OFCOM - role specifications
Ofcom
Ofcom is the regulator for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television,
radio, telecommunications, wireless communications and postal services. It operates under the
Communications Act 2003 and the Postal Services Act 2011. Ofcom’s operating budget for the
financial year 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016 is projected to be £114 million with a staff of 804
(average). Ofcom is accountable to Parliament but is independent of both Government and those it
regulates.
Ofcom operates in successful, challenging and fast moving sectors. Its principal duties include both
furthering the interests of citizens and consumers across the communications and postal sectors and
encouraging and monitoring competition; it has responsibility for overseeing television and radio
broadcasting throughout the United Kingdom, protecting audiences against harmful or offensive
material or unfairness, protecting the universal service obligation in the postal and
telecommunications sectors, ensuring the effective use of spectrum and ensuring that a wide range
of electronic communications services are available (such as broadband and mobile telephony).
In exercising its duties Ofcom will regulate with a clearly articulated and publicly reviewed annual
plan incorporating stated policy objectives. Ofcom will operate with a bias against intervention and
will only intervene where there is a specific statutory duty to work towards a public policy goal
which markets alone cannot achieve. In doing so Ofcom will act firmly, promptly and effectively and
will strive to ensure its interventions will be evidence-based, proportionate, consistent, accountable
and transparent in both deliberation and outcome. Ofcom will always seek the least intrusive
regulatory mechanisms to achieve its policy objectives.
As a result of the retirement of current non-executive members during the course of this year the
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport wishes to appoint two new members to the Ofcom
Board.
These appointments will be made in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Commissioner for
Public Appointments.
Role of the Board
The Ofcom Board comprises up to ten Directors (currently seven Non-Executive Directors including
the Chairman and Deputy Chairman and three Executive Directors). It provides strategic direction
and is the main statutory instrument of regulation with a fundamental role in the effective
implementation of the Communications Act 2003 and the Postal Services Act 2011.
The Board has a central governance and strategic function, with oversight over the fulfilment of
Ofcom’s general duties and specific statutory responsibilities as well as its adherence to the ethos of
a public service organisation and its duties to further the interests of the citizen and consumer. The
Board also has oversight of Ofcom’s overall funding and expenditure.
The Board acts on a collective basis. The work of both the Board and Executive is informed by the
contribution of a number of advisory bodies.
The Board meets monthly (except August). Meetings are held on a Tuesday normally from 9.00am to
1pm (followed by a briefing or lunch (sometimes with guests) to 2pm). There are also a number of
Board sub-committees on which members are expected to sit. The time commitment expected of
Board members is one to two days per week.
The Ofcom Board meetings are formal: agendas and notes/minutes of meetings are published
regularly on Ofcom’s website. Meetings are held at Ofcom’s London offices. Board members will be
expected to attend occasional meetings/functions in the devolved Nations.
Vacancies
Ofcom is seeking to strengthen and balance the skills around the Board table with two individuals.
Vacancy 1.
One individual is required who has experience of editorial decision making at a senior level in
broadcasting or journalism. This individual will be expected to take on the responsibility of chairing
Ofcom’s Content Board and providing the Board with expertise in the area of broadcasting policy
and broadcasting standards; he/she will also be expected to understand, and participate in, all of the
Board’s discussions across its entire remit.
In line with Ofcom’s wider current statutory responsibilities, the Content Board serves as Ofcom’s
primary forum for the regulation of television, radio and video on-demand quality and standards.
Increasingly, however, these issues are set within the wider context of changes in communications
markets and particularly the role of the internet and digital media in shaping future approaches to
regulation.
The Content Board currently has twelve members, appointed by the Ofcom Board, and is chaired by
a non-executive member of the Ofcom Board who will step down at the end of this year from both
the Ofcom Board and the Content Board. The Content Board generally meets every six weeks on a
Tuesday. The Content Board takes decisions or makes recommendations after considering
proposals from the Ofcom Executive. Content Board members are expected to participate on a
small number of committees (for example the Broadcast Licensing Committee and the Election
Committee) and participate in the consideration and decision making processes relating to complex
standards investigations.
The meetings of the Content Board are generally held at Ofcom’s London offices but on occasion
meetings are held outside London.
The current work plan of the Content Board is focused around three key priority areas of activity.
The role of the Content Board will be to both analyse and comment on the Executive’s work and to
provide advice to the Main Board on these matters:
1) Considering the impact of technological developments on the health and nature of content
provision in the UK
Ofcom is required by Parliament to conduct reviews of Public Service Broadcasting (PSB). Ofcom's
duties in conducting these reviews are:
· to review the extent to which the public service broadcasters have delivered the purposes of
PSB;
· to report on PSB with a view to maintaining and strengthening its quality in the future; and
· to review the extent to which material included in media services has contributed towards
the fulfilment of public service objectives.
The Content Board will also, through its work on the Broadcast Licensing Committee, continue to
licence and oversee community radio and local television.
The Content Board will also provide strategic oversight of radio content regulation and promote
diversity and equality of opportunity in broadcasting.
2) Providing protection and assurance
This includes developing a more consistent and coherent audience protection and assurance
framework across media, through direct regulatory interventions and the harnessing of greater
industry co-operation and voluntary initiatives. Ofcom has regulatory relationships with the ASA,
ATVOD, UKCCIS and others.
This area also includes Ofcom’s continuing contribution to European debates on audio-visual media
regulation; and Ofcom is a member of the European Regulators Group for Audio-visual (ERGA), a
new formal expert advisory group of audio-visual regulators in the EU Member States.
Content Board members will also provide strategic oversight of a new targeted approach to
enforcement activities for TV broadcasters; and be integrated into the investigation of complex
standards cases, providing important editorial expertise and assisting the Executive in reaching
Ofcom decisions.
3) Informing Ofcom’s contribution to public policy
This includes areas central to Ofcom’s role and expertise that fall beyond our regulatory powers, but
are issues that we can contribute to. For example, engaging with the Government on the potential
implementation of a common framework for media standards and responding as appropriate to
changes in the devolution of powers to national governments.
Vacancy 2
The second individual required will bring to Ofcom strong business/commercial experience either
from a large company or its equivalent, and/or working with high technology start-ups ideally in the
telecommunications sector. The individual should be familiar with innovation-led technology
environments. The ability to translate technology innovation into potential market effects and
structural shifts would be an advantage. As with the first vacancy this individual will also be expected
to understand, and participate in, all of the Board’s discussions across its entire remit.
Key Selection Criteria
The candidates will be expected to meet the following criteria:
Both vacancies
- the ability to understand the business and economic principles underpinning the broadcasting,
telecommunications and postal sectors in the digital environment.
- sound judgement and decision-making to ensure successful delivery in a highly complex
organisation
-an appreciation of the competitive and consumer dynamics of these fast changing sectors
-the ability to operate at Board level and work collegially with the Chairman and other colleagues.
Vacancy 1

experience of editorial decision making at a senior level in broadcasting or journalism
Vacancy 2

strong business/commercial experience in a large company or its equivalent, with an
understanding of innovation ideally in the telecommunications sector
Potential conflicts of interest from a financial or business perspective must be declared and
discussed at interview.
Term of office and time commitment
These appointments are for up to 4 years. The successful candidates must be prepared to commit to
one to two days per week. In addition to attending meetings of the Board, the two new members
will be expected to serve on one or more Board Committees (including the Audit, Remuneration and
Nominations Committees) and, as stated above, for the individual with editorial experience there
will be membership of the Content Board and other Committees associated with that Board
Papers setting out examples of the involvement of the Ofcom Board (and, where appropriate, the
Content Board) will be made available to any candidate upon request, on the understanding that
candidates will respect the confidential nature of these documents. These documents may be
obtained from Egon Zehnder. Additionally, each of the short-listed candidates will have an
opportunity to visit Ofcom and to be briefed by the Chairman, Chief Executive and other members of
the Board.
Remuneration
The fees for the role for up to 2 days a week are £42,519 per annum.
Expenses
All reasonable and properly documented expenses incurred in performing the duties of these roles
will be reimbursed in accordance with Ofcom’s expenses policy.
How to apply
Applicants are invited to submit:
1. A detailed CV (preferably no more than 3 pages)
2. A covering letter (preferably no more than 3 pages)
3. Diversity monitoring form
4. Political Activity Monitoring form
5. Declaration of conflict of interest form
Please send these to Egon Zehnder - app3@egonzehnder.com (020 7943 1912)
The closing date for applications is Monday 12 October 2015.
Interviews for shortlisted candidates are expected to be held in mid to late November.
Equal Opportunities commitment from DCMS
DCMS is committed to providing equal opportunities for all, irrespective of race, age, disability,
gender, marital status, religion, sexual orientation, transgender and working patterns and to the
principle of public appointments on merit with independent assessments, openness and
transparency of process.
OCPA: Complaints
The Commissioner for Public Appointments in England and Wales, Sir David Normington, regulates
and monitors ministerial appointments to a number of public bodies including Ofcom. These
appointments are governed by the OCPA Code.
The Commissioner is also charged with the responsibility for investigating complaints about the
process for the filling of public appointments. He will examine the process used to make an
appointment or the manner in which an application for appointment was handled. He will only
investigate reasons for non-selection if he feels that the guidance has been breached. The
Commissioner does not investigate how a body is run or the actions of its Directors.
If you feel you have reason to complain you should first direct your concerns to the relevant
department. If after receiving a comprehensive response you are still concerned, you can write to
the Commissioner at the address below. Departments are required to provide the Commissioner
with a detailed report on all complaints received by them.
If you would like more information on either the role of the Commissioner or the appointment
process, please contact:
The Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA)
G/8
1 Horse Guards Road
London
SW1A 2HQ
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7271 0831
E-mail: info@csc.gov.uk
Web site: http://publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk/
The appointment will be made in accordance with the public appointments rules as set out in the
Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies issued by the Commissioner for Public
Appointments in April 2012. The Code of Practice covers all ministerial appointments to the boards
of executive and advisory non-departmental public bodies, health bodies, public corporations and
nationalised industries. Your attention is drawn to the OCPA website for more information.