About the job

Job summary

Do you want a role safeguarding standards of animal and plant health and welfare?

If so, we would love to hear from you!

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy

The Science Directorate (SD) delivers high quality, high impact and highly relevant multidisciplinary science. Our People are diverse, talented, engaged and inspired to deliver innovative outcomes and you will be part of this workforce supporting our staff.

The role of the Admin Team Leader is to lead and manage a small administrative team and act as the focal point of contact for all administrative, finance and purchasing activities supporting one science department.  In liaison with the department’s Business Manager, the post holder is responsible for implementing financial routines, and administrative processes, corporate initiatives, planning, prioritising and allocating admin/finance work following a common SD approach. The post holder will provide assistance as part of the wider SD administrative team to cover staff resource issues or other duties in the event of urgent work or a disease outbreak.

This will be a 12-months Fixed-Term Appointment with no intention to become a permanent post.

Job description

Working closely with the department Business Manager, your duties will include most but not necessarily all the tasks listed below:

Finance and Purchasing

• Manage own science department expenditure budget. Monitor and analyse expenditure variances in-year. Prepare monthly expenditure forecasts.
• Follow accounting principles. Undertake monthly, quarterly housekeeping (GRNI, Invoices on Hold, Open POs) and end of year routines, raising adjustment journals and accruals as a result of the analysis. Responsible for invoice payments for critical suppliers – domestic and foreign.
• Using Oracle-SOP purchasing software raise or approve purchasing requisitions following APHA purchasing regulations.
• Department contact for : Oracle Time Recording related routines and queries, procurement, i-expenses, invoice payment, staff hours plan, new suppliers, foreign orders and payments, adjustment journals, and capital purchases.

Department support

• Point of contact for administration matters which include support for HOD, organisation charts, meetings secretariat and minute taking, staff resource planning data, specialist purchasing preparation, test reporting, PA duties, visitors, estates issues, Reward & Recognition Award records, absence records, equipment/asset register and Fixed Asset verification, plus ad hoc tasks pertinent to grade, where sensitivity and confidentiality is paramount.
• Proactively ensure finance and admin issues and anomalies are queried and resolved.
• Follow APHA Health & Safety policies to ensure a safe working environment.
• Work within recognised Quality accreditation standards (ISO9001 and ISO17025) to ensure compliance.

Recruitment – when vacancies arise.

• Work with the vacancy holder and local People Team to provide advice/support on the recruitment system from initial request to fill a vacancy through to appointment.
• Oversee the recruitment process: upload the vacancy details, support the vacancy holder through sift & interview arrangements, set up interview panels, candidate security and paperwork checks, and results upload.
• Manage the Oracle SOP ‘New Starter’ process with the vacancy holder, including procuring IT kit and i-phones.
• Ensure monitoring Excel spreadsheets are regularly and correctly updated to inform other areas of the business.

People & Communication

• Supervise one AO staff.
• Ensure consistent communication flow with local Business Manager, Science Admin Manager, Head of Department,
  Lead Scientists, CAPS, SD People Team, Finance BP.
• Proactively follow up all requests for assistance to manage stakeholder expectations.

Corporate Governance – quarterly and six monthly

• Work with Line Manager to complete own department annual and bi-annual Governance returns, Business Continuity Plan, and quarterly Fraud and Error.

Responsibilities

• Department financial administration
• Purchasing processes
• Internal recruitment processes
• Delivering finance and admin support using Excel and Word
• Meeting secretariat including minute taking and action logs.
• People Management
• Governance reporting

Person specification

Skills/Experience

• Working in a finance or purchasing environment with appropriate analytical skills
• Intermediate Excel and Word skills
• Experience of purchasing (P2P) processes
• Highly organised with the ability to balance and prioritise multiple tasks with competing priorities.
• Strong and effective written English with ability to communicate cogently and persuasively with senior managers. Minute taking experience.
• Ability to problem solve on own initiative using research and investigation skills consulting managers and admin team network when required, maintaining sensitivity and confidentiality relevant to the task.
• People Management
• Min two A-Levels or equivalent, or relevant experience

Travel may be required to visit other sites to attend training courses/meetings. You must have a valid driving licence or be able to call upon suitable alternate means of transport.

Flexibility in working hours / out of hours work may be required if called upon to finish a particularly urgent task or in the event of a disease outbreak. 

The post is Fixed Term (FTA), full-time, we may consider two part-time staff on a job-share basis if continuity can be arranged. 

The role is based at our Weybridge site where the team is located. Hybrid working may be possible depending on business need.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,827, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £8,323 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Ability, Experience and Technical skills.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement, behaviour and technical statements.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Online tests

After submission of the first stage of your application, you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Numerical Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests and application is 23:55 on 27/06/2024. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Do not leave completing the tests until the last minute in case you experience any access or technical issues. There may not be technical support available after business hours and after 2pm on the closing date of 27/06/2024. 

While the tests should work on most operating systems and modern browsers with a good internet connection, we cannot guarantee that every combination will work. At the beginning, the test will check which browser you are using, and alert you if it is likely to be incompatible.

It is highly recommended that you complete the online tests on a desktop computer, not a mobile phone or tablet.

Please note that online tests associated with this vacancy are not subject to time limits. Click https://www.gov.uk/guidance/reasonable-adjustments-for-online-tests-a-candidate-guide for test guidance

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, "Making Effective Decisions". Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Sift and interview dates as well as the interview location to be confirmed.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on Strengths, Skills and Experience, and the Behaviours:

Making Effective Decisions

Communicating and Influencing

Delivering at Pace 

Working Together

You should use the STAR technique (Situation Task, Action, Result) or similar in your Behaviour examples.

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.

Location

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s)

Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Salary

New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
• Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service  on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Internal Fraud Database Check

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Loan and Fixed Term Appointments

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

This is a Fixed-term Appointment as Admin Team Leader (ATL) in the Science Directorate . Your responsibilities will include

• Department financial administration
• Purchasing processes
• Internal recruitment processes
• Delivering finance and admin support using Excel and Word
• Meeting secretariat including minute taking and action logs.
• People Management
• Governance reporting.

The post is permanent, and the permanent post-holder is absent for a known period. The fixed term will end on the return of the post-holder or when the post is filled on a permanent basis by a different person.

This post will therefore begin from August 2024 and end on August 2025.

Full Time Only 

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying. We may consider two part-time staff on a job-share basis if continuity can be arranged. 

NSV

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Higher Security Clearance 

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Governments response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason, all post holders based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance or above. It is up to each person applying for a post at APHA Weybridge to ensure they meet the residency criteria. Applicants must be currently resident in the UK & have at least three years continuous UK residency as this is a requirement to work at the Weybridge site where the team and work is situated. 

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.