Appointment details

Chair - Great Britain-China Centre

Summary

• Organisation: Great Britain-China Centre
• Sponsor department: Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office
• Location: London
• Sectors: Public Administration
• Skills: Communication, International Experience, Legal, Judicial, Education
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 30 day(s) per annum
• Length of term: 5 years
• Application deadline: 11:59pm on 5 December 2024

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   7 November 2024

2. Application deadline

   11:59pm on 5 December 2024

3. Sifting date

   20 December 2024

4. Interviews expected to end on

   17 January 2025

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction

A message from Dan Chugg, Director North East Asia & China, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office 

Dear candidate,

I am delighted you are interested in this exciting and important role.

This pack provides some background information about the Great Britain-China Centre (GBCC), the role of the Chair, and the skills and experience that we are seeking. Please do also view the GBCC’s website for more information about their work: www.gbcc.org.uk. 

I wanted to begin with my personal take on the importance of the role. As the Prime Minister has said, we will bring a consistent, long-term and strategic approach to managing the UK’s relations with China, rooted in UK and global interests. Under this Government, the GBCC will play a key role in furthering these objectives: facilitating political dialogues, and upskilling the Government’s China capability.

The Chair will play an important role in both leading delegations to China, and receiving them. The GBCC has institutional knowledge and relationships with the Chinese authorities, which provides a unique channel through which UK parliamentarians can increase collaboration between China and the UK, as well as land messages on areas where we disagree.  

The GBCC has also delivered a range of China-related training programmes for hundreds of civil servants across a range of experience and seniority. Ensuring that the civil servants have the right knowledge and skillset to work on China is of critical importance to the UK’s foreign policy. 

The successful candidate will work closely with China Department, the Minister for the Indo-Pacific, and MPs. That involves shaping the long-term strategic direction for the GBCC in an ever-evolving landscape to ensure that the organisation remains relevant and supports UK Government objectives.  

We are looking for someone who has a track record of working on China, with an understanding of the UK-China bilateral relationship. The successful candidate will also need to have the experience and authority to lead an experienced board, and it would be useful if they have worked with Ministers and parliamentarians. 

It’s both a challenging and exciting time to be engaged with China related work and I know the opportunity to be involved in shaping the UK-China relationship will be a rewarding one.  

If after reading the material you have further questions about any aspect of this post you are welcome to contact the team at GBCCrecruitment@fcdo.gov.uk

If you believe you have the experience and qualities we are seeking, we very much look forward to hearing from you. 

Dan Chugg, Director North East Asia & China, FCDO

Appointment description

The Chair of the Board provides leadership to the governing board of the Great Britain-China Centre and oversees the work of the Executive Director, ensuring good governance and the delivery of the GBCC’s mission and working closely with the FCDO.

The Chair is an unpaid position leading a board of unremunerated volunteers committed to the mission of the GBCC.

This is both a challenging and exciting time to join GBBC. We are looking to appoint an individual with commitment and expertise to chair the board, who can both challenge and lead the organisation to continue its representation as a key player in the UK-China sphere.

The three main pillars the Chair will be responsible for are Leadership, Governance and Oversight.

Leadership

• Working with the board and the Executive Director to develop the strategic plan of GBCC which, driven by UK policy towards China and with the strategic guidance of FCDO, provides a unique contribution to the UK’s interests with China.
• Acting as an ambassador for GBCC.
• Supporting GBCC in developing high-level relationships with ministers, parliamentarians, funders, partners, stakeholders and the business community.
• Supporting the Executive Director in managing effective working relationships with FCDO and other government departments in support of the agreed strategic plan.

Governance

• Establishing and managing board sub-committees as required, including the Audit Committee, the Fundraising and Strategy Committee and chairing the People and Performance Committee.
• Managing the board including the recruitment of board directors, and the election of Vice-Chairs and Hon. Treasurer and assisting the Executive Director in recruiting key members of staff.
• Periodically consulting with board members on their roles and helping assess their performance, ensuring that they make a contribution commensurate with their capacity.
• As a board member, approving GBCC’s annual budget, audit reports, and material business decisions; being informed of, and meeting all, legal and fiduciary responsibilities.
• Planning, presiding over, and facilitating board meetings; working with the Executive Director to ensure that board resolutions are carried out.
• Ensuring GBCC’s commitment over time to achieving a diverse GBCC Board and staff and ensuring the periodic renewal of the board in line with Cabinet Office guidelines.

Oversight

• Providing assistance and guidance to the Executive Director as they develop and implement GBCC’s strategic plan and annual operational plan.
• Reviewing GBCC’s outcomes and regularly measuring its performance and effectiveness.
• Organising an annual performance evaluation of the Executive Director.
• In collaboration with the Executive Director, working to ensure the overall financial health of GBCC; helping to identify and secure new sources of funding and corporate sponsorship.

Organisation description

The Great Britain-China Centre (GBCC) is Arm’s Length Body of the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, established in 1974 by the-then Foreign Secretary Jim Callaghan. They are independent and policy-focused, working to maintain a robust and effective relationship with China. The GBCC work to advance UK objectives on China, with a particular focus on: (i) strengthening the Government’s China capabilities through training for civil servants; (ii) facilitating political dialogues with senior Chinese interlocutors; and, (iii) driving legal and judicial reform work in China to promote UK values and norms.

The GBCC works in close partnership with the Government and other UK institutions including Parliament, political parties, the judiciary and the legal profession, academia and business. They facilitate UK-China bilateral dialogue and exchange, and have developed the institutional capital, credibility and resilience necessary to navigate the increasing complexities of the UK-China relationship.

Further information on GBCC and its activities, including its most recent annual report can be found on GBBC’s website.

Board composition

The Board currently comprises fourteen Members. Members of the Board are:

• Sir Martin Davidson (Chair)
• Richard Jackson (Vice chair and Honorary treasurer)
• Alan Black (Vice chair)
• Timothy Danaher (Director)
• Alicia Kearns MP (Director)
• Pia MacRae (Director)
• Prof Katherine Morton (Director)
• Andrew Pittam FCDO (Director)
• Andrew Seaton (Director)
• David Thompson (Director)
• Marina Wheeler KC (Director
• Roderic Wye (Director)
• Richard Albon Burn (Director)
• David Andrew Abercromby Brock (Director)

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

• A record of leadership in China-related business, government, philanthropy, or the non-profit sector.
• Demonstrated success of managing at board level preferably as Chair or Senior Independent Director.
• Strong senior leadership skills, an ability to set the strategic direction of an organisation and deliver in a complex environment.
• Experience working with, and understanding, the Chinese political system, especially how it relates to the UK-China bilateral relationship.
• Effective communication skills with experience of building and maintaining constructive, transparent, strategically important relationships.
• Strong personal influencing skills both in China and UK and the ability to lead and motivate a team.
• Proven diplomatic skills and ability to build relationships and consensus among diverse individuals.

Desirable criteria

We are particularly interested in receiving applications from candidates with experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Experience of working with Ministers and the UK Government. Political perspective and the ability to work closely with members of the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
• Experience of being part of a board for a public body ideally one with a strong commercial income generating requirement.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and an affinity for public speaking.

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.

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 Advisory Assessment Panel (subject to change) will consist of:

• Dan Chugg, Director North East Asia & China, FCDO, as Panel Chair and representative of the FCDO.
• Ruth Crowell, Chief Executive, Wilton Park. London Bullion Market Association, Non-Executive Director. Independent panel member.
• Richard Jackson, Vice-Chair and Treasurer of the GBCC, audit and risk committee chair, Non-Executive Director of Ageas UK, Director at Novoview.

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 GBCCrecruitment@fcdo.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 detailed feedback to candidates who have been unsuccessful at the interview stage.

How to complain

If you are not completely satisfied with the recruitment process, please contact the team at GBCCrecruitment@fcdo.gov.uk. They will investigate your complaint and issue you with a response within 10 working days which addresses your concerns and recommends remedial action if required.

  

If you are not content with this response you can escalate your complaint to Joe Huggett (Senior Policy Manager, ALB Hub), at Joe.Huggett@fcdo.gov.uk. The ALB Hub will review your complaint in relation to the recruitment process and issue you with a response within 20 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.

Your personal information will be held in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation. You will not receive unsolicited paper or electronic mail as a result of sending us any personal information. No personal information will be passed on to third parties for commercial purposes.

When you submit personal information to us when making an application, we promise we will:

• only ask for what we need, and not collect too much or irrelevant information;
• ensure you know why we need it;
• protect it and insofar as is possible, make sure nobody has access to it who shouldn't;
• ensure you know what choice you have about giving us information;
• make sure we don't keep it longer than necessary; and
• only use your information for the purposes you have authorised.

We ask that you:

• give us accurate information;
• tell us as soon as possible of any changes; and
• tell us as soon as possible if you notice mistakes in the information we hold about you.

If you apply for a post, the manner in which we share information with the interview panel is described above.

Our data protection policy is in line with the General Data Protection Regulations and there is more detail in Annex B of the attached candidate pack.

If you would like these details to be removed from our records as soon as this recruitment exercise is complete, please inform us at GBCCrecruitment@fcdo.gov.uk. The Privacy Notice for Cabinet Office Public Appointments is at Annex B of the attached candidate pack.

Contact details

If you have questions, please contact the team at GBCCrecruitment@fcdo.gov.uk. 

Attachments

• GBCC Chair Candidate Pack