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BBC trust
Appointment of Trust Member
The Department for Culture Media and Sport would like to invite applications for a member of the BBC Trust
Time Commitment:
2 days a week
Location of Meetings
London.
Remuneration
£35,935
Duration of Appointment
Four years
Type of Appointment
Appointments to the BBC Trust are made by the Queen on recommendation of DCMS Ministers through the Prime Minister.
Background
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is looking for an exceptional individual to help deliver a strong and independent BBC. We want to appoint a member to work with the Chairman, Sir Michael Lyons, and the members of the BBC Trust.
The BBC Trust is the sovereign body of the BBC, responsible for setting the strategic direction and editorial standards of the BBC. It has a line of accountability directly to licence fee payers.
The Role
The Trust members support the Chairman, Sir Michael Lyons, as the BBC responds to the challenges of meeting the changing needs of licence fee payers in a digital Britain.
Key responsibilities of Trust members
Responsibilities of the Trust include:
•Ensuring that the independence of the BBC is maintained
•Holding the Executive Board to account for the delivery of the BBC’s services and activities against appropriate performance criteria and measures
•Appointing the Chairman of the Executive Board, approving non-Executive appointments to the Executive Board and setting the remuneration strategy for the Executive Board
•Operating the governance framework set out in the Charter and Agreement, including the mechanisms of purpose remits, service licences, the Public Value Test, consultations and reviews in order to deliver high quality services to licence fee payers
•Representing the views of licence fee payers and ensuring that the many different voices of licence fee payers are heard
•Carrying out a programme of accountability activities, reaching an extensive range of people and ensuring the meaningful involvement of the public in decisions, including through the Audience Councils as well as research and consultations
•Setting and overseeing the BBC’s editorial standards; approving the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines and ensuring compliance with them
•Regulating those programme standards and quotas which fall within its remit (without prejudice to the existing balance of responsibility with Ofcom)
•Ensuring the proper handling of complaints about the BBC, and acting as the final arbiter (except where another body, eg Ofcom, has responsibility)
•Approving multi-year strategies and annual plans, including high-level budgetary allocations for all the BBC’s public services, including the BBC World Service and the BBC’s commercial strategy
•Assessing proposals from the Executive Board for new services with regard to the interests of licence fee payers, both in terms of the BBC and the wider market
•Overseeing fulfilment of the BBC’s legal and contractual obligations, including fair trading
•Accountability for the proper use of public money, ensuring that the Executive Board delivers financial efficiency and value for money. This includes scrutinising regular financial reports and the Executive Board’s annual report and accounts, and commissioning regular value for money investigations into certain areas of BBC activity, including from the NAO.
In all these responsibilities, Trust members will be expected to conduct business transparently, openly and in the interests of licence fee payers.
The People
We are looking for an individual who is committed to representing the public interest, and we hope to attract applicants with a broad range of experience. We have a particular interest in candidates with experience of journalism and/or editorial issues in various capacities, although this is not an essential criterion for consideration.
Criteria
All candidates must be able to demonstrate:
•knowledge of the objectives of the BBC – stated as the six public purposes in the Charter - and an understanding of the key challenges facing public service broadcasting in the future
•an understanding of the role of the BBC Trust and its relationship with the Executive Board
•the ability to operate effectively at Board level, or equivalent, in the public, private or voluntary sector
•the ability to think strategically, independently and imaginatively, to make an effective contribution to decision making across the full range of the Trust’s responsibilities
•the ability to understand and represent the views of licence fee payers and the public interest, and an appreciation of the Trust’s accountability to licence fee payers
•excellent communication skills, and the ability to represent the Trust to relevant stakeholder groups including engaging with viewers and listeners at public events and activities
•a commitment to equal opportunities and diversity
•In addition to these core criteria, experience of journalism and/or an understanding of editorial issues in broadcasting or other media would be desirable
How to apply
Further details and an application form are available electronically or in hard copy. Please contact:
Heather Batchelor
Public Appointments Unit
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
2-4 Cockspur Street
London SW1Y 5DH
Tel: 020 7211 2308
Email: heather.batchelor@culture.gsi.gov.uk
DCMS promotes an equal opportunities policy. Appointments are made on merit, following a fair and transparent process, and these appointments are regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Applications are welcomed regardless of gender, age, marital status, disability, religion, ethnic origin, political opinion, sexual orientation for whether or not you have dependents
Closing date
Completed forms should be received by 8 January 2010
Interviews
Interviews are expected to be held 24 February 2010.
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