Independent Expert

Job summary

Acas is required under regulations set out in the Equality Act 2010 to maintain a panel of Independent Experts. A judge at an Employment Tribunal will decide if services of an Independent Expert (IE) are required and will request Acas to provide such an expert(s) from the panel.

Independent experts assist the judge to resolve equal value disputes. In cases involving small numbers of claimants, the IE will work alone, but in cases involving multiple claimants and comparators, generally work is carried out with other independent experts.

The role of the IE is to compare two or more completely different jobs specified in the case and assess whether they are of equal value and to provide the reasons for these conclusions, avoiding discrimination.

When the IEs are appointed to a case, they assess the jobs in question against factors such as skills, physical effort, and decision making and produce a report stating whether the jobs are of equal value. This report is sent to the employment tribunal and all parties involved in the case.

Once the independent expert has produced their report, they may be cross examined at the employment tribunal by the parties' legal representatives if they feel that the independent expert has come to the wrong conclusion.

The employment tribunal decides whether to accept the independent expert's report and whether the jobs being compared are of equal value or not.

Important

This is not an employment contract with Acas. Independent Experts are engaged on a fee-paid, case-by-case basis and are not employees or workers of Acas.

Work is offered on a case-by-case basis and may be infrequent or irregular.

Job description

The main Accountabilities of an Independent Expert are:

• Writing reasoned reports on the question of whether one person’s work is of equal value to another
• Using Job evaluation techniques in a non-discriminatory manner
• Attend equal value hearings either in person or virtually as the employment tribunal requires
• Answer questions on the report both in writing and on the witness stand

Person specification

Experience

Essential Criteria:

• Demonstrable experience in Job evaluation (Lead).
• In depth knowledge of UK equal pay employment law & relevant cases.
• Excellent writing skills for writing formal evidenced based reports.
• Ability to build relationships for joint problem solving.
• Using Microsoft 365 – word and excel.

Desirable Criteria - the following will be assessed in the event of a tie-breaker scenario at sift or interview:

• Knowledge of Employment Tribunal processes.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

How to apply

Please click on the 'Apply now' button.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• An evidence-based Personal Statement and CV reflecting the essential and desirable Experience requirements as listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. Your Personal Statement should be no longer than 750 It should avoid generalised assertions, instead including specific examples of achievements, explaining the degree of challenge, what you did and the outcomes.
  
• Desirable criteria will only be assessed in the event of a tie-breaker scenario at sift or interview.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the:

• Lead Criteria: Demonstrable experience in Job evaluation

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift of all the above requirements or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

If a large number of applications meet the minimum standard an interview wait list may be created for this position. This means that if you have met the minimum requirements at sift you may be placed at a ‘Hold’ status for up to 12 months and if we are able to invite you to an interview we will be in touch.

Interview Details

If you have successfully passed sift at the application stage, you will be invited to an interview via Microsoft Teams, which is likely to take place from the week commencing 6 July 2026.

It will be a Experience based interview, and it will also include an Exercise (the exercise topic and instructions will be sent to candidates who are invited to interview) which will be used to assess the following essential criteria:

• "Demonstrable experience in job evaluation."
• "Excellent writing skills for writing formal evidenced based reports."

All essential experience criteria will be assessed at interview.

A reserve list will be created for this position; this means that if you have passed the interview, but we cannot immediately offer you this position, you will be placed on a reserve list for 12 months and may be considered for similar positions during that time.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader, Acas is committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process. If you have a disability and feel that any part of the recruitment process puts you at a disadvantage, we will work with you to make Reasonable Adjustments that support your needs. If you require any changes to help you apply:

• Please contact the Acas Recruitment Team via HRrecruitment@acas.org.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
• Please complete the “Assistance Required” section on the “Additional Requirements” page of your application form to let us know about any adjustments or support you may need during the recruitment process. For example, this might include accessibility arrangements for entering a building or interview room, communication support, modifications to assessment methods, etc.
• You can find out more about the Disability Confident Scheme and Reasonable Adjustments by clicking these links.

Want to learn more about Civil Service recruitment? You can find out more on Civil Service Careers, including information on Success Profiles, writing a Personal Statement, acceptable use of Artificial Intelligence, and what to expect at Interview.

For applicants requiring a visa to work in the UK

Please be advised that Acas does not hold a UKVI Sponsorship Licence, so we cannot consider sponsoring a visa applicant or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : HR Recruitment Team
• Email : HRRecruitment@acas.org.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : HRRecruitment@acas.org.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Code and wish to make a complaint, you should contact us on via HRrecruitment@acas.org.uk.

Attachments

Job Description - Independent Expert Opens in new window (docx, 39kB)