Role details

Industrial Injuries Advisory Council - Chair

Application deadline 25 October 2024

Summary

• Organisation: Industrial Injuries Advisory Council
• Sponsor department: Department for Work and Pensions
• Location: London
• Sectors: Professional, Scientific and Technical
• Skills: Communication, Regulation
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 60 day(s) per annum
• Remuneration: £22000 per annum
• Length of term: Between 3 and 5 years
• Application deadline: 5pm on 25 October 2024

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   17 September 2024

2. Application deadline

   5pm on 25 October 2024

3. Sifting date

   18 November 2024

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the role

Introduction

The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (The Council) is an independent statutory body set up in 1946 to advise the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland on matters relating to the Industrial Injuries Scheme.  The majority of the Council’s time is spent considering whether the list of prescribed diseases for which benefit may be paid should be added to or amended. The Council can also provide advice on the administration of the scheme.

The next five years will be an exciting time for IIAC as it moves into a phase of being able to commission additional scientific support to drive forward the work of the Council. IIAC has embarked upon a comprehensive review of occupationally- related respiratory diseases as well as continuing its review of neurodegenerative diseases in professional sportspeople. There will be opportunities to further expand the current work programme to include a diverse range of topics, such as infectious zoonotic diseases or developing a strategy to investigate aspects of occupational health which may be unique to women. The incoming Chair will be encouraged to bring their own vision and insight into developing the Council’s direction during their term. There is a reactive element to the Council’s work, which means the focus of the Council’s time can change quite quickly, with the coronavirus pandemic being a prime example.

Andrew Western - Minister for Transformation 

Thank you for your interest in applying for the role of Chair of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC).

This is a vital role requiring strong leadership and stakeholder engagement of an  independent scientific advisory body tasked with providing unbiased impartial advice to Ministers on matters relating to industrial injuries disablement benefit.

IIAC has a wide range and diverse range of stakeholders, including Ministers, DWP and those from the private sector such as Trade Unions or charitable organisations which have a focus on occupational health. The successful candidate will help set the future direction of the Council, ensuring it operates efficiently, effectively and impartially in order to gain their trust and confidence.

It is an exciting time to join IIAC as it has an independent work programme which the incoming Chair can help shape. There is also a reactive element to the Council’s work which means challenging topics for investigation can come in at any time.  

I am committed to promoting greater diversity in all DWP’s public appointments. If you have the experience and skills that we are seeking please consider an application. If you have questions about the appointment process you can contact the DWP Public Appointments Team, alb.publicappointments@dwp.gov.uk.

Additional introductions

Peter Schofield - DWP Permanent Secretary 

I want DWP and our arm’s-length bodies to be places where everyone, whatever their background, feels encouraged to achieve their potential. I believe attracting talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, including regional diversity and the full range of socio- economic groups, will allow us to be better able to provide the best possible support to those we serve.  

DWP continues to support Cabinet Office in working towards 50% of all public appointees to be female and 14% of all public appointments to come from ethnic minority backgrounds. We value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone.  

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. 

Role description

As Chair of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) you will have particular responsibility for:

•Providing effective leadership to members of the Council.

•Ensuring the work of the Council remains relevant and transparent to wider interested parties and stakeholders.

•Ensuring the Council’s statutory role is fully and effectively discharged. 

•You will also provide a high level of scientific assurance that Council investigations are informed, constructive and rigorous in the preparation of its recommendations to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and to the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland. 

•Stakeholder engagement is key to this role where the Chair will be required to engage with a wide range of external stakeholders to raise awareness of the Council’s work and support evidence gathering. 

•The Chair will have regular contact specifically and actively with the DWP Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefits (IIDB) Policy team, the DWP Scientific Adviser, the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, and the IIAC partnership team.

The Chair will ensure:

•There is appropriate representation of the Council in all matters relevant to the Industrial Injuries Scheme. 

•Engagement with stakeholders and the public in an open and fair manner.

•Advice is provided to DWP on the drafting of relevant legislation and guidance.

•Consideration is given in all interactions to the legal framework that governs the Council's business.

Organisation description

Role

The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) is a scientific, advisory, Non-Departmental Public Body. It is a statutory body established under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act 1946, which came into effect on 4 July 1948. 

IIAC’s role is to provide independent advice to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on:

•matters relating to industrial injuries benefit or its administration that they have referred to the Council; 

•any other matter relating to such benefit or its administration (principally the prescription of diseases within the scheme), and 

•any regulations he proposes to make relating to industrial injuries benefit or its administration.

Membership

IIAC members are appointed by the responsible Minister, on behalf of the Secretary of State, and typically consist of:

•Independent members made up of the chair, doctors, scientists (including epidemiologists) and solicitors 

•Representatives of employers

•Representatives of employees

Members receive a fee for attending meetings and reasonable travelling expenses. They receive no pension in relation to this work.

There are usually 16 members of IIAC at any one time - although this will vary from time to time.  Legislation states that there must be equal numbers representing employers and employed earners respectively.  Independent members come from occupational medicine, epidemiologists and related fields.  As Ministers are required to refer proposed regulations concerning Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit to IIAC for its consideration, there is usually at least one legally qualified member to assist the Council with this task and any other legal issues that may arise.

Advice

IIAC’s advice to the Secretary of State usually takes the form of command papers which are laid before Parliament. These are published by DWP and copies placed in the House of Commons and House of Lords’ libraries and on the IIAC website.  Ministers then respond to the recommendations made by IIAC in their reports.  

IIAC meets four times a year and has a standing committee (the Research Working Group) that also meets four times a year. The Council has committed to meet with a range of stakeholders annually including holding public meetings bi-annually to ensure it maintains a good relationship with its stakeholders. IIAC has a Secretariat staffed by DWP officials and is funded and sponsored by DWP. 

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/industrial-injuries-advisory-council

IIAC is an advisory non-departmental public body. The Council has no executive powers or authority to become involved in individual benefit claims.

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

Scientific specialism

•High-level scientific specialism relating to medical, occupational health or epidemiological spheres. This may include for example a doctorate, PhD or MD level qualification.

•Proven capability to analyse and interpret a wide range of complex scientific evidence and data with the ability to draw and present independent conclusions through writing scientific reports and presentations.

Leadership

•Strong leadership capabilities to take forward a workplan with the Committee whilst providing support to individual Members to take forward investigative work.

•Lead the  Committee to identify issues and make determinations, ensuring space for discussion and contributions, whilst surfacing and resolving conflict to reach conclusions. 

•Strong stakeholder engagement, with the ability to engage constructively with a wide range of stakeholders to raise awareness of the Council’s work and support evidence gathering. 

Communication

•Excellent written and oral skills to clearly communicate scientific findings and reasoning to a wide range of lay and professional stakeholders. 

•Be confident in offering relevant advice to Ministers and the Department and to frame external communications, including with the media.

Desirable criteria

•Experience as a member of an influential expert Committee or similar body.

•An understanding of how the Industrial Injuries Scheme operates and of Industrial Injuries Compensation, and disability and sickness-related benefits.

Application and selection process

How to apply

In order to apply you will need to create an account or sign in.

Once you are logged into your account, click on 'apply for this role' and follow the on-screen instructions. To apply, all candidates are required to provide:

1. A  Curriculum Vitae (2 pages max, In Word format not PDF) 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;

2. A Supporting Statement (2 pages Max in Word format not PDF) This should be a maximum of two pages, font size 12. This is your opportunity to demonstrate how you meet each of the criteria set out in this information pack. The initial sift is based on this information, so it is important to fully address the criteria. You should aim to provide specific examples that demonstrate how your knowledge and experience matches each of the criteria, and which describe what your role was in achieving a specific result. Please ensure your full name is noted at the top of the letter.                                                               

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

4. Personal Information and 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;

5. Disability Confident – please state if you want to be considered for the disability confident scheme;

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

We will ask you to check and confirm your personal details to ensure your application is accurate.

You will also have the opportunity to make a reasonable adjustment request or apply under the disability confident scheme before you submit your application.

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

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 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.

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 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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)

The panel will consist of four members: 

Chair – Viki Hogan, DWP Deputy Director ALB Partnership Division.

Panel member – Sarah Newton, Chair of The Health and Safety Executive.

Panel member – Charmian Moeller- Olsen, G6 DWP Clinical Policy.

Independent Panel Member – Mark Addison, Former public appointments assessor for the Commissioner for Public Appointments(OCPA) 

Public Appointments Assessor.

The panel will ensure that appointments are made in accordance with the Governance Code. The DWP Public Appointments Team will keep you updated on the progress of the competition.

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 further advice, 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:

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 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

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 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 ALB 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.

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

The Department’s data protection privacy notice and relevant policies are available on the Department’s Personal 

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

Contact details

Please Contact the DWP ALB Public Appointments Team at

alb.publicappointments@dwp.gov.uk

Attachments

• Candidate Pack