Role details

Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner

Application deadline 23 March 2023

Page contents:

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

Summary

Organisation: Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner
Sponsor department: Home Office
Location: London
Sectors: Property
Skills: Legal, Judicial
Number of vacancies: 1
Time commitment: 37 hour(s) per week
Remuneration: £130000 per annum
Length of term: 3 Years
Application deadline: 10:59pm on 23 March 2023

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Timeline for this appointment

Application deadline

10:59pm on 23 March 2023
Sifting date

6 April 2023
Interviews expected to end on

19 May 2023

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the role

Introduction from the Secretary of State

A message from the Home Secretary, Rt Hon Suella Braverman KC MP

Dear Applicant,

It’s a sad fact that around the world today, millions of men, women and children are cruelly enslaved and exploited. However, this is not something that just happens overseas, it is happening here and now across cities, towns and villages in the UK. Last year over 10,000 potential victims were referred to the National Referral Mechanism - the process which we use to identify and support victims of modern slavery in the UK.

The UK has taken a leading approach to tackling modern slavery. In 2015, we introduced the world-leading Modern Slavery Act which gives law enforcement the tools and powers they need to catch and punish those who perpetrate these vile crimes. It also provides a range of protections for victims and ground-breaking legislation to tackle slavery and human trafficking in business supply chains.

The Act also established the post of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner - a unique role independent of government but working collaboratively with us and our partners to ensure the UK continues to be at the forefront of activity to tackle modern slavery both here in the UK as well as with encouraging work with international partners to promote best practice.

I am looking for an outstanding candidate to fulfil the post of Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, with a track record of strategic leadership, a clear vision for the role, and the ability to engage people from across a range of backgrounds and viewpoints. I expect the Commissioner to reflect the values that will enable us to succeed in this challenge, by having the highest standards of judgement, credibility and personal integrity.

The Commissioner will work across the UK, with law enforcement, the criminal justice system, the public and private sector, NGOs and civil society and very importantly, with victims of modern slavery themselves, to ensure we better understand how modern slavery is manifesting itself both in the UK and overseas. The more we know and understand about who is committing these vile crimes and who and how they are targeting their victims, the more effectively we can collectively focus our actions and resources to ensure we stamp out this vile crime for good and give victims the support and protections they need and deserve.

Thank you for your interest and for taking the time to read this information pack. This is a highly rewarding role, and if you have the skills and ability outlined above, and described inside, I hope that you will apply. If you are successful, I look forward to working with you, enabling Government, our partners at home and abroad and civil society to consign this crime to history.

Home Secretary

Role description

Job Titles: Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner

Commitment: Full time

Remuneration: £130,000 per annum

Appointment: Three-year fixed term appointment as an office holder with the possibility of re-appointment

Location: Initially London. However, to support the Places for Growth and levelling up agenda, it has been agreed that the role will move out of London by 2025. The Commissioner will input into the regional location.

Reporting to: Home Secretary

Purpose:

The role of Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner was established by the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The Commissioner has a UK-wide remit to encourage good practice in the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of modern slavery offences and the identification of victims. The role was created to spearhead the UK’s fight against modern slavery.

Key Responsibilities:

• Providing strategic leadership including setting priorities and direction for your work and the work of your Office, to improve the strategic response by Government and its partners to tackle modern slavery in the UK and overseas.

• Providing expert, impartial advice to the Government and the governments of the Devolved Administrations on their work to tackle modern slavery in a domestic and international arena.

• Working alongside Government in its implementation of the reform of National Referral Mechanism (NRM) to improve UK’s ability to identify and support potential victims of modern slavery.

• Monitoring the UK Government’s delivery of its strategy to tackle modern slavery and, as appropriate, other bodies’ delivery of set recommendations.

• Build positive relationships with and amongst the modern slavery leadership community, including Devolved Administrations, business, academia, civil society, international partners (as well as directly with victims of modern slavery) and facilitate the sharing of good practice in tackling modern slavery.

• Actively participating in Ministerial level and official level meetings to discuss your work and the work of your Office in developing a strategic approach to tackling modern slavery in the UK and overseas.

• Work closely with law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to strengthen their strategic response to modern slavery.

• Regular engagement with the Victims’ Commissioner and the Children’s Commissioner to ensure alignment of strategic work priorities.

• Commissioning specific research, studies and inquiries to strengthen the evidence base on modern slavery to support the mobilisation of appropriate responses and the commissioning of interventions. These may include recommendations and policy advice.

• Consider the relationship between modern slavery and illegal migration and make recommendations regarding the impact of illegal immigration on government’s strategy to tackle modern slavery, and how to reduce exploitation.

• Agree a programme of work with the Home Secretary through the development of a strategic plan in line with requirements of the Modern Slavery Act and submit an annual report to the Home Secretary setting out how their priorities have been met, including a statement of other activities they have undertaken during the year.

• Active participation in annual performance appraisals with the Home Office Director of Tackling Exploitation and Abuse and ensuring the required skills, suitability and sufficiency of expertise is available in your Office to deliver its business, including annual performance appraisals of members of staff.

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

It is essential that you provide in your supporting statement evidence and proven examples against each of the selection criteria in Part One of the person specification, in so far as you are able. These responses will be further developed and explored with those candidates invited for interview, together with the other criteria listed in Part Two.

Part One - Essential Skills and Experience

• Knowledge and experience of working with victims, including an understanding of the vulnerabilities and challenges faced by victims and the support they should receive.

• Proven track record in managing relationships with diverse stakeholders who have differing priorities, and the capability to conduct challenging conversations.

• An understanding of how to improve strategic delivery and a successful track record in promoting the use of good practice.

• Evidence of strategic leadership at senior levels of government, law enforcement, civil society, the public sector or academia.

• Evidence of representing organisations in public, including in the media and with a range of stakeholders.

• Strong communication, negotiating and interpersonal skills to build effective working relationships with Ministers, policy owners, government departments, the media, and other key stakeholders, including the wider public sector, civil society, and local communities.

• Ability to provide clear advice, independent of government or industry, and a willingness to champion difference.

Desirable criteria

• A clear understanding of the role of evidence-based analysis in informing policy in an area of political and public attention and sensitivity.

• Ability to be a highly regarded, credible and confident leader, with the ability to lead effective boards and organisations.

• Ability to provide robust, independent advice, under a high level of public interest and scrutiny, and use a public profile to build consensus.

• Credibility with governments, the sector, industry and the public.

• Experience in one or more sectors related to tackling modern slavery domestically and/ or internationally is desirable.

Application and selection process

How to apply

The closing date for applications is 11pm Thursday 23 March 2023.

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);

Please provide the information at points 3-6 above on the relevant form, or as part of your supporting statement.

Completed applications should be submitted to publicappointments@homeoffice.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.

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)

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.

The Panel Members are:

Chaired by Olivia Grant OBE (Senior Independent Panel Member)
Joanna West/Becky Wyse (Tackling Exploitation and Abuse Director, Public Safety Group, Home Office),
James Cooper (Home Office, Non-Executive Director).

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 Charlie Penzer by emailing charlie.penzer@homeoffice.gov.uk

Security clearance

Candidates should hold Security Check (SC) security clearance or be willing to obtain this. Pre-appointment checks will also be undertaken on immigration and criminal convictions. It usually takes between 4-6 weeks to obtain the security clearance. The role will be offered on a conditional basis until the successful candidate has passed all checks. The successful candidate will be encouraged to take up the appointment as soon as possible, subject to the successful completion of all pre-appointment checks. 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

The Independent Commissioner can claim reimbursement for reasonable travel and subsistence in costs necessarily incurred on IASC business at rates set by the Home Office. 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 Home Office public appointments team in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application at publicappointments@homeoffice.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.

Contact details

If you have any queries about the recruitment process for this role, please contact the Public Appointments Team at: publicappointments@homeoffice.gov.uk

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