http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/c...nt-afford.html
The UK Film Council, a government-backed agency, the role of which is to ensure that "the economic, cultural and educational aspects of film are represented effectively at home and abroad", advertised for a head of diversity.
This, I promise, is not a spoof. The council is looking for an "exceptional individual" to run its diversity department. Yes, department. How many of them are there, for goodness sake? And what do they do? Is the British film industry so riddled with racists, misogynists and homophobes that it needs awareness lessons?
Having picked through the details, I am beginning to appreciate that the implementation of a "diversity strategy" is more complicated than common sense might suggest. According to the council's website, the right candidate will "develop an active dialogue with key groups and opinion formers", "allocate funding to diversity activities" and, naturally, "manage the diversity department team". It's true: there's a team.
Now for the knockout question: what do you think the salary is? Remember, this is a position that is funded by taxpayers, partly in the form of cash from the National Lottery. For context, here is a range of jobs currently on offer elsewhere in the public sector. A crime bureau investigator with Essex Police is paid £16k-£22k. A staff nurse at an acute-care hospital in central London gets £28k-£29k. An Army sergeant can expect £32k-£36k.
No quibbles there: given the demands and social importance of these posts, it seems not unreasonable to assume that those filling them will provide us with value for money. But what about the Film Council's head of diversity? Come on, guess. How much are we paying for someone who can "make things happen" rather than just "talking the talk"? What's the price for "improving diversity", ie lavishing political correctness on a creative industry? £40k? £50k? Keep going. The answer is £70k, plus benefits.
The UK Film Council, a government-backed agency, the role of which is to ensure that "the economic, cultural and educational aspects of film are represented effectively at home and abroad", advertised for a head of diversity.
This, I promise, is not a spoof. The council is looking for an "exceptional individual" to run its diversity department. Yes, department. How many of them are there, for goodness sake? And what do they do? Is the British film industry so riddled with racists, misogynists and homophobes that it needs awareness lessons?
Having picked through the details, I am beginning to appreciate that the implementation of a "diversity strategy" is more complicated than common sense might suggest. According to the council's website, the right candidate will "develop an active dialogue with key groups and opinion formers", "allocate funding to diversity activities" and, naturally, "manage the diversity department team". It's true: there's a team.
Now for the knockout question: what do you think the salary is? Remember, this is a position that is funded by taxpayers, partly in the form of cash from the National Lottery. For context, here is a range of jobs currently on offer elsewhere in the public sector. A crime bureau investigator with Essex Police is paid £16k-£22k. A staff nurse at an acute-care hospital in central London gets £28k-£29k. An Army sergeant can expect £32k-£36k.
No quibbles there: given the demands and social importance of these posts, it seems not unreasonable to assume that those filling them will provide us with value for money. But what about the Film Council's head of diversity? Come on, guess. How much are we paying for someone who can "make things happen" rather than just "talking the talk"? What's the price for "improving diversity", ie lavishing political correctness on a creative industry? £40k? £50k? Keep going. The answer is £70k, plus benefits.
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