Appointment details

Diversity and Outreach Honours Committee - Chair x 1

Summary

• Organisation: Honours Committee: Diversity and Inclusion Group
• Sponsor department: Cabinet Office
• Location: London
• Sectors: Information and Communication
• Skills: Communication
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: Adhoc
• Length of term: 5 years
• Application deadline: 5pm on 7 April 2025

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   26 March 2025

2. Application deadline

   5pm on 7 April 2025

3. Sifting date

   25 April 2025

4. Interviews expected to end on

   30 May 2025

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction

The Diversity and Outreach Committee assists the committee process in delivering an honours system which is representative of UK society. 

Its purpose is to ensure that the honours system is properly reflective of UK society through a programme of policy improvements and interventions; targeted regional and sectoral outreach and publicity of the honours system; and advice to both the independent committees and Government departments. The Diversity and Outreach Committee is also guided by the Prime Minister’s strategic priorities for the honours system and as a secondary function has an additional role in advising about how these are reflected in each honours list.

The Diversity and Outreach Committee is led by an independent chair, with support from the Honours and Memorialisation  Secretariats in the Cabinet Office. The membership of the Committee comprises a member from each of the ten independent honours committees, based on their sector-specific expertise, experience, interest and commitment. Membership is in the public domain.

The Diversity and Outreach Committee’s purpose is to:

• work to ensure the honours system is properly reflective of UK society;
• support targeted regional and sectoral outreach and publicity of the honours system;
• identify policy improvements or interventions regarding improving diversity in the honours system and make recommendations to the HD Committee;
• recommend courses of action to the independent honour’s committees, honours secretaries and the Honours Secretariat to improve diversity and overall representation;
• support the work of the independent committees by ensuring they are sighted on best practice in this area, remain mindful of and committed to diversity targets, and undertake discussions and the evaluation of candidates in an open- and even-handed way; and
• support pipeline-building activities across all committees and all honours levels.

Appointment description

The ten Independent Honours committees meet twice a year, in advance of each honours list being published, between January and March for the Birthday honours round and between September and October for the New Year honours round. The Chair of the Diversity and Outreach Committee is expected to attend a minimum of six meetings each year to coincide with these, including 2-4 Diversity and Outreach Committee meetings annually, as well as two Main Honours Committee meetings in March and October. There is extensive pre-reading for each committee meeting. Additionally, the Chair will be expected to attend a number of outreach events on an agreed timetable throughout the year (which may often include travel across the UK).

As Chair of the Diversity and Outreach committee, you will:

●      Attend each honours committee meeting;

●      Read and develop views on the honours committee papers in advance of the meeting;

●      Play a role in supporting Government departments to build pipelines of diverse future nominees;

●      Act as an ambassador for the honours system in numerous outreach activities

You are expected to lead members of the Committee to:

●      Provide expertise from across the diversity agenda;

●      Represent the honours system publicly, including at senior levels to key stakeholders;

●      Hold independent committees and Government departments to account on issues relating to representation;

●      Lead the committee and shape the agenda and deliverable outcomes;

●      Participate in Diversity and Outreach Committee Working Groups as required;

●      Promote the honours system and the work of the Diversity and Outreach Committee to external stakeholders across the UK, via both virtual and physical events and other communication channels.

Additionally, you will be required to:

●      Attend the Main Honours Committee of all the independent chairs to agree recommendations for the whole honours list;

●      Participate in recruitment of new independent committee members as needed;

This is a high-profile area of work, which attracts considerable public and media interest.

Committees are supported by the Honours and Memorialisation Secretariats, which currently consists of approximately 25 team members who are based in the Cabinet Office. 

Current committee membership can be found at www.gov.uk/honours.

Board composition

Current committee membership can be found at www.gov.uk/honours.

Person specification

Essential criteria

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate the following skills:

●        Practical experience of diversity and equality matters and an understanding of the honours system so this experience can be effectively applied;

●        A proven track record of leading, as well as championing and improving diversity (including geographical diversity);

●        The ability to act with independence of judgement and meet the highest standards of probity and discretion;

●        Strong communication skills;

●        The ability to operate through and influence stakeholders;

●        The ability to operate as an independent chair in a committee environment

First-hand experience of supporting the honours system, in any role, is desirable but not essential.

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:

• a Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• a supporting statement
• equality information
• information relating to any outside interests or reputational issues

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

The assessment process

1. Appointments are made by the Prime Minister, in tandem with the agreement from the Cabinet Secretary.
2. An Advisory Assessment Panel ("Panel") is appointed 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.
4. Once the shortlist has been agreed, 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 the Prime Minister and Cabinet Secretary who then determine merit and decide who should be appointed.
6. The Panel’s recommendations will be provided 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.

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

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

To be Confirmed 

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 coappointments@cabinetoffice.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 ‘essential 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

The Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles) apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder.

1. Selflessness

Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.

2. Integrity

Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

3. Objectivity

Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.

4. Accountability

Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.

5. Openness

Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.

6. Honesty

Holders of public office should be truthful.

7. Leadership

Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

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 ten years in any one post. 

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 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 coappointments@cabinetoffice.gov.uk in the first instance 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

Please email: coappointments@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Attachments

• Diversity & Outreach Honours Committee Chair - Candidate Pack