Member, Federal Appeals Panel

Job Title: Member, Federal Appeals Panel

Responsible to: Chair, Federal Appeals Panel

Salary: N/A this is a volunteer position

Hours: The time commitment for this role is flexible depending on the complexity of the appeal.

Tenure: 5 years

Location: Remote working

Closing date: Noon on Thursday 15th May 2025

The Liberal Democrats are seeking dedicated volunteers to fill nine positions on the Party's highest appeal body. The Federal Appeals Panel (FAP) is responsible for reviewing and deciding on sensitive issues ranging from personal complaints to Party structures and Constitutional decisions. These volunteer roles are conducted remotely, with time commitments varying based on the complexity of the cases. Simple appeals may require as little as an hour, whereas more complex cases could take a full day, with longer commitments scheduled in advance. 

We are looking for individuals who demonstrate a strong commitment to the Party’s values, possess relevant experience in paid, voluntary, or non-executive roles, and bring enthusiasm to this crucial function. This role is ideal for those wishing to contribute to the Party in a capacity separate from front-line politics.

The Liberal Democrats are committed to diversity and inclusion and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.

Full role description

The Federal Appeals Panel operates under Article 22 of the Federal Constitution and its decisions are binding on Party members. The Panel adjudicates on:

• Disputes over the interpretation of the Federal Constitution.
• Claims of infringement of members’ or Party bodies’ rights under the Constitution.
• Disputes between the Federal Party and State Parties (except policy jurisdiction matters).
• Cases explicitly provided for by the Constitution or related rules.
• Appeals from State Party appeal bodies concerning constitutional issues, once internal procedures are exhausted.
• Issues referred by a State Appeals Panel for adjudication.

Beyond these constitutional responsibilities, the Panel also handles appeals arising from the Party’s complaints procedure.

You must be a member of the Liberal Democrats. You must be a member of the Liberal Democrats and able to demonstrate your affinity with the values of the party as well as an understanding of the role of an appeals panel member via relevant experience in either the party or externally.

The Panel requires impartial, thoughtful and measured decision making, which you could evidence having in a variety of ways, such as a background in: HR, legal, strategy, enterprise, board-level positions, negotiations (e.g. in a union), local, state or national governmental roles, work as a magistrate and more.

This role engages with a broad spectrum of issues, from psychological and human resources concerns to governance and procedural fairness. It plays a vital role in maintaining members’ confidence in the Party’s processes and ensuring effective dispute resolution.

Our Constitution specifies that “Any decision of the Panel shall be final and binding upon all those concerned”. Appointments are, therefore, of strategic significance to the Party and must be ratified by a vote at Federal Conference. Candidates will also be asked to consent to the Party’s standard due diligence procedure.

The Liberal Democrats are committed to diversity and inclusion and we welcome applications from candidates from all walks of life. However volunteers may not be currently serving MPs, prospective parliamentary candidates or a member of our Federal Board or Policy Committee. Reasonable expenses will be reimbursed. 

Application Process

Applicants are advised to read the full role description before applying. To apply please contact companysecretary@libdems.org.uk with the following documents:

• A full CV of no more than two pages and including a telephone number and email address.
• A covering letter of no more than 1 page of A4 in length, indicating clearly how your experience and skills meet the criteria stated in this advert.
• Please indicate whether you would be happy to be a Chair, Vice Chair, other member or any of these.
• A completed due diligence form.
• A completed diversity monitoring form.

Applicants are encouraged to inform us if any reasonable adjustments are needed to be made during any part of the recruitment process.

Next steps

Applicants who meet the criteria will be invited to a Zoom interview with a panel of representatives from the Federal Board. Timing TBD. Following the interviews, the Federal Board will make recommendations to Autumn Conference for final approval.