Specialist adviser role with the Women and Equalities Committee

16 October 2017

The Women and Equalities Select Committee (WEC) is inviting expressions of interest from individuals interested in being a specialist adviser to the Committee's inquiry into older people and employment.

The Committee

The Women and Equalities Committee is a cross-party select committee of MPs, chaired by Maria Miller MP.

It scrutinises the performance of the Government Equalities Office and the implementation of equalities policy across Government.

The Committee looks at policy across all the protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010 (sex, age, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, pregnancy and maternity, marriage or civil partnership status).

The Role

The Committee would like to hear from people who have expert knowledge on issues relating to older people and employment.

You may have expertise in government policy, the operation of the job market for older people, age discrimination, or the perspective of businesses in recruiting and retaining workers over the age of 50.

You will need to be well placed to advise the Committee about how to get the best range of evidence on the policy issues raised by the inquiry.

Further information about the inquiry is available here:Older people and employment.

As a specialist adviser, you will be working with the Committee secretariat on an ad hoc basis to analyse the issues and provide authoritative advice to the Committee.

As well as expert knowledge of the subject matter, the ability to provide clear, concise and impartial advice orally and in writing to politicians or senior decision-makers is essential.

Examples of the types of work you may be asked to do include:

Commenting on drafts of written material produced by the Committee secretariat
Advising on sources of information and evidence
Writing briefing notes for the Committee
Attending Committee meetings and providing oral briefings when required

The role is likely to run from December 2017 for around one year, with most of the work in the early part of 2018.

The overall commitment is unlikely to be more than around ten days, and only in exceptional circumstances would an adviser be asked to do more than two days' work in a particular week.

You would be paid a daily honorarium on the basis of work done.

Application Process

To express interest in this role please send a CV, covering letter and a declaration of relevant interests to womeqcom@parliament.uk.

In your covering letter you should set out how your expertise is relevant to this inquiry, an indication of the amount of time you could realistically devote to Committee work and your ability to take on work at short notice if required.

Your declaration of interests should include anything that a reasonable person might consider could influence the advice you give the Committee (or example, a relevant financial interest or active membership of a relevant campaign group or political party).

Declared interests from successful applicants will be published.

Deadline for applications

Expressions of interest should be sent to womeqcom@parliament.uk no later than 10am on 13 November 2017.

If you have any questions about the role please contact the Committee team on 020 7219 8775 or womeqcom@parliament.uk.