporting statements from referees (peers/stakeholder organisations or other experts).  

• The political activity form and diversity questionnaires included with the application pack.

Your CV and statement should be returned to the following address by the closing date: 12.00 (midday) on Sunday, 31st July 2022. Email to sentiencesecretariat@defra.gov.uk quoting reference “Application for the position of Animal Sentience Committee Chair”.  

For further information please email: sentiencesecretariat@defra.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)

Gareth Baynham-Hughes - Director of Animal and Plant Health and Welfare, Defra - Departmental Official - Panel Chair

Marc Casale - Deputy Director – Animal Welfare, Defra - Departmental Official

tbc –  Other 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 email: sentiencesecretariat@defra.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. 

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.

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.  An initial term of four years, which may be renewed once (eight years in total). 

The Committee Chair will be appointed for no more than two terms, although extensions in line with the Governance Code for Public Appointments may be sought under exceptional circumstances.

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.

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 email sentiencesecretariat@defra.gov.uk  if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application. 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

For further information please email sentiencesecretariat@defra.gov.uk