Appointment details

Chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD)

Summary

• Organisation: Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs
• Sponsor department: Home Office
• Location: London
• Sectors: Professional, Scientific and Technical
• Skills: Regulation
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 30 day(s) per annum
• Length of term: Four years
• Application deadline: 11pm on 14 July 2025

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   10 June 2025

2. Application deadline

   11pm on 14 July 2025

3. Sifting date

   21 July 2025

4. Interviews expected to end on

   8 September 2025

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is an independent advisory non departmental public body sponsored by the Home Office. The current Chair of the ACMD is Professor Owen Bowden-Jones.

The ACMD has statutory duties and roles under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (MDA) and the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016. The ACMD is responsible for keeping under review the situation in the UK with respect to drugs which are being, or appear likely to be, misused and the misuse of which is having, or appears capable of having, harmful effects sufficient to constitute a social problem.

Appointment description

Role Description

Title:                          Chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD)

Appointed by:         Home Secretary

Duration:                  An initial term of four years 

Time

Commitment:          The expected time commitment is up to 30 days per year, depending on the ACMD’s work programme.

The role is unremunerated, but travel expenses incurred on committee business in the UK will be reimbursed  

Location:                 Central London

Purpose:

The Chair of the ACMD is required to deliver a key leadership role by utilising and coordinating the expertise of committee members to deliver prompt expert advice. The successful candidate will be required to do this by developing constructive relationships with committee members and senior stakeholders, including Ministers, Parliament, Devolved Administrations, Government officials and practitioners. The Chair will represent the Council acting as the primary interface for Government Ministers and other stakeholders, including the public and media.

The Chair is accountable for ensuring the timely delivery of the ACMD’s current and future programmes of work. Ensuring the continued goal of the ACMD continues, to improve the understanding of harms associated with drugs and enabling the standing government to consider action based upon the most up to date evidence.

The ACMD Chair will be required to attend at a minimum, one annual meeting with the Home Secretary and three times a year, or as requested, with the Ministers responsible for drug policy. The Chair will also need to liaise with a range of policy officials from different teams across Government such as the Home Office’s Drug Misuse Team, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (DHSC) and the Joint Combating Drugs Unit (JCDU). The Chair is required to develop and foster strong working relationships with the ACMD’s Secretariat to ensure effective communication, seamless coordination of Council actions and timely implementation of Council decisions.

The Chair of the ACMD is appointed as an individual and not as a representative for any particular profession, employer or interest group. They are expected to work in the public interest at all times, considering all issues from an independent perspective and on merit.

Key responsibilities and criteria

The main responsibilities of the ACMD Chair are to:

• lead the ACMD in executing its duty, under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and role in relation to the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, ensuring accountability for their operation and output.

• ensure the ACMD provides impartial evidence-based advice to Ministers of the highest quality; 

• work with members, the ACMD’s Secretariat, policy owners and stakeholders to plan and deliver the Council’s business in a timely fashion;

• represent the ACMD to the public (including media), Ministers and Parliament;

• ensure the ACMD operates in line with Government policies and requirements as an advisory NDPB, including its joint working arrangements, and that members comply with the ACMD’s Code of Practice;

• ensure the ongoing suitability and sufficiency of expertise available to the ACMD to deliver its business;

• build strong working relationships with and within the Council to enable effective team-working;

• ensure that the ACMD operates under a presumption of openness, that all members have the opportunity to be heard and that no view is overlooked or ignored and that proceedings of the Council and its committees and working groups are documented with a clear audit trail of decisions;

• adjudicate in any matters where Council members are unable to reach consensus, ensuring that outcomes represent the breadth of members’ considerations and uncertainties in the evidence base are made clear;

• monitor the effectiveness of the Council and promote continuous improvement;

• ensure that annual performance appraisals of members are undertaken, in addition to being subject to an appraisal themselves;

• be responsible for publishing an annual ACMD report; and

• represent the Council in discussion with other relevant agencies/ industry as required.

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

• Leadership: the ability to set strategic vision and drive forward priorities of the ACMD and Government. Candidate also needs demonstrable evidence of a strong track record in relevant senior leadership roles with committee experience.

• Knowledge: a clear understanding of the work, priorities and challenges of the ACMD and the context within which it operates. Additionally, the ability to bring scientific authority, knowledge, and breadth to a complex and multi-faceted issues of great public interest and importance.

• Experience: a strong track record of delivery on significant science or drug policy issues within the private, public, or voluntary sectors, including experience within drug-related fields.

• Relationship building: strong communication and negotiating skills to build effective working relationships with Ministers, policy owners, Government departments, and other key stakeholders, including the scientific community, practitioners and law enforcement;

• Communication: strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to listen, accept challenge and constructively challenge others in discussions with clarity and respect.

• Judgement: effective decision-making skills with the ability to critically analyse a wide range of multi-disciplinary information to make clear and objective evidence-based recommendations to support the delivery of the organisation's objectives (i.e. ACMD / Government).

• Collaboration: ability to work closely with the council, government officials and other key stakeholders, providing support, constructive challenge and assurance as appropriate.

Desirable criteria

• Relevant drug-related experience and/or experience working with government. Demonstrated scientific credibility in the context of chairing this committee.

Application and selection process

How to apply

The closing date for applications is 23:00 on Monday 14 July 2025.

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. 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 for the ACMD recruitment will be chaired by Professor Jennifer Rubin (Home Office Chief Scientific Adviser). In addition, the panel will comprise Marcus Starling (Deputy Director of the Drug Misuse Unit, Home Office), Dr Thomas Waite (Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department for Health and Social Care) and Olivia Grant OBE as the independent panel member.

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)

Security clearance

The successful candidate will be required to have or be willing to obtain security clearance to SC level. It usually takes between 4-6 weeks to obtain the security clearance. The role will be offered on a conditional basis until the successful candidate has passed all checks. The successful candidate will be encouraged to take up this appointment as soon as possible, subject to the successful completion of all pre-appointment checks. 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

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.

If you are not completely satisfied with the way your application is handled at any stage of the competition, please raise any complaint in the first instance with the Public Appointments Team at: publicappointments@homeoffice.gov.uk 

We will reply to your complaint within 20 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.

Contact details

If you have any queries about any aspect of this role, or merely wish to have an informal discussion with the ACMD Chair or Secretariat, then please contact the ACMD’s Secretariat in the first instance at: acmd@homeoffice.gov.uk.

If you have any queries about the recruitment process for this role, please contact the Public Appointments Team at: publicappointments@homeoffice.gov.uk  

If helpful to you, there is guidance available on writing a supporting statement on the public appointments webpages here 

Attachments

• Candidate Pack

• Home Office Privacy Notice