Vacancy -- Members (2) - Welsh Language Commissioner's Advisory Panel

Vacancy details

Welsh Language Commissioner's Advisory Panel
The Panel’s meetings will be held in one of the Commissioner’s offices (Cardiff, Caernarfon, Carmarthen, or Ruthin). It may be possible to join meetings through video conferencing facilities.

The Panel member is an office holder. The appointment is non-salaried and non-pensionable. Panel members are paid £198 per day including training days. This fee may be revised from time to time.

6
year

Function of body

The Welsh Language Commissioner (“the Commissioner”) was established under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 (“the Measure”). Information on the Commissioner’s functions can be found on the website: http://www.comisiynyddygymraeg.cymru/English/Pages/Home.aspx

 

The Measure also provides for the establishment of the Advisory Panel to the Welsh Language Commissioner (“Advisory Panel”) which is appointed by the Welsh Ministers.

 

The Welsh Ministers are keen to appoint up to two new members to the Advisory Panel for a period of three years. The new member(s) will join the Panel’s 3 existing Members who have been appointed until 31 March 2021.

Role description

The Measure states that the Welsh Ministers must secure that, as far as it is practicable, there are at least 3, but not more than 5 members of the Advisory Panel at any time.

 

Advisory Panel members act as a source of strategic advice to the Commissioner on matters in respect of which the Commissioner has functions. Specifically, the Panel’s role includes:

  • To provide support and advice to the Commissioner in relation to the Commissioner’s functions under the Measure - and to act, when necessary, as a ‘critical friend’.
  • To provide a forum in which matters relevant to the Commissioner’s functions can be discussed.
  • At the Commissioner’s request, to consider certain documents produced by the Commissioner and to provide views upon those documents.

 

It is not intended that the Panel becomes involved with the Commissioner’s day-to-day activities, nor is it intended that the panel has a significant public profile. The Commissioner is not accountable to the Advisory Panel, but his work is informed by the discussions that take place with it.

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.
Essential

Person specification

Panel Members must:

 

  • be able to work independently and as part of a team;
  • be able to offer advice to inform policy making processes and decision-making;
  • have the capacity to assess a range of views and interests and take an independent view;

 

  • be able to question appropriately the Commissioner’s approach to any issue and provide a source of external challenge and fresh perspective;
  • have a clear understanding and commitment to equality issues and challenging discriminatory practices when appropriate; and
  • have a clear understanding and commitment to Nolan’s ‘Seven Principles of Public Life’.

 

The Advisory Panel to the Welsh Language Commissioner (Appointment) Regulations 2012 makes specific provisions regarding the appointment of a Panel. The Regulations requires the Welsh Ministers, in appointing members of the Advisory Panel, to have regard to the fact that it is desirable that the combined knowledge and experience of the Commissioner and Advisory Panel's members includes knowledge and experience of the following matters:

  • corporate governance,
  • exercising functions conferred by or under an enactment,
  • promoting and facilitating the use of Welsh or another language,
  • public relations,
  • regulatory regimes,
  • working in partnership with organisations in the public, private or voluntary sectors.

 

After considering the expertise and experience of the current Commissioner and the 3 current members of the Panel, the Welsh Ministers wish to appoint at least one new member with experience of working in partnership with organisations in the voluntary sector.

 

Given the close connection between the role of the Advisory Panel and the functions of the Commissioner, it is required that the Advisory Panel’s membership includes persons with knowledge of, and proficiency in, Welsh.

Interview dates

30 September 2019
4 October 2019

Closing date

02/09/2019, 16:00

Additional information

For further information regarding the role of Advisory Panel to the Welsh Language Commissioner, please contact the Welsh Government’s Head of Welsh Language Legislation on telephone: 03000 256333 or email: Alan.Jones4@gov.wales

If you need any further assistance in applying for this role through the application process, please contact the Welsh Government’s Public Appointments Team on publicappointments@gov.wales.

 

How to apply

To apply for this role, click on the ‘Apply’ button below. The first time you apply for a post, you will need to complete a registration form for the Welsh Government’s online application system.  You will only need to register once, and you will be able to keep yourself updated on the progress of your application, and any other applications you make, via your registered account.

Once you’ve registered, you’ll be able to access the application form.  To apply you will need to submit two supporting documents. The first, a document outlining how your knowledge, skills and experiences meet the criteria for the role as outlined in the information for candidates.  This document should be no more than 2 sides of A4.  Your application may be rejected if you exceed this limit.  The second document is a full, up to date CV.  The two documents should be uploaded to the ‘Reasons for applying’ section of the online application form.

In your application, you will also be asked to provide details of any activities which have helped you to develop skills that would be useful in a public appointment role, and list the organisations for which you undertook these activities.  We also need to know about any political activity that you’ve undertaken over the last 5 years. 

It is recommended that you register for an account and access the application form as soon as possible so that you see how the application form is structured, before starting to prepare your evidence.  You don’t have to complete the application form all in one go.  You can save your responses, and log in and out as required, until you’re ready to submit – just follow the guidance in the application form.

If you’d like to apply for this opportunity in Welsh, please use the ‘Newid Iaith / Change Language’ link at the top of this page, to take you to the Welsh version of this advert, from which you can apply in Welsh.

If you need any further assistance in applying for this role, please contact the Welsh Government’s Public Appointments Team on  PublicAppointments@gov.wales.

For further information about Public Appointments in Wales, please visit www.gov.wales/publicappointments

Commissioner for Public Appointments logo

This vacancy is closed to applications.