Bi+ Inclusion Lead: become a vice chair for the Civil Service LGBT+ Network
We’re opening up one additional vice chair position to lead our work on bi+ inclusion, and other minority sexual identities.
Applications open until 11:59pm, Friday 18 October 2019.
The Civil Service LGBT+ Network is led entirely by volunteers. Currently around 50 volunteers from across government are involved in delivering our projects, running our events, and representing your views to senior leaders in the Civil Service.
The Bi+ Inclusion Lead is a vice-chair position and is part of the Civil Service LGBT+ Network’s Committee. Alongside the chair and other vice-chairs, you will coordinate our work and volunteers, develop our strategic plans, and lead on specific projects. If you’re looking for a stretching volunteer role that can make a difference in the Civil Service, then this is the role for you.
Civil servants identifying as “bisexual” or “other” consistently report lower engagement and lower wellbeing than their gay, lesbian and heterosexual colleagues. They are also more likely to report being a victim of bullying, harassment and discrimination.
To understand this a bit further, we did some research and listened to civil servants across the country who identified with a range of identities, particularly: bisexual, queer, pansexual and asexual.
In this role, you will represent this diverse group, and develop and deliver clear objectives in order to improve the experiences of this group.
Our constitution doesn’t specify how these roles need to be constituted, nor does it require an election, so we’ll be appointing the roles through fair and open competition. Find out more about what the role involves, and how to apply, below.
How to apply
To apply for the role you will need to submit a personal statement to mary.peart@civilservice.lgbt.
Your personal statement should:
- be no fewer than 500 words and no more than 1,000 words long
- explain why you want to be a vice-chair
- explain what skills and experience you can bring to the role, in line with the role description below
- explain how you would refresh and improve our current approach to improve the experiences of bisexual, queer, pansexual and asexual civil servants
Application deadline
The deadline for applications is 11:59pm on Friday 18th October. Late applications will not be accepted.
Applications will be marked on a 1 to 7 scale, as used in standard Civil Service recruitment.
If you score above the minimum pass mark, you will be invited to interview in late October and will commence the role from November/December 2019.
Role description
As a vice-chair you will work as part of a small senior team responsible for the day-to-day running of the Civil Service LGBT+ Network. You, as Bi+ Inclusion Lead, will be responsible for the following:
- leading a team of 6-10 volunteers, including supporting a specific lead on asexual inclusion
- assessing available evidence and listening to the perspectives of bisexual, queer, pansexual, and asexual civil servants
- developing strategic objectives that will improve the experiences of this group in the long-term
- planning and executing discrete projects that meet these strategic objectives
- representing the Network to senior stakeholders across government, to Civil Service HR colleagues and to local departmental networks
- regularly communicating about your work in an open and transparent manner via our website and social media
- building on the work of the previous Bi+ Inclusion Lead, you might like to continue distributing the Bi Factsheet, run BiSpace events, and support your team of volunteers to run the BiSpace Facebook group. However, there is also scope to shape this role yourself and set your own agenda based on the evidence and needs of this diverse group.
The vice-chair role can be demanding, and you should expect to spend at least two or three hours a week on Network activity. Whilst line managers are encouraged to provide you with facility time to undertake this work, you may need to use some of your own time to undertake the role too.
The role is entirely voluntary, but reasonable expenses can usually be paid for costs incurred whilst undertaking network activity. If you have any questions, please email mary.peart@civilservice.lgbt