Appointment details

Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) x 5 Members

Summary
About the appointment
Person specification
Application and selection process
Additional information for candidates
Attachments

Summary

Organisation: Social Security Advisory Committee
Sponsor department: Department for Work and Pensions
Location: London
Sectors: Public Administration
Skills: Communication, Human Resources, Legal, Judicial, Regulation
Number of vacancies: 5
Time commitment: 3 day(s) per month
Remuneration: £256.80 per day
Length of term: 5 years
Application deadline: 5pm on 10 March 2023

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Timeline for this appointment

Opening date

10 February 2023
Application deadline

5pm on 10 March 2023
Sifting date

21 April 2023
Interviews expected to end on

7 July 2023

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction

The Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) is an independent statutory body, funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It is the UK Government’s advisory body on social security matters. In addition to providing advice and assistance to the Secretary of State, it performs mandatory scrutiny of most secondary legislation laid before Parliament that underpin the welfare system. Thus, much of the Department's policy and service delivery activity, including the welfare agenda, comes before the Committee.

In addition to the scrutiny of proposals for secondary legislation, the Committee has general advisory functions which are deployed to:

inform the Committee’s work, improving members’ ability to scrutinise regulations and provide independent advice to Ministers;
add value to the debate on a topic that is of current interest to Government and stakeholders; and
stimulate debate of a specific topic within the Committee and amongst stakeholders.

Ministers may seek the Committee’s views on specific issues or SSAC may itself select issues itself which it wishes to research and provide advice on. The Chair and Committee members meet regularly with Ministers and senior officials to discuss topical issues and meet front-line staff and customers during their visits to operational sites. The Committee also responds to the Department's public consultation exercises where appropriate

The Committee is independent of Government, the Department and sectional interests. It has a strong track record in offering informed, expert advice. Members come from a variety of backgrounds, but collectively they have a considerable depth of knowledge and expertise in social security policy, law and the wider social policy agenda.

Further information about the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/ssac

Introduction from the Chair

This Committee’s ambition is to have influence and impact while, at the same time, preserving our independence from both Government and others. This means we are committed to providing impartial, constructive advice which reflects a wide range of perspectives and is evidence based. Advice in which the Government and others – including Parliament - can have confidence.

Following my appointment in September 2020, I have been impressed by the diverse range of experience and background that exists within the Committee’s membership. A real strength of Committee is that its members operate effectively and impartially as part of a diverse team, harnessing their respective skills and expertise, while respecting the views expressed by others around the table.

This is a rewarding role in a key area of Government policy. We are committed to providing sound advice that reflects the strength of expertise and experience on the Committee. If you would like to join us and help develop that advice – and can credibly demonstrate the required criteria set out below - read on!

Additional introductions

I want DWP and our arms’ length bodies to be places where everyone, whatever their background, feels supported to achieve their potential. By being an inclusive employer, bringing into the organisation and developing talented people from diverse backgrounds, we will be better able to provide the best possible support to those we serve.

That is why we want to reach the widest possible pool of talent for public appointments and I want to encourage applications from people from all backgrounds.

We know we have a long way to go. As an example, the Lord Holmes Review (December 2018) identified that of over 6,000 public appointments dealing with all aspects of our lives just 3% were held by disabled people. I therefore particularly welcome applications from talented applicants with a disability.

If you are looking for an opportunity to use your talents to make a difference to the lives of millions of your fellow citizens, we look forward to hearing from you.

Appointment description

Members are expected to:

Maintain and continuously develop an understanding of complex social security and welfare reform issues, taking into account Government policies, the financing of the welfare system and the broader economic social context.
Fully prepare for all meetings by reading papers in advance and carrying out any other necessary preparatory work.
Attend Committee meetings and make an effective personal contribution.
Work constructively and collaboratively with the Chair and members of the Committee on all aspects of the Committee’s work; including its independent work programme and broader activities; and
Represent the Committee at external events on occasion.

Meetings

SSAC meets ten times every year at Caxton House, Tothill Street, London, SW1H 9NA. Members also have an opportunity to visit other locations, for example visits to operational sites.

Organisation description

In addition to the scrutiny of proposals for secondary legislation, the Committee has general advisory functions which are deployed to:

· inform the Committee’s work, improving members’ ability to scrutinise regulations and provide independent advice to Ministers;

· add value to the debate on a topic that is of current interest to Government and stakeholders; and

· stimulate debate of a specific topic within the Committee and amongst stakeholders.

Further information about the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/ssac

Board composition

The Chair and Members of SSAC are appointed by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. These posts are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

By statute, SSAC must comprise a minimum of 10 members, of whom:

· one member is selected after consultation with representatives of employers.

· one member is selected after consultation with representatives of employees.

· one member is selected after consultation with the Head of the Northern Ireland Department with responsibility for social security; and

· one member with experience of chronically sick and disabled people. If possible, this member should have direct experience of illness or disability.

All members are involved across the full range of the Committee's business.

Those Members that have active roles with other organisations are encouraged to use the experience, insight and expertise gained in those roles, but without representing sectional interests.

The Committee's work consists largely of considering detailed and often complex proposals for social security regulations and producing ad hoc reports on specific areas of interest. Proposals for changes to regulations are normally presented as papers and sent to members in advance of meetings.

Members are expected to keep abreast of operational matters and to make occasional visits to operational units.

Members occasionally see restricted proposals and are expected to consider them in confidence. Members are expected to refer any requests for information or interview by the media to the Secretary or the Chair.

Regulation of appointment

This post is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. For more information, please refer to the Commissioner’s website

Person specification

Essential criteria

There are five posts available:

1. Representative of workers.

2. Representative of ethnic minorities

3. Experience of work among, and of the needs of, the chronically sick and disabled.

4. General knowledge and insight of issues relating to social security.

5. Social Security and Tax Credit Laws.

Candidates must demonstrate the following skills and experience:

· knowledge, understanding and experience of working with governments and political stakeholders;

· awareness of the political and financial context in which the social security system operates and of the Committee’s role in advising Government;

· understanding of the impact of social security regulations and implementation on a diverse range of different groups of claimants;

· the ability to work effectively as part of a team, and to operate constructively and collaboratively with a diverse range of colleagues;

· an ability to understand and analyse the details of proposals and evaluate and advise objectively on the basis of that analysis; and

· the ability to deal appropriately with confidential material shared with the Committee and manage potential conflicts of interest (or perceived conflicts of interest) in a responsible manner.

In addition to the above for four of the roles, candidates must also be able to demonstrate one or more of the following areas of experience:

· A good understanding of the impact of the benefit system on workers – including low paid workers, those with different forms of contract, the self-employed and those in fluctuating work. Candidates to demonstrate that they would be able to represent - with authority - a wide range of these perspectives, for example by having a network already in place or the ability to develop and maintain a credible and effective network.

· working with members of ethnic minority communities, with a clear understanding of the impact of the benefit system. Candidates to have the ability to represent this diverse group authoritatively in terms of the potential challenges and opportunities the welfare system creates for them.

· Experience of working among, and an understanding of the needs of, chronically sick and disabled people. Candidates to demonstrate that they have the ability to credibly represent a wide range of perspectives, for example by having a strong network already in place or the ability to develop and maintain a credible and effective network.

· Knowledge of social security and tax credit laws.

Desirable criteria

Desirable Criteria:

· a good knowledge of the UK’s welfare system, and the particular challenges and opportunities that it presents throughout the devolved nations.

Application and selection process

How to apply

In order to apply you will need to provide:

A Curriculum Vitae which provides your contact details, details of your education and qualifications, employment history, directorships, membership of professional bodies and details of any relevant publications or awards;
A supporting statement setting out how you meet the criteria for appointment, as set out in the person specification for the role;
Information relating to any outside interests or reputational issues;
Diversity monitoring information. This 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;
Disability Confident – please state if you want to be considered for the disability confident scheme;
Reasonable adjustments - requests for reasonable adjustments that you would like to the application process (if applicable);
Personal Information Form- This allows us to receive any information from you about your application that does not appear in other parts of the application such as declarations of Conflicts of Interest, Political membership or donations and other details.

Please provide the information at points 3-7 above on the relevant forms in the 'Documents' Section at the bottom of this page, or as part of your supporting statement.

Please confirm which role you are applying for in your cover letter when you send your application.

The closing date for applications is: 17:00 on Friday 10 March 2023

Late applications will not be accepted.

Please email your application to: alb.publicappointments@dwp.gov.uk.

Over the next week from 13 February, former and current NEDs will be blogging about their experience as a Committee Member for SSAC. We encourage candidates to check back on the SSAC blog over the coming days to gain further understanding on the role of Committee members. These blogs will cover the challenges and opportunity’s that members experience whilst on the Committee and gives you a flavour of what you can expect in the role.

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.

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

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.
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.
At the shortlisting meeting the Panel will assess applications against the eligibility criteria and decide which candidates have best met the criteria, who should be recommended for interview. Ministers will then be consulted on the Panel’s recommended shortlist. If you have applied under the Disability Confident Scheme and you meet all the essential criteria, then you will also be invited for an interview.
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.
The Panel will meet again to interview candidates and determine who is appointable to the role. The Panel may invite you to make a brief presentation at the start of the interview and will go on to question you about your skills and experience, including asking specific questions to assess whether you meet the criteria set out for the post. The Panel will also explore with you any potential conflicts of interest or any other issues arising from your personal and professional history which may impact on an appointment decision.
Details of the panel’s assessment of interviewed candidates are provided to Ministers, including whether they have judged a candidate to be appointable to the role. 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.
Ministers may choose to meet with candidates before deciding the outcome. Candidates should therefore be prepared for a short time gap between interview and a final appointment decision being made. Candidates who have been interviewed will be kept informed of progress.
Once the decision on the appointment has been made, interviewed candidates will be advised of the outcome of their application, including whom they may approach for feedback. Successful candidates will be issued with their Terms & Conditions and a letter of appointment should they agree to take up the position.

Further information about appointments, including tips on applying, can be found on our guidance pages on gov.uk.

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

Chair – James Wolfe, DWP Director, Disability & Health Support

Member – Dr Stephen Brien, SSAC Chair

Member – Matthew Oakley, Director, WPI Economics

Independent Member – Olivia Grant

Chair – James Wolfe, DWP Director, Disability & Health Support

Member – Dr Stephen Brien, SSAC Chair

Member – Matthew Oakley, Director, WPI Economics

Independent Member – Olivia Grant

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.

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 any further info please contact: alb.publicappointments@dwp.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 essential criteria for the role, set out in the advert, 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. By ‘minimum criteria,’ we mean that you must provide evidence which demonstrates that you meet the level of competence required under each of the essential criteria, as set out in the job-advert.

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

Reasonable adjustments

We 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.

Some examples of common changes are:

ensuring that application forms are available in different or accessible formats;
making adaptations to interview locations;
allowing candidates to present their skills and experience in a different way;
giving additional detailed information on the selection / interview process in advance to allow candidates time to prepare themselves;
allowing support workers, for example sign language interpreters;
making provision for support animals to attend.

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:

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;
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;
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;
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;
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;
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;
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 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

As this is an office holder 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. There is no automatic presumption of reappointment; each case should be considered on its own merits, taking into account a number of factors including, but not restricted to, the diversity of the current board and its balance of skills and experience. In most cases, 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

You can claim reimbursement for reasonable travel and subsistence costs which are properly and necessarily incurred on official business, in line with the travel and subsistence policy and rates for the organisation to which you are applying. 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 the end of your term of appointment 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 we are only able to offer detailed 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 DWP public appointments team in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application at alb.publicappointments@dwp.gov.uk. They will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and respond within 15 working days.

How to complain to Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA)

If you are not content with the appointing department’s response you may wish to further complain to the Commissioner at publicappointments@csc.gov.uk.Further information on how the Commissioner handles complaints can be found on the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ website https://publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk/regulating-appointments/investigating-complaints/

Data protection

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

Personal information charter - Department for Work and Pensions - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Contact details

alb.publicappointments@dwp.gov.uk.

If you need to speak to somebody by phone please ring 0300 046 0323

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