Department for Culture Media and Sport
3. third stage
Lower Tier Appointments - Advisory (Paper) Panels and Conversations with a Purpose (CWP)
Paper panels are held to scrutinise appointments rated 'lower tier' and low profile, i.e. those not requiring interviews. Panels are chaired by a DCMS Director, and include a member of a non-departmental public body (NDPB) and an independent assessor. The panel's role is to assess the suitability of the short listed candidates for public service in general and to comment on their suitability for the specific appointment. The panel is also required to review the process up to and including shortlisting to assure the integrity of the process.
Prior to panel scrutiny, a senior official in the Appointments Unit will hold a Conversation with a Purpose with each of the short-listed candidates. The CWP covers areas mentioned in the Frequently Asked Questions sections of the OCPA Code. After the panel, Ministers are invited to make a final decision on whom to appoint.
Upper Tier Appointments - Interview Panels
Interview panels are chaired by a DCMS senior official and consist of the Independent Assessor, and the Chair of the body or, (for Chair appointments) another member knowledgeable about the sector/how our bodies operate. We brief members of the interview panel to ensure that they understand what they are required to do.
An example of an interview panel brief PDF (22kb)
Like the sift, the purpose of the interview is to determine which of the candidates best meet the agreed criteria. All interviews are recorded. The panel report to Ministers indicates which candidates are appointable, and makes a recommendation about whom they should appoint.
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