The Vacancies
We are seeking to appoint two business registrants and one dispensing optician to our Advisory Panel Companies Committee.
About the GOC
We are the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, performance, and conduct.
About the Advisory Panel
The Advisory Panel is a meeting of the four Council’s committees (Companies, Education, Registration, and Standards) in plenary session. They are established by statute for the purpose of giving advice and assistance to Council (whether or not in response to a request from them) on:
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matters relating to business registrants other than matters required by the Opticians Act to be referred to the Investigation Committee, the Registration Appeals, Committee or the Fitness to Practise Committee;
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matters relating to optical training, education, and assessment;
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matters relating to registration, other than matters required by the Opticians Act to be considered by the Registration Appeals Committee; and
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matters relating to the standards of conduct and performance expected of registrants or those seeking admission to the register.
Time Commitment and Remuneration
This role is part time with a commitment of approximately 2-3 days per year, including time spent preparing for meetings. Meetings will usually take place via MS Teams but may on occasion be held at the GOC Offices in London or other suitable venues.
A daily fee of £319 will be paid. This is in line with our member fees policy and member fee schedule. This is taxable and subject to Class 1 National Insurance (NI) contributions. It is not pensionable.
Members can claim expenses for travel and subsistence costs incurred on Council business as set out in our expenses policy.
How to apply
Please apply with the following:
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your CV outlining your employment history, any relevant voluntary work, public service, or other experience; together with any relevant professional, academic, or vocational qualifications (please keep this to two sides of A4);
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the application form (attcahed below), stating how your experience matches the essential criteria for the vacancy you are applying for; and
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an EDI monitoring form (link can be found in the candidate pack below).
Please email your completed application quoting reference GOC05/25 to appointment@optical .org.
We would welcome applications from individuals who are disabled and from diverse ethnic backgrounds, as these are currently under-represented on our Council and committees.
For more information please see the attached candidate information pack.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: midnight Sunday 09 November 2025.
Online interviews will be held the week commencing 12 January 2026.
We strive to be as diverse as the public we protect and welcome applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity, and geographical locations outside of London.
Groundswell is a sector leader in participation, and our culture is built around the fact that over 65% of our staff have lived experience of homelessness or related experience. Our organisation benefits from a huge range of lived and learned experience and skills, and prides itself on ensuring our people and their experience and skills are at the heart of our organisation’s culture, delivery, and development.
Our organisation has grown substantially over the last five years, to a staff team of around 40 people, growing from being London-based to having staff across England, and the world-wide transition from purely office-based to hybrid working for most staff members.
We have been working hard to incorporate Trauma Informed Care Principles and a person-centred approach into our People function, while also building strong administrative practices, and we are looking for the right person to maintain these practices across the coming year in this maternity cover role. There are several projects that we have outlined as priorities for the coming year, including the streamlining and accessibility of our staff resources and the development of effective induction and onboarding practices and resources.
This is an exciting opportunity for someone who wants to develop their HR experience in a truly pioneering organisation, where lived experience and participation are key priorities. We’re looking for someone who has a solid grounding in employment legislation and best practice, which they are able to tailor to the circumstances and the individual they are supporting, while maintaining clear communication and effective People operations.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.