Appendix 4: The recruitment process
All applications will be acknowledged. Candidates
who are selected for interview will be informed by telephone and
invited to a selection board interview at BIS in London on 5 January
2012. All applicants are urged to note the interview dates in
their diaries. Those who are not selected will be notified by
letter.
The selection board will comprise:
Sir Adrian Smith, Director General, Knowledge and
Innovation, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Tim Melville Ross, Chair of the Board of the Higher
Education Funding Council for England
Sheila Drew Smith, Independent Public Appointments
Assessor
Alan Milburn, Independent Expert on Social Mobility
The selection board will then agree on which candidates
will be interviewed by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation
and Skills (Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable, MP) and the Minister of State
for Universities and Science (Rt Hon David Willetts, MP).
The preferred candidate for the post may be required
to appear before a Parliamentary Select Committee prior to appointment.
Please see the timetable below:
Stage Indicative dates
Strict Close date: 5 December (midday)
Initial sift meeting: 13 December
2011
References: Prior to selection
board
Selection board interview: 5 January 2012
Ministerial interview 18 January 2012
Select Committee Scrutiny 31 January 2012
Expenses
Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed to
candidates who are required to attend an interview.
Public Appointments
BIS is committed to the principles of public appointments
based on merit with independent assessment, openness and transparency
of process as defined by the Commissioner for Public Appointments
in the Code of Practice. The recruitment process for the Director
of Fair Access will be regulated by the Commissioner's Office
for Public Appointments and carried out in accordance with the
Code of Practice.
Standards of Conduct and Conflicts of Interest
Successful candidates will be required to show commitment
to the Seven Public Principles of Public Life, as drawn up by
the Committee on Standards in Public Life, more usually known
as the Nolan Principles. These can be found at:
http://www.public-standards.gov.uk/Library/Seven_principles.doc.
Candidates invited to interview will be questioned
about any real or perceived conflicts of interest. These do not
constitute an automatic bar to appointment, but they must be manageable.
Conflicts could include: financial arrangements, eg fees or shareholdings,
of the candidate, business associates or close family; membership
of organisations whose aims might be perceived to be in conflict
with those of the Office of Fair Access; and any activity which,
if revealed after appointment, could cause embarrassment to BIS
or the Minister.
Equal Opportunities
BIS is committed to providing equal opportunities
for all and welcomes applications from candidates irrespective
of race, age, disability, gender, marital status, religion, sexual
orientation, transgender or working patterns.
Applications can be accepted in alternative formats,
this candidate brief can be made available in different formats,
such as audio tapes, Braille or large print etc. To discuss your
requirements please contact Nina Witchell at Veredus, tel 020
7932 4284 or by e-mail nina.witchell@veredus.co.uk
The Code of Practice for Public Appointments
The Commissioner for Public Appointments regulates
and monitors ministerial appointments to a number of public bodies.
Government departments are required to follow the Commissioner's
Code of Practice and detailed guidance when processing these public
appointments.
The Commissioner is also charged with the responsibility
for investigating complaints. The Commissioner will examine the
process used to make an appointment or the manner in which an
application for appointment was handled. The Commissioner will
only investigate reasons for non-selection if it is felt that
the Code has been breached. The Commissioner does not investigate
how a body is run or the actions of its members.
If candidates have reason to complain they should
first direct their concerns to the relevant department. If after
receiving a comprehensive response candidates are still concerned,
they can write to the Commissioner at the address below.
Departments are required to provide the Commissioner
with a detailed report on all complaints received by them.
If you would like more information on either the
role of the Commissioner or the appointment process, please contact
this office:
The Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments
(OCPA)
3rd Floor
35 Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BQ
Telephone: 020 7276 2625
Facsimile: 020 7276 2633
E-mail: ocpa@gtnet.gov.uk
Web site: www.ocpa.gov.uk
Please follow this link for a copy of an OCPA Complaints
Leaflet and the OCPA Code of Practice for Public Appointments:
http://www.ocpa.gov.uk/
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