1 Independent & 1 Deputy Independent Member of the Single Electricity Market Committee

Job reference: 1835SEMC

Job function/discipline: 1 Independent Member & 1 Deputy Independent Member

Basic salary: Independent Member - €2,125 per day (under review), plus vouched expenses Deputy Independent Member - €1,700 per day (under review), plus vouched expenses   

Closing date: Monday 27th June at 5pm

Organisation:    SEM Committee

Duration:             Five year fixed term (Appointments effective from 1st November 2022                             

Summary of Roles:

The Department for the Economy is seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified individuals (for the positions of Independent Member & Deputy Independent Member for the Single Electricity Market Committee (SEMC).

The Single Electricity Market (SEM) is the wholesale electricity market for the island of Ireland operating across both Northern Ireland and Ireland.  The SEM is jointly regulated by the Utility Regulator in Northern Ireland (UR) and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities in Ireland (CRU) and the decision-making body which governs the market is the SEMC.

The Committee consists of three Utility Regulator representatives and three Commission for Regulation of Utilities representatives along with an Independent and a Deputy Independent Member.

The principal objective of the SEMC is to protect the interests of consumers of electricity wherever appropriate by promoting effective competition between persons engaged in, or in commercial activities connected with the sale or purchase of electricity through the SEM.

The Independent Member and Deputy Independent Member job descriptions are identical; the difference is purely that only the Independent Member has a vote within the SEM. However, both should attend all meetings, and where the Independent Member is not able to attend, the Deputy sits in his or her place, holding that individual’s vote.

The appointment of an Independent and Deputy Independent Member is to ensure that objective decision-making is achieved by the SEM Committee when performing the functions, exercising the powers and fulfilling the duties, as provided for in the Electricity (Single Wholesale Market) (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 and Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Single Electricity Market) Act, 2007, including relevant secondary legislation.

Appointees will be expected to attend SEM Committee meetings 12 times a year (meetings are likely to be in Belfast or Dublin or by video conference), with a similar commitment for preparation and ad-hoc meetings, making a total commitment of approximately 30 days.

Essential Criteria

• It is essential that any candidate is independent from all all-island industry participants, the Northern Ireland Executive, the Irish Government, UR and CRU. The appointees must not have been employed by any licensee in Northern Ireland or Ireland, its ultimate controllers or any affiliate or related undertaking of a relevant licensee within the last five years; and must not have a material business relationship with any licensee, its ultimate controllers or any affiliate or related undertaking of the licensee;
• Applicants must have Industry knowledge and substantial experience of energy regulation;
• Applicants must be able to demonstrate experience of working at Board or senior level in a significant organisation, preferably in the energy industry;
• Well-developed conceptual analytical skills with the ability to assess a wide range of technical, legal and economic data.

This list is by no means exhaustive and only represents a limited list of essential criteria.  Full details including key duties and responsibilities, essential and desirable criteria, person specification and application form are available at 1 Independent & 1 Deputy Independent Member of the Single Electricity Market Committee – Forde May Consulting 

If you have any queries about this role please contact Gerry May at Forde May Consulting Ltd Phone: 028 9062 8877 or email jobs@fordemayconsulting.com quoting ref no 1835SEMC.  Application forms and packs can be made available in a range of accessible formats on request. Candidates with a disability that require assistance will be facilitated upon request.

 Completed application forms must be received no later than Monday 27th June at 5pm.

Preliminary stage interviews (if required) will be held from w/c 27th June 2022.

Final interviews will be held w/c 22nd August 2022.

Members are appointed by the Department for the Economy in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The Departments are committed to equality of opportunity and welcomes applications from suitably qualified candidates irrespective of religious belief, gender, disability, race, political opinion, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or whether or not they have dependants. All applications will be considered strictly on the basis of merit.

SEM Committee Application form

SEM Committee candidate information booklet