Hearings Committee Secretary
Salary: £45,537 - £53,572 pro rata
Location: London/Hybrid
Contract: Fixed-term contract – 3 months
Hours: Full-time
About us:
Our purpose is to protect the public by regulating dental professionals in the UK. All dentists, dental nurses, dental technicians, clinical dental technicians, dental hygienists, dental therapists and orthodontic therapists must be registered with us to work in the UK. The support and experience of our dedicated and highly focused teams is invaluable. This is your chance to build on your own skills and experience and make a worthwhile contribution to our work.
About the role:
Do you have significant experience in committee work and/or drafting, especially in a regulatory body or similar field? Are you seeking a chance to enhance your skills and knowledge within an organisation that offers diverse, engaging, and challenging work? If so, join us and make a meaningful impact supporting the General Dental Council in its most high-profile and public forum.
As part of our commitment to safeguarding patient safety and upholding public trust in dental services, we conduct formal public hearings to address cases involving dental professionals. In the role of Committee Secretary, you will play a crucial role in both drafting decisions and providing support for the coordination and management of hearings related to fitness to practice allegations against dentists and dental care professionals.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Sitting as Committee Secretary in hearings, facilitating and providing support, process advice and guidance to the Chair, Committee Members, Legal Adviser, parties and witnesses
- Summarising cases and preparing draft determinations, reflecting the Committee’s decisions and its reasons
- Resolving problems that may arise during a hearing and keeping cases on track
- Ensuring administrative procedures are carried out in accordance with GDC rules and regulations
- Processing payment of fees due to the Chair and Committee Members for hearings
- Examining legal information and evaluating case bundles prior to commencement of cases
Most hearings are conducted virtually, although sometimes hearings are listed in person at the GDC’s Central London office. The successful postholder will be expected to be available in either setting.
About you:
- In-depth knowledge and understanding of professional regulation, hearings and/or legal or adjudicatory processes
- Experience of working as a Committee/Panel Secretary drafting full detailed decisions, not simply minutes of meetings, with the ability to work well in a highly pressured environment of a public hearing
- Proficient in determination writing that reflects decisions based on the Committee’s reasons, that are taken from their discussions, within tight time constraints
- Well-developed interpersonal skills and the ability to provide a professional presence in a formal and public tribunal setting are equally important
- We are looking for those who can demonstrate familiarity with and competency in an adjudicatory or regulatory fitness to practise setting. You should illustrate your experience with examples of activity rather than simply providing a chronology
Our people matter, we are committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion by recruiting and strengthening our teams with team members from different backgrounds, life experiences and viewpoints. Equality and diversity are not just words; they are what make our teams strong and able to deliver. We want to be champions of diversity and to have a sense of belonging in the workplace, where everybody has the chance to contribute and to share what is important to them.
Benefits:
The GDC is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace that provides an environment that reflects our values and culture and allows employees to flourish.
To support this, we offer a range of family-friendly, inclusive employment policies, including flexible working arrangements from day one, and employee networks that aid growth and development.
Some of our benefits include:
- 27 days' holiday (plus statutory) - rising to 30 days after 2 years’ service
- Flexi-time scheme
- Employer pension contributions up to 10%
- Buy/Sell annual leave
- Enhanced Maternity, Paternity and Adoption leave from 1 year’s service
- Life assurance, income protection plan and enhanced sick leave policy
- Staff discounts, including eye care contributions and discounted gym membership
We encourage and support the recruitment, retention, and career development of people from as wide a range as possible of ethnic, cultural and social backgrounds.
How To Apply:
To apply, please click the Apply button.
As part of your supporting statement, please give examples of how you meet the following criteria. We would advise that applicants use the S.T.A.R method when drafting examples.
- In- depth knowledge and understanding of professional regulation, hearings and/or legal or adjudicatory processes
- Experience of working as a Committee/Panel Secretary drafting full detailed decisions, not simply minutes of meetings, with the ability to work well in a highly pressured environment of a public hearing
- Proficient in determination writing that reflects decisions based on the Committee’s reasons, that are taken from their discussions, within tight time constraints
Closing date: 23:59 on 25 February 2026
Interviews: 02 and 05 March 2026
Please note that this role is an immediate start.
The GDC is committed to equality and diversity. We encourage and support the recruitment, retention and career development of people from as wide a range as possible of ethnic, cultural and social backgrounds.
Please note that we reserve the right to bring this recruitment campaign to an end without notice, and we encourage all interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.
Please, no agencies unless instructed otherwise
