• Job Description

  Req#: JR1354

  Closing Date:

  15/01/2024

  Group:

  Corporate Group

  Management Level:

  Job Type:

  Fixed Term (Fixed Term)

  Job Description:

  Please note that this role will close at 00:01 on Monday 15th January 2024 and therefore we advise getting your application in no later than midnight on Sunday 14th January 2024.

  About MG Alba

  Seirbheis nam Meadhanan Gàidhlig, the Gaelic Media Service, is a body corporate established by the Broadcasting Act 1990 and operating as MG ALBA (Meadhanan Gàidhlig Alba). The functions of MG ALBA are to ensure that a wide and diverse range of high quality programmes in Gaelic are broadcast or otherwise transmitted so as to be available to persons in Scotland and to others. For further information on the legislative basis and remit see MG ALBA’s website .

  MG ALBA is funded by the Scottish Government and delivers its remit primarily through a partnership with the BBC which operates the BBC ALBA public service channel. MG ALBA recently launched its latest five year plan, Lèirsinn: A Route Map for Gaelic Media , which sets out the organisation’s strategy and priorities to 2027.

  MG ALBA is based in Stornoway, with additional presence at the BBC’s offices in Glasgow and Inverness. The Stornoway facilities are part of the Creative Media and Industries Centre in Stornoway, a campus which is leased and managed by MG ALBA and which includes BBC Radio nan Gàidheal, BBC News, independent producers and technology businesses.

  About the role

  The Board of MG ALBA exists to develop high-level strategy and to devise, revise and recommend policies and practices that will enable MG ALBA’s strategic goals to be realised. In addition to the consideration of overarching strategic objectives, the Board will also assess the principles that govern operational areas such as funding, projects, training, resources, outsourced services, consumer needs and stakeholder relations.

  We are currently looking for up to four new Members to join the MG Alba Board. The Board meets quarterly, either in Stornoway or Glasgow and we are looking for individuals with a range of skills which would compliment those that already exist across the Membership.

  Skills and Experience

  Essential

  • Knowledgeable about the challenges and opportunities for Gaelic media;

  • Experience and high levels of interest in the Gaelic language;

  • The ability to be a confident but balanced communicator who can challenge and test proposals; and

  • The ability to work constructively in a team or committee environment, with effective interpersonal skills.

  In addition, applicants should also have demonstrable experience in at least two of the following areas:

  • Corporate governance

  • Audit and assurance

  • Financial planning, accounting and reporting

  • IT/Broadcasting technology

  • Human resources

  • Digital media

  • Legal affairs

  • Public policy formulation

  • Stakeholder management

  Desirable

  • Knowledge of and/or an active interest in broadcasting;

  • Knowledge of MG ALBA’s responsibilities;

  • Experience promoting Gaelic education or culture; and

  • The ability to understand and articulate the needs and views of the Gaelic community.

  Further considerations

  The role is part-time, with an average time commitment of two days a month across the year. Board Members are entitled to an annual fee of £5037 plus reasonable expenses for travel/to perform in the role.

  Members operate to a Members Code of Conduct while the rules governing the conduct of MG ALBA Board and Committee business are set out in the Standing Orders .

  In Ofcom’s Memorandum of Understanding with the Scottish Government, UK Government and Scottish Parliament, there exists the following guidance relating to appointments to the MG ALBA Board:

  • it would not be appropriate to seek to appoint members likely to face sustained conflict of interest on matters to be considered by the Board;

  • there is a desirability of having members who are proficient in written and spoken Gaelic; and

  • it is desirable for Ofcom to consider candidates with a broad range of relevant skills to enable MG ALBA, to carry out its strategic and planning role.

  Diversity and inclusion

  Ofcom is required to take the steps we consider appropriate for promoting the equality of opportunity in relation to employment and training/retraining by the broadcasters we regulate. We report on equity, diversity and inclusion in TV and radio on an annual basis, with our five-year review in 2021 setting out our vision for an inclusive broadcasting sector. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and value the impact diversity of thought and experience has on the Board.

  Next steps

  As part of your application please forward your CV along with a cover letter detailing your interest and relevant experience for the position. Please note, you are able to upload multiple documents at the time where you upload your CV.

  Following the deadline for applications, shortlisting will take place followed by in-person interviews in Edinburgh in late January/early February 2024 (time to be confirmed and travel expenses will be covered for interviews). Potential candidates are encouraged to contact Ofcom via resourcing@ofcom.org.uk if they would like to discuss their proficiency in the Gaelic language or any other topics ahead of submitting an application.

  Ofcom is a forward-thinking, inclusive employer and recognises the value of diversity to truly make communications work for everyone. Our vision is to ensure Ofcom is a place where our people can work hard and be themselves. We aim to recruit from the widest pool of candidates possible – no matter your social background, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, or disability. We strive to be representative of the whole of the UK and our aim is to be an employer of choice for everyone.
  We champion flexible working patterns including job shares where we can. Discover more about working at Ofcom at www.careers.ofcom.org.uk
  We strive to ensure all our recruitment information and processes are accessible to and useable by everyone. If you would like to receive any information in a different way or would like us to do anything differently to help you apply for our roles, please let our recruitment team know by emailing resourcing@ofcom.org.uk or by telephone on 0330 912 1378.
  As a Disability Confident employer, we offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for our advertised jobs. When you apply, you can let us know if you would like your application to be considered under this scheme (sometimes known as ‘guaranteed interview scheme’). Find out more about the scheme here: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/jobs/disability-confident-scheme

  
  

• About the company

  Ofcom has wide-ranging powers across the television, radio, telecoms and postal sectors.

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