Vacancy -- Board Member for Wales and Chair of the Welsh Food Advisory Committee

Vacancy details

Food Standards Agency (FSA)
Board meetings are held around England, though at least once a year a meeting is held in either Northern Ireland or Wales. Most of the WFAC’s meetings will be held at the FSA’s office in Cardiff. However, Committee meetings may be held elsewhere in Wales.
Remuneration for the role totalling £14,000 will be paid per annum for working approximately 35 days per annum. This is made up of as follows:
 
• The Non-Executive Member for Wales will receive remuneration of £8,000 per annum for working approximately 20 days per annum. 
• The Chair of the WFAC will receive a remuneration of £6,000 per annum for working approximately 15 days per annum.  
• Remuneration is taxable, and subject to National Insurance contributions, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid. Remuneration is not pensionable. Board members are not employees of the FSA.   
• You may claim travel and subsistence expenses, which are properly and necessarily incurred in carrying out your role and responsibilities as Deputy Chair or Non-Executive Member of the FSA, in line with travel and subsistence policy and rates for the FSA. A copy of the policy and rates can be obtained from the FSA.
20
year

Function of body

The statutory role of the FSA is to protect the health of the public and the interests of consumers in relation to food. Since it was established in April 2000, it has made its mark as a new kind of public authority – independent, proactive, energetic, open about policy and honest about risks. 

The FSA is led by a Board of up to 12 non-executive members, including the Chair and Deputy Chair (in practice, since the creation of Food Standards Scotland in 2014, two of these board roles which were reserved to appointments by government in Scotland, the Board has been 10 members strong). Collectively, Board members share responsibility for the whole FSA. The Chair and Deputy Chair are appointed by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care acting jointly with the appropriate Ministers in Wales and Northern Ireland. One Board member is appointed by Welsh Ministers, and one member by Northern Ireland Department of Health. In Wales and Northern Ireland there are Food Advisory Committees which act as a route through which information and advice relevant to their country’s FSA interests is relayed to the Board. A Board member chairs each of these Committees. The remaining FSA Board members are appointed by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The appropriate authorities consult each other before appointments are made. There are no specific geographical qualifications for these roles. 

The FSA remit covers food and feed safety regulation and policy across the whole food chain (from ‘farm to fork’). It works to protect consumers by improving the safety of food and by giving honest, clear information. There is a complex pattern of responsibilities for policy and delivery on food and feed safety and standards, nutrition, and non-safety labelling and composition of food, across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This means that it has slightly different remits in each country.

The FSA is also an enforcement authority. Its staff work in meat plants to check that the requirements of the regulations, including animal welfare standards, are being met. It works closely with Local Authority Environmental Health Officers and Trading Standards Officers in 387 local authorities to ensure food from the over 600,000 food premises across England, Wales and Northern Ireland is safe and accurately labelled. 

The FSA works closely with a very wide range of stakeholder groups to improve food safety at every step of the food chain. It has won recognition for restoring the trust of UK consumers in the way food safety is regulated. 
Further reading: FSA’s Annual Report and Consolidated Accounts for 2018/19 are available at: 

https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/fsa-annual-reportaccounts-2018-19-consolidated.pdf.

The FSA Board gathers six times in the year: four Board meetings and Business committee meetings, each for two days; and two strategic or retreat events, for two days. In addition, Board members are expected to attend FSA’s annual Parliamentary reception, can join ad hoc events such as science symposia, and from time to time may be asked to join short term working groups or review teams on specific subjects (usually alongside external experts). The Audit and Risk Advisory Committee meets in person four times a year, and by teleconference once a year.
 
The purpose of the Chair of the WFAC is to chair the WFAC and ensure that the Committee fulfils the requirement placed on the Advisory Committees by the Food Standards Act 1999 to give advice or information to the FSA about matters connected with its function (in particular matters affecting or otherwise relating to Wales). The Chair of the WFAC is accountable to the Chair of the FSA.

Role description

The Member of the FSA Board for Wales has a responsibility to:  

• ensure the FSA discharges its statutory duties in line with the requirement to protect public health and consumer interests in relation to food;
• set and to reinforce the FSA’s core values through the development and monitoring of strategic objectives, plans and policies;
• represent the FSA and its values;
• play an effective part in Board meetings, discussions and decisions;
• monitor the performance of the Executive in meeting agreed objectives and targets, including: the delivery of services; continuous improvement; financial performance, and risk management;
• assist with the appointment of the Chief Executive; • participate as a member or Chair of one or more of the Board Committees: Business, and Audit and Risk Assurance;
• act in the public interest at all times, not as a representative of the interests of any particular sector, and without regard to any personal interests;
• advise the FSA Board on matters relating to Wales; and • commit up to 20 days per annum to their FSA responsibilities. This covers Board and Committee meetings; Board awaydays, training and workshops; FSA events; travel to meetings across the UK; and thorough preparation for Board business.  

Board members receive advice and support from the Executive in respect of their duties and are provided with background information in order to carry out their responsibilities. There is a dedicated secretariat to support the Board. The FSA Board is a paperless body.
In addition to the responsibilities of a Board member, the Chair of the Welsh Food Advisory Committee’s responsibilities are to: 

• serve as a member of the WFAC and to chair meetings in a manner that facilitates the effective contribution of Committee members by creating an environment in which they can share their knowledge and expertise;
• plan the business for Committee meetings with the FSA Director in Wales, including pro-actively raising issues for the Committee to discuss;
• guide the WFAC on the provision of advice or information to the FSA about matters connected with its functions, in particular those relating to Wales;
• encourage the WFAC to reflect the Wales consumer voice and strengthen the consumer perspective, in relation to key issues that the FSA Board consider;
• support the FSA in communications with key stakeholders in Wales and to build the relationships necessary for the effective operation of the Committee;
• undertake a once per term appraisal of the performance of Committee members; • assist with the appointment of the FSA Director in Wales
• act in the public interest at all times, not as a representative of the interests of any particular sector, and without regard to any personal interests; and • give approximately 15 days per annum in addition to any time commitment as Board Member, to the FSA and to travel to meetings across Wales.

Welsh language skills

The Welsh Government acknowledges the importance of developing and growing bilingual capabilities in public appointments in Wales, and welcomes applications from candidates who demonstrate their capability to work in both English and Welsh.  The following list of language requirements represents an objective assessment by the recruiting body of the Welsh language skills required to undertake the duties of this particular post.
Desirable
Can read some basic words and phrases with understanding
Can write basic messages on everyday topics
Can understand parts of a basic conversation
Can hold a basic conversation in Welsh

Person specification

Essential Criteria
 
Board members do not represent a particular industry or sector. To be considered for appointment, you must be able to demonstrate that you have the qualities, skills and experience to meet all the essential criteria set out below:

• Ability to operate on the Board of a major national organisation, with a clear understanding of effective governance, collective responsibility and constructive challenge.
• Proven strategic thinking and experience, able to help shape the FSA’s strategic direction. • Strong analytical and decision-making skills, able to weigh complex evidence and explain the basis for a decision.
• Commitment to putting the consumer first, with an awareness of consumer interests in relation to food and how the global food system is changing.
• Understand the stakeholder landscape that relates to food, public health and public administration in Wales. • Ability to demonstrate an understanding and commitment to equality and diversity.
 
and at least one of the following criteria:
 
• Senior level expertise in public health.
• Senior level experience in financial management or audit/assurance, in the public or private sector.
• Leadership in a technology or data environment.
• In depth understanding of the food sector, at UK or global level.
• Welsh language skills.
 
The Welsh Government acknowledges the importance of developing and growing bilingual capabilities in public appointments in Wales and welcomes applications from candidates who demonstrate their capability to work in both English and Welsh.  The following list of language requirements represents an objective assessment by the recruiting body of the Welsh language skills required to undertake the duties of this particular post. 
 
• Reading - Can read some basic words and phrases with understanding
• Written - Can write basic messages on everyday topics
• Understanding - Can understand parts of a basic conversation
• Spoken - Can hold a basic conversation in Welsh
 

In addition to the above criteria, the Chair of the Wales Food Advisory Committee will need to evidence the ability to:   
 
 
• chair high-level Board meetings in any sector;
• understand the consumers’ interests in relation to food, in Wales; and
• maintain composure in face of adversity and opposition.

Interview dates

24 March 2020
24 March 2020

Closing date

13/02/2020, 12:00

Additional information

Contacts: 
 
For further information regarding the selection process, please contact: 
 
Name: Nicola Jenkins Tel:  07855 514603 Email: nicola.jenkins@foodgov.uk 

 
For further information regarding the role of Member for Wales and the Chair of the WFAC as well as the role of the Food Standards Agency please contact:
 
Name: Ann Stirling Tel: 07970 401448 Email: ann.stirling@foodgov.uk 

Please quote reference VAC 2020 Wales on all correspondence.
 
If you choose to apply, we would like to thank you in advance for your time and effort in making an application.
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This vacancy is closed to applications.