Applying to be an Independent Assessor (IA)
Role
The role of the Independent Assessor is to:
- assist ministers and their departments in the task of making effective public appointments that command public confidence;
- provide an assurance that the appointments process has conformed with the principles and practice set out in the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments; and, in particular,
- ensure that appointments have been made on merit after a fair, open and transparent process.
Types of Independent Assessor
There are two types of Independent Assessors. The largest group, numbering some 300, are those directly recruited and appointed by Departments to oversee appointments to that Department’s public bodies.
The following departments have their own lists of Independent Assessors:
- Department for Culture, Media and Sport;
- Department for Education and Skills;
- Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs;
- Department for Trade and Industry;
- Office of the Deputy Prime Minister;
- National Assembly for Wales; and
- National Health Service Appointments Commission.
In addition, OCPA have recruited a ‘Central List’ of 22 Independent Assessors. The Central List is available, on request, to those Departments who either have no Independent Assessors of their own, or wish to achieve an even greater degree of independence for an appointment which is perhaps particularly high-profile or contentious.
Applying to be an Independent Assessor
If you are interested in becoming an Independent Assessor, please contact departments directly. At present there are no plans to recruit more Independent Assessors to the Central List. All recruitment for Independent Assessors is done through open and fair competition.
More information
OCPA have produced a Guide for Independent Assessors in the Public Appointments Process [5.51MB PDF] that outlines both the role and the competencies needed to be an IA.
Validation certificate [PDF 205KB]
