Recruitment of 'Diversity Champion' delayed

Monday 11 January 2021

The recruitment of an 'Equality and Diversity Consultant' to help create a "gender neutral and gender sensitive public sector” still hasn’t started, a year after the post was first announced.

Mark Grimley, Group Director for People and Corporate Services, announced the creation of the role in January 2020 during a Scrutiny hearing with the Gender Pay Gap panel.

At the time, a Government spokesperson confirmed the role would cost around £70,000, including a salary of between £42,589 and £54,389, as well as training costs and pension and social security contributions. 

Mr Grimley explained the ‘Diversity Champion’ would be part of his “talent team” rather than a policy team, “because the key to our talent strategy will be about improving opportunities and diversity across the Government."

Pictured: The 'Diversity Champion' would act as “an internal consultant to the organisation as a whole."

A Government spokesperson added they would act as “an internal consultant to the organisation as a whole."

Applications were due to start in March 2020 but, 10 months from that date, recruitment has yet to start and the description of the role and what it will entail still hasn't been finalised.

“Government is working with on-Island networks to develop the role specification for the Equality and Diversity Champion, and develop the Equality and Diversity specifications,” a Government of Jersey spokesperson said. 

While the role should be advertised early in the new year, the Government assured that work to embed “diversity across Government” is ongoing.

“The Government-wide Team Jersey programme continue to deliver workshops to colleagues,” they said. 

“The Equality and Diversity Champion will work alongside Team Jersey to develop wider Diversity and Inclusion strategies across Government.”