Appointment details

Digital Inclusion Action Committee Member - EOI

Summary

• Organisation: Digital Inclusion Action Committee
• Sponsor department: Department for Science, Innovation & Technology
• Location: Various
• Sectors: Digital and Technology
• Skills: Communication, Technology / Digital
• Number of vacancies: 30
• Time commitment: Adhoc
• Length of term: Committee members typically serve a two-year term, with exceptions based on the Committee’s needs, member availability, and contributions. Service durations may vary in certain cases.
• Application deadline: 11:55pm on 26 March 2025

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   26 February 2025

2. Application deadline

   11:55pm on 26 March 2025

3. Sifting date

   4 April 2025

4. Interviews expected to end on

   7 April 2025

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Appointment description

About the Digital Inclusion Action Committee

The Digital Inclusion Action Committee (DIAC), chaired by Baroness Hilary Armstrong, is an external advisory body that will work closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). It will be made up of national and local experts, and its role will be to scrutinise, steer and help determine the work of the government in reducing digital exclusion in every part of the UK.

DSIT is looking for influential individuals from established organisations with expert knowledge of the UK’s digital inclusion landscape. If you are passionate about shaping the direction of national-level action on digital inclusion, we invite you to express your interest to join the DIAC. Members of the DIAC will contribute to work that will help drive economic growth and break down barriers to opportunity across the UK by engaging more people in the digital economy. 

As a Committee Member, you will play a key role in: 

• Reviewing the progress and impacts of the Digital Inclusion Action Plan – First Steps in the public, private and third sector across the UK.   
• Identifying, articulating, and promoting best practice across sectors for medium to long-term digital inclusion initiatives and identify opportunities to scale interventions across the whole of the UK. 
• Identifying what more needs to be done across the whole community including in the charity sector, industry, and in local, regional and national government. The Committee should make suggestions on bold initiatives and actions for all parts of the community. 
• Providing expert advice on policy formulation and implementation related to digital inclusion. 
• Developing a strong network and influencing a diverse range of stakeholders, including government bodies, private sector companies, non-profits, and community organisations, to promote and support DIACs work. This may include the development of industry-led projects to foster a cohesive approach to digital inclusion, organising collaborative events, and leveraging communication channels to raise awareness and encourage participation. 
• Identifying and proposing innovative solutions to overcome barriers to digital inclusion, leveraging new technologies and methodologies. 
• Challenging the policy thinking of government to ensure interventions are effective in addressing the needs of digitally excluded people. 

Organisation description

Structure of the DIAC 

The DIAC and its subcommittees will comprise around 30 members and be chaired by Baroness Hilary Armstrong. Each subcommittee will consist of 8-10 members, including around 2 co-chairs, and will meet every six weeks. The co-chairs will attend a quarterly plenary meeting with DIAC chair Baroness Armstrong to provide feedback on the committee's overall progress, produce recommendations, and discuss next steps. 

The subcommittees are expected to focus on the following cross-cutting areas: 

• Industry Leadership and Partnership – How business and charities can support the government’s renewed focus on digital inclusion, and how they can deliver in partnership with others 
• Local Delivery – How to maximise the impact of local initiatives and community support. Identifying best practice as well as identifying specific needs of local communities.  
• Inclusive Digital Services – How to ensure digital services are more inclusive and accessible.  

Expectations of DIAC Members 

DIAC members are expected to actively participate in the Committee’s activities and contribute to its success. This includes: 

All Members 

• Attending and actively participating in 6-weekly DIAC subcommittee meetings, contributing to meeting agendas, performing rotating secretariat duties, and engaging in ad hoc activities, depending on DIAC priorities. 
• Gathering and communicating stakeholder feedback on government policy to support digital inclusion.  
• Contributing to written steers and views on the government’s current and future approach to digital inclusion. 
• Promoting government interventions to address digital exclusion across networks. 
• Contributing to the development and implementation of the DIAC’s strategic vision.  
• Working effectively with other members, stakeholders, and the DIAC secretariat.  
• Promoting the DIAC’s mission and recommendations to a broader audience.  
• Taking ownership of specific tasks and projects and delivering high-quality results. 
• Additionally, co-chairs will be responsible for the efficient running of the subcommittees. This includes: - Leading the subcommittee by setting the agenda, ensuring participation from subcommittee members, and ensuring structured notes are recorded.

Plenary Group Members 

• Attend and actively participate in quarterly plenary DIAC meetings, representing the work of, and feeding back to, their subcommittee. 
• Take a holistic view across DIAC subcommittees to ensure overlaps are effectively integrated, ensuring effective communication between subcommittees and the plenary group.  
• Contribute to setting a clear vision and objectives for the DIAC.  
• Facilitating connections and engagement with other relevant committees, for example the Digital Skills Council, or Financial Inclusion Committee.  
• Members should be prepared to dedicate the necessary time to fulfil their responsibilities, with specific time commitments varying based on DIAC activities. There will be no remuneration as part of your membership. 

Person specification

Essential criteria

1. Expertise in Digital Inclusion: Members should have a strong understanding of the current challenges people are facing that prevent them from being digitally included. 

2. Professional Experience: Proven record in roles relating to digital inclusion. This may include leading on digital inclusion programmes for local authorities, third sector or industry. This may also include experience in related areas, for example media literacy, or digital healthcare. 

3. Communication and Outreach Skills: Ability to engage with and advocate for communities that are digitally excluded, as well as communicate the DIAC’s vision to a wide audience. 

4. Commitment to Equity and Inclusion: A demonstrated commitment to promoting equity and inclusion in all aspects of digital access and use. 

5. Collaborative Mindset: Ability to work effectively in a team, with a collaborative approach to problem-solving. 

6. Ethical Standards: High ethical standards and a commitment to transparency and accountability in all committee activities. 

Desirable criteria

• Representation from Diverse Communities: To ensure the committee can support in addressing the needs of all digitally excluded people, the committee should include representatives from various demographic groups.  

• Cross-Sector Experience: Knowledge of digital inclusion needs and challenges in sectors beyond technology, such as healthcare, manufacturing, and the creative industries. 

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 to show how you meet the criteria (750 word maximum)
• 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.

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

Please contact the DigitalInclusion@dsit.gov.uk for panel information.

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 DigitalInclusion@dsit.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.

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

Any questions related to remuneration, allowances and abatement, please contact DigitalInclusion@dsit.gov.uk

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 DigitalInclusion@dsit.gov.uk team in the first instance, if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application at DigitalInclusion@dsit.gov.uk. 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 contact the DigitalInclusion@dsit.gov.uk if you have any further questions. 

Attachments

• DSIT PA Privacy Notice 2025

• DIAC EOI - Candidate Pack