Culture NorthEast appointment of Chair

Olivia Grant OBE DL, Chair of the regional cultural consortium, Culture North East (CNE), will step down from her post early in 2008.

Appointed by the former Secretary of State for Culture, Tessa Jowell, Olivia has successfully led the consortium for 5 years, establishing CNE as a key strategic advisory body for culture in the region.

CNE believes that culture and the cultural sector can make a real difference to the life of the region. It is committed to work in partnership to develop, sustain and celebrate the culture, and the cultural values, of North East England.

The Department for Culture Media and Sport are now inviting applications for the role of Chair for Culture North East.

We are looking for a key individual who can apply the necessary skills and aptitudes to leading the exciting work of the consortium.

Additional information on CNE and the post is available in the Further Information section below. Application information is available from

Sujan Kareer, Public Appointments, Dept. for Culture Media & Sport, 2/4 Cockspur Street, London, SW1Y 5DH; Tel: 020 7211 2305; Email: sujan.kareer@culture.gsi.gov.uk

Closing Date

The closing date for applications is Wednesday 14 November

Interviews

Interviews are scheduled to be held in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne on Thursday 13 December

This public appointment will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process, and will be 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 or whether or not you have dependents.

FURTHER INFORMATION

CULTURE NORTH EAST

Appointment of Chair:
The Department for Culture Media and Sport would like to invite applications for the role of Chair for Culture North East.

Time Commitment:
Around 2-3 days a month, including attending Board meetings, which will take place 4 times a year

Remuneration
The Chair will be reimbursed all reasonable expenses and may claim a daily allowance of £209 per day, including work undertaken outside formal consortium meetings. There is a maximum remuneration of £7,500 in the financial year.

Duration of Appointment
Four years

Background
In 1999 the Department for Culture, Media and Sport established a Regional Cultural Consortium in each of the English regions outside London to champion the whole spectrum of cultural and creative interests in the regions, including tourism and sport. The consortiums have the responsibility for implementing their Regional Cultural Strategy and have a role in central policy making, regional data collection and research. In October 2004 the consortiums changed from being advisory bodies to executive NDPB's and companies limited by guarantee, giving them greater standing and helping them to deliver their objectives.

Work of Culture North East
Culture North East represents and engages a broad cross section of interests covered by the DCMS, including: the arts, sport, physical activity, leisure and recreation, tourism, creative and cultural industries, film and media, heritage, museums, galleries and libraries and archives. CNE works in partnership with all of the key regional cultural bodies as well as groups, organisations and individuals in the public, private and voluntary cultural sectors. Its aim is to deliver the objectives of the regional cultural strategy in order to create greater understanding of how culture can support wealth creation, social inclusion, education and regeneration in the North East.

CNE is a thinking, networking and advocacy organisation that works at a strategic level to champion the role of culture across our region. They are committed to strengthen their role as DCMS’ regional strategic advisory body for culture, to generate ideas that will inform, enhance and sustain the cultural life of the region and to add real value to the cultural sector in the North East.

CNE believes that culture and the cultural sector can make a real difference to the life of the region. They are committed to work with their partners to develop, sustain and celebrate the culture and the cultural values of the North East of England, as the basis for regional policy-making and as a catalyst for change. They will adopt, and advocate, an approach that places culture at the strategic centre of decision-making across the region.

Role of the Chair
The Chair of CNE has particular responsibility for providing effective strategic leadership on matters such as:

∑ formulating the Regional Cultural Consortium strategy for discharging its statutory duties;
∑ encouraging high standards of propriety, and promoting efficient and effective use of staff and other resources throughout the organisation;
∑ ensuring that the Consortium takes proper account of guidance from the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport;
∑ representing the views of the Consortium to the general public;
∑ providing on request, an assessment of performance of individual Board members, when they are being considered for reappointment to the Consortium or for appointment to the board for some other public body.

The Chair is also responsible for:

∑ providing strong strategic leadership of the Consortium
∑ being the primary advocate for the Cultural Consortium and through it representing the whole spectrum of cultural and creative interests in the region
∑ acting as an ambassador for the consortium and the cultural sector in the region;
∑ overseeing review of the Regional Cultural Strategy and ensuring actions identified are taken forward
∑ continuing to build on the relationships and partnerships with regional partners,
∑ supporting the development of the Consortium's partnership with all the main regional cultural and creative agencies including those from the private sector
∑ advising Government on regional cultural and creative issues and specific related issues
∑ Acting as a one of the key advocates representing cultural issues within the region to the Secretary of state
∑ overseeing Consortium business, finance and staff appointments through close working with the Executive Director

The Chair will also be responsible for the composition and appointment of the Board in accordance with the relevant governing documents and guidance issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

The Person

The successful candidate will have the following skills and aptitudes:

∑ Strategic leadership skills with high degree of drive, determination and initiative.
∑ Knowledge of, and enthusiasm for the cultural and creative industry sector, both urban and rural in the North East region, with expertise in at least one relevant sector.
∑ A good, currently operational, network of sub-regional, regional or national contacts
∑ An understanding of the wider picture of social and economic development in the region
∑ Experience at a senior level in the public, private or voluntary/community sectors
∑ Excellent communication skills with the ability to liaise effectively with key partners and the wider public
∑ Commitment to public service values of accountability, probity and equality of opportunity.
∑ A commitment to diversity, and an appreciation of its relevance to Culture North East, combined with the ability to engage and represent the views of a range of interests, communities and user groups

Candidates should reside in, work in, or be able to demonstrate strong links with, the region.

Supporting Information
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 or whether or not you have dependents

How to apply
Application information from:
Sujan Kareer
Public Appointments
Dept. for Culture Media & Sport
2/4 Cockspur Street
London
SW1Y 5DH

Tel: 020 7211 2305
Fax: 020 7211 2323
Email: sujan.kareer@culture.gsi.gov.uk

9th October 2007

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