The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is on the lookout for engaged and passionate RIBA Members and Lay People Panel Members to serve on the RIBA Professional Conduct Disciplinary Panel. Representative of the diversity of society, your good judgement will help fairly enforce the RIBA Codes of Conduct and Practice for RIBA Members and practices.
We hope to recruit panellists starting in July 2024 initially for a three year term.
RIBA is a global professional membership body driving excellence in architecture. RIBA serves its members and society in order to deliver better buildings and places, stronger communities and a sustainable environment.
Open call for panel members
We welcome applications from all sections of society and geographical locations. We passionately believe that having a representative group of panel members is essential to ensuring fair decisions for all. We encourage applications from women, Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ people and those with a disability, all of which are currently under-represented.
The Professional Conduct Panel includes both independent RIBA professionals and lay members, who sit in panels of three to make decisions. We are recruiting both RIBA Members and Lay People Panel Members. Lay members are people who are not a member of RIBA and are ineligible to be so.
The Professional Conduct Panel is responsible for reviewing complaints and evaluating breaches of the code under RIBA Byelaw 5 and issuing proportionate sanctions to address serious misconduct.
This includes writing appraisals and sitting on hearing panels to hear evidence from members and complainants to deduce facts. You will be required to work collaboratively with other panellists to issue sanctions, which uphold the gold standard of professionalism amongst the RIBA Membership base by ensuring they are equitably applied.
Key parts of the role
- Actively contribute to professional conduct cases
- Participate fully in appraisal discussions and professional conduct hearings
- Demonstrate knowledge of industry issues, trends and challenges which may impact professional conduct
Person specification
- Demonstrable commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and its importance to the work of the panel
- Awareness of the regulatory function of professional conduct and the importance this plays in public perception of RIBA and the wider profession
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively
- Ability to analyse complex material and demonstrate clear logical thinking
- Excellent written communication and the ability to demonstrate clear reasoned decisions
- Exceptional level of integrity and ethics
- Committed to accepting the responsibility and time requirements of the role
- Engaged and enthusiastic about working with RIBA, helping us uphold the ‘gold standard’ amongst our membership
- Commitment to respecting the confidentiality of any RIBA proceedings
- Willingness to understand RIBA's disciplinary processes and RIBA Codes of Conduct
- The ability to generate the confidence, trust, and respect of others and to deal impartially with all matters raised during any RIBA proceedings
- Whilst experience working on similar regulatory panels or working groups is desirable for this role we understand that many people from under-represented groups may not have had such opportunities. Please, as part of your application, relate any transferable skills from roles which would help demonstrate your suitability as a Panel Member
Time commitment
Most professional conduct panel hearings or appraisals are likely to be held remotely. However, some in-person hearings take place in London at our headquarters - 66 Portland Place near Regents Park.
The majority of hearings last half a day or one full day depending on the complexity of the matter. Time commitment will depend on the number of complaints we receive a year. We anticipate you receiving three to four referrals a year, however, no minimum number of days can be guaranteed.
Induction training will be provided along with regular refresher training.
Numeration includes:
- appraisals: £150
- half day hearings: £150
- full day hearings: £300
Application process
Application deadline: 25 March 2024
To apply, send your CV and a supporting statement setting out how your skills meet the requirements of the role and person specification. Please send the application to professionalconductapplications@riba.org
Once your application has been submitted to the RIBA Professional Standards team, an initial evaluation will occur to see if the minimum requirements have been met. Your application will then be shared with the recruitment panel, and you will be called for an interview.
We commit to interviewing any applicant with a disability who meets the essential criteria. For this purpose, only, please inform us in your covering letter should you have a disability.
Please contact the Professional Standards team if there is anything we can do to make the process accessible for you or if there are any adjustments, we can make to allow you to demonstrate your skills.
