Communications Consumer Panel and ACOD Member - vacancy

06 September 2019

Purpose of the role

The Communications Consumer Panel ensures the citizen and consumer voice is represented in communications policy development, highlighting the interests of those who may not always be heard by the industry. Our job is to ensure that the sector works for consumers, citizens and micro businesses - and in particular people who may be in a more vulnerable position in society.

The Panel is a statutory body, established under the Communications Act 2003. It is a group of eight experts, appointed by Ofcom with the approval of the Secretary of State, who have substantial knowledge and experience of consumer issues in the electronic communications sector and beyond. The Panel’s remit covers the UK and, by statute, it has members who represent the interests of consumers in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England.

The Panel’s main role is to challenge and advise Ofcom to ensure that the interests of consumers, including micro businesses, are central to regulatory decisions. We act as a “critical friend” to Ofcom, rather than a campaigning organisation. We proactively influence decisions by making early, robust, high quality interventions to ensure that consumer and citizen interests are at the heart of Ofcom’s thinking throughout. The Panel also provides advice to governments and champions consumers’ interests with industry.

We are looking to appoint a new Member to the Panel, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State, who will also act as a Member of the Advisory Committee on Older and Disabled People (ACOD). ACOD advises Ofcom about the interests and opinions of older and disabled people living in the UK.

Essential competencies

To join the Consumer Panel and ACOD you will need to outline the four below competencies in your cover letter:

An excellent awareness of issues affecting the communications sector – with an in depth understanding of the technical challenges facing industry;
The ability to understand complex consumer, citizen, micro-business, regulatory, economic and wider business issues;
A keen interest in and understanding of consumers’ experiences, with particular reference to older and disabled people; and
Strong communication skills to make an effective contribution to the discussions and formal policy responses of a high level public body.

Further Information

Members must not be directly employed by organisations that Ofcom regulates or licenses or derive the majority of their employment income from such a company even if not so employed. Members cannot be engaged in active politics. This includes holding, or being a candidate for, political office at a national, regional or local level, active political campaigning in support of a political party and making a donation or donations to a political party in a calendar year in excess of £7,500. Working full time for any Central Government department or as an official in the civil service (including in the devolved nations) or for local government is also not acceptable.
The time commitment is three days a month, including one day a month at a formal Panel meeting.
The sifting process will be based on a consideration of the totality of the evidence provided. Failure to demonstrate how a candidate successfully meets each of the competencies will have a direct bearing on whether an individual will be shortlisted to interview stage.
Anonymised, aggregated diversity information may be shared with DCMS in relation to all candidates. For those candidates who are interviewed, please note that personal data and evidence relating to your application may be shared with DCMS.
As a Disability Confident employer, applicants who self identify as disabled or with a long term condition and who meet the minimum criteria for the role will be invited for an interview. If you require an adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process, email peopleteam@ofcom.org.uk or call us on 07885 553 450. If you call outside of office hours, please leave a voicemail and we will get back to you.
You will be required to submit a CV and a covering letter outlineing the responses to the four key competencies for the role (outlined aboved in the Essential Competencies section) which should be presented in an objective, consistent, focused manner.
Potential conflicts of interest from a financial or business perspective must be declared and discussed at interview.
Applicants must have personal integrity of a high order, no conflicts arising from any commercial or political interests and an appreciation of and desire to promote the values of excellence, agility, empowerment and collaboration.

The deadline for applications is 23:59 on 29 September 2019. Interviews will take place in London on 16 October 2019. For further information please contact contact@communicationsconsumerpanel.org.uk

To apply, please find the advertisement here: https://jobs-ofcom.icims.com/jobs/1956/communications-consumer-panel-member/job

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