Vacancy: Advisory Panel on Consumer Prices (Stakeholder) Chair

The closing date for applications is 13 January 2025.

We are looking to appoint a Chair to the UK Statistics Authority’s Advisory Panel on Consumer Prices (Stakeholder). If successful in your application, you will provide independent advice to the National Statistician on the uses and applications of consumer price indices, to ensure that these statistics meet the needs of users and serve the public good.

About the Advisory Panel on Consumer Prices:

Consumer price statistics are among the most fundamental indicators of the state of the UK economy and are some of the most closely watched official statistics.

They are used as the inflation target of the Bank of England, to index income tax thresholds, for index-linked gilts, for uprating benefits, and in wage bargaining.

The governance arrangements and structures underpinning the production of consumer price indices are crucial in ensuring the quality, integrity, and independence of these statistics.

The ONS has two Advisory Panels on Consumer Prices; a stakeholder panel to advise the National Statistician on the uses and applications of prices indices; and a technical panel to provide advice on the technical aspects of the statistics.  These are referred to as the Advisory Panel on Consumer Prices Stakeholder (APCP Stakeholder) and the Advisory Panel on Consumer Prices Technical (APCP Technical).

Role and responsibilities

The APCP Stakeholder provides independent advice to the National Statistician on the uses and applications of consumer price indices, to ensure that these statistics meet the needs of users and ‘serve the public good.’

Specifically, the panel:

• Monitors and provides advice on the wide range of ongoing transformation work to improve the quality and granularity of ONS’s consumer price statistics, including the use of large admin sources such as electronic point of sale data.
• Monitors and provides advice on the ONS consumer prices work programme, including ongoing improvements to Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH) methods, and the development of the Household Costs Indices.
• Advises on appropriate prioritisation of consumer prices development work.
• Raises other relevant issues or topics on the use and application of prices statistics, including on behalf of the user community.

Reporting and governance

The Stakeholder Advisory Panel on Consumer Prices (APCP-Stakeholder) provides independent advice to the National Statistician on the uses and applications of consumer price indices.

Membership

Membership of the panel will provide for a mixture of interests and expertise.   Members will be appointed for fixed terms, either:

• via a process of open competition; or
• as the nominated representatives of organisations which have been invited to join the panel by its independent Chair.

Secretariat

Staff from ONS’s Prices Division provide dedicated Secretariat support to the Committee.

Role specification

Responsibilities

The Chair of the Panel will have the following key responsibilities:

• to provide strategic leadership of the Committee in order that it may effectively discharge its duties as set out in the Terms of Reference;
• shaping Panel discussions to encourage open debate, effective decision-making, and ensuring that all members have the opportunity to contribute their views;
• to represent APCP-S publicly as appropriate.

Essential criteria

• Strong leadership skills, with evidence of having provided visible leadership to a comparable organisation or committee;
• Strategic skills, including the ability to analyse complex issues and to think clearly, strategically, and laterally, extracting the essence of an argument from papers or presented evidence;
• Influencing and communication skills, including an ability to develop and maintain relationships with groups with disparate views and agendas; and
• Team working and collaboration skills, including an ability to work with other members and to participate in robust debate, challenging constructively the opinions of others, and working to achieve a shared consensus.

Specialist skills and expertise

To facilitate liaison with the technical panel, users, and other key stakeholders, the Chair of the Panel should have an expert working knowledge of the UK suite of consumer prices statistics and their uses.  The Chair will require first class ambassadorial, communication and presentational skills and the presence, demeanor, and integrity to command the respect of panel members and other key stakeholders.

Time commitment

The Panel will meet four times each year and it is anticipated that the Chair will also meet regularly with the Chair of the Technical Panel and the Authority’s Chief Executive. The Chair may also be required to present to the Authority Board occasionally. This represents a commitment of approximately twelve days per year. Preparation for and attendance at meetings comprises the majority of this commitment.

Timing of appointment

The successful candidate will be appointed by the end of January 2025.

Renumeration

The Chair will be paid an honorarium of £5,000 a year. This position is non-pensionable. All reasonable travel and subsistence costs will be reimbursed.

Period of appointment

The appointment will be for an initial period of three years. The possibility of renewal for a further similar period will be available subject to a performance review.

Conflict of interest and consideration of reputational issues

Holders of public office are expected to adhere and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles) and the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Before you apply you should consider carefully:

• any outside interests that you may have, such as shares you may hold in a company providing services to government or which could be affected by access to market sensitive statistics;
• any possible reputational issues arising from your past actions or public statements that you have made;
• and/or – any political roles you hold or political campaigns you have supported; which may call into question your ability to do the role you are applying for.

Many conflicts of interest can be satisfactorily resolved and declaring a potential conflict does not prevent you from being considered. If you are shortlisted, we will discuss any  interests that would be likely to conflict with their responsibilities as Chair of the Panel, including any proposals you may have to mitigate them.  Please declare any potential conflict of interest as early as possible in the selection process and disclose information or personal connections that might, if successful, be open to misperception.

Details of declared political activity will be published when the appointment is announced, as required by the Governance Code (political activity is not a bar to appointment, but must be declared).

Security clearance

The successful candidate will be required to undertake Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks in line with the Civil Service guidelines. Further information on National Security Vetting can be found on the Gov.uk website.