The Department
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) invites applications for the
position of member to the Defra Science Advisory Council (SAC), an advisory
Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB).
SAC plays a
vital role in assisting the Defra Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) by advising on
and challenging the evidence that Defra uses in its policy development. The SAC currently consists of ten members
plus a Chair.
Aim of the Council
The Science Advisory Council (SAC) is a Non Departmental Public Body
(NDPB) which provides independent and scientific support, advice and challenge
to Defra.
The SAC’s remit is broad and focuses primarily on
the strategic direction of the Departments’ evidence. It delivers independent
high-level, cross cutting, strategic advice and challenge to help assure the
evidence used in Defra policy development and delivery and to this end,
diversity of thought within the members is encouraged.
The SAC has its own website where information about the
Council’s activities, reports and meeting papers are regularly published.
Objectives of the Council
The objectives of the SAC are to:
·
advise and support Defra on developing and
implementing an effective and efficient strategy for obtaining and using
evidence and scientific advice;
·
advise on and provide assurance
on the process for evidence gathering;
·
provide strategic oversight and
assurance on how evidence is used in policy, providing targeted support where
necessary;
·
provide constructive challenge
on Defra’s evidence, and
·
identify sources of additional
expert external advice to input to Defra evidence.
SAC’s relationship with Defra
The SAC’s agenda and operation is structured to
integrate it within the Department’s workings but retaining its capacity to
provide critical independent challenge. SAC is both reactive to Defra’s needs
and raises issues itself that it believes would be helpful for the Department
to consider. Its work plan is a balance of being forward looking and being
reactive to issues as they arrive.
Structure of SAC’s Business
To enable the SAC to take its role forward, at an
appropriate strategic level, it organises its business in four ways: quarterly
meetings; monthly teleconferences; subgroups on specific policy/evidence areas
and a Defra Official and SAC member pairing scheme. The SAC has three standing
subgroups: Social Science Expert Group, and Exotic and Emerging Animal
Diseases, and Biodiversity Expert Committee. It may also establish
time-limited subgroups, made up of SAC members and appropriate co-opted experts,
in relation to emergencies, or to carry out in-depth studies. Subgroups will
advise and challenge Defra’s evidence and analysis.
Role specification
We are looking for four members with expertise in
the natural and social sciences and allied disciplines across a broad range
across Defra’s areas of interest, which include but are not limited to:
- Engineering Biology including molecular
biology and genetic technologies
- AI and advanced data methodologies for the
environmental sciences
You will provide high-level strategic advice,
support, and assurance to the CSA and Defra on developing and implementing an
effective strategy for obtaining and using evidence and scientific advice
(often at pace) including on high profile and contentious issues. You will
provide strategic oversight on Defra’s use of evidence, help to identify
sources of external advice to input to Defra evidence, and act as a conduit
between Defra and evidence providers. You will also advise on
broader issues such as how Defra obtains its advice, its access to the
scientific community and on maintaining and developing its scientific
capabilities into the future.
These duties will be performed through discussions and engagement with
Defra officials and key stakeholders, and a mixture of meetings and smaller
working groups.
The successful candidate must abide by the Seven Principles of Public
Life attached at Annex A and the Code of Conduct for Board members.