Specialist Adviser: Expressions of interest sought

• Inquiry: Brexit and health and social care
• Health Committee

About the role

Specialist advisers provide policy advice on a consultancy basis to the Committee and its permanent secretariat. Contributions take the form of oral contributions at private meetings of the committee and written contributions to briefing and draft reports. Examples of the type of work a specialist adviser may be asked to do include:

• Commenting on drafts produced by the Committee secretariat
• Writing briefing notes for the Committee
• Drafting a section of a Committee report
• Providing an oral briefing to the Committee

Advisers are paid for the days they work for the committee plus expenses. Rates are dependent upon experience and knowledge. Only in exceptional circumstances would an adviser be asked to do more than two days' work in a particular week.

Requirements of the role

Candidates will need to demonstrate the following:

• A broad understanding, gained through practice or academia (or both), of the impact of membership of the EU on health and/or social care in the UK
• Experience of advising and influencing at a senior level
• Credibility and authority within the sector
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, and the ability to work to tight deadlines
• The ability to advise Members of Parliament in a politically neutral way

Specialist advisers are expected to attend meetings of the Committee at Westminster (and occasionally elsewhere) where the subject on which they are advising is being considered. The Health Committee normally meets on a Tuesday afternoon between 2pm and around 5pm.

The bulk of the work on this inquiry is expected to take place in late 2016 and early 2017, with oral evidence likely to begin in January 2017. A private meeting to discuss the focus of the inquiry, to which candidates for the post of specialist adviser are likely to be invited, is provisionally scheduled for the afternoon of Tuesday 22 November 2016.

How to apply

Individuals who wish to be considered for appointment should send a brief CV—ideally no more than three pages—a covering letter of no more than 500 words, and a declaration of relevant interests to healthcom@parliament.uk by Friday 21 October 2016.

The covering letter, which should be addressed to the Chair of the Committee, should set out the candidate's relevant expertise, give an indication of the amount of time he or she could realistically devote to Committee work, and confirm the ability to take on work at short notice if required.

The declaration of interests should include anything that a reasonable person might consider could influence the advice which might be given to the Committee: for example, active membership of a campaign group or relevant financial arrangement. Declared interests from successful applicants will be published.

Further information about the role

To discuss the role, contact Huw Yardley, Clerk of the Committee:

• By phone: 020 7219 6244
• By email: yardleyh@parliament.uk

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