About the job

Job summary

APHA is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.

Do you have excellent communication skills?  

Do you thrive in a fast-paced, changing environment?  

Do you enjoy working to tight deadlines?  

If so, we would love to hear from you!  

We have an exciting opportunity for 6 enthusiastic and motivated individuals to join the Scotland Field Delivery team as Administrative Officers. You will have a positive approach, be detail focused, enjoy the challenge of working at pace with a good level of personal responsibility and have a commitment to learn and develop. 

These roles are a unique development opportunity. These are ideal positions for able and ambitious individuals who are looking to expand and refine their skill set in a demanding environment.

Job description

You will be working in a friendly and supportive team in a reactive and varied role. The positions are customer facing and will suit those who have an ability to communicate well to a diverse group of customers. You will be engaging with a broad range of partners and forming relationships with colleagues across the wider Defra team. These roles will provide significant opportunities to develop your own skills and future career.

You will be expected to provide support to managers and frontline staff by undertaking transactional work in a particular area. 

The role involves a wide range of work including, but not limited to, the following:

Delivery

• Interacting with teams across Scotland supporting the delivery of the core function of the Business Unit in accordance with established time scales and performance targets.
• Ensuring accurate records are kept and updated accordingly, data input using various IT systems in accordance with APHA Data.
• To understand, identify and escalate any issues to your Line Manager which may affect delivery. 
• Responding with energy and commitment to take on additional tasks that may be outside the normal day to day duties.

Administration

• Proactively taking responsibility for a set of administrative procedures (e.g. mailbox/telephone enquiries, processing paperwork); ensuring actions are carried out in accordance with the procedures and within the necessary timescales whilst having a resilient and flexible approach.
• Providing various office administrative and business support duties to the immediate and when required wider team including meeting organisation, minute taking, maintaining distribution lists, training course organisation, mailbox monitoring.
• Occasionally providing administrative support and/or secretariat duties to the senior leadership team (e.g. diary management, travel arrangements, managing key information flows through mailboxes.)
• Answering and processing queries by telephone and email and actioning any follow-on procedures generated (e.g. updating customer record, updating databases, producing paperwork).
• Continually reviewing procedures in your work area and identifying any efficiencies or improvements.

Customer Service

• To liaise with and provide high quality customer service to internal and external Stakeholders, Delivery Partners, and Customers to understand and appreciate their needs and requirements.
• Arranging removal of diseased animals to an abattoir, liaising with farmers and their agent's overcompensation valuations and payments (TB operational Delivery roles only).
• Liaising with laboratories over test results (TB Operational Delivery role only).
• Responding to requests from the public for information and guidance and providing accurate and timely information to our customers.

Person specification

We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate the following skills and experience: 

• Experience of using Microsoft packages (e.g. Outlook, Excel, Word) and able to demonstrate a good level of IT literacy.
• Strong organisational skills. 
• Positively responds to change​.
• Customer service focused.
• Accuracy inputting data and collating/processing paperwork
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Proactive approach to work

Learning and Development 

Everyone in APHA is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, our work and our policies. Your line manager will also work with you to establish your priorities for the year, developing a performance, learning and development plan tailored to you and your role. 

In return for your dedication, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training. Inclusion, support and the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £23,811, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £6,428 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 and Experience.

Application Process 

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV, a 500-word personal statement and a 250 word behaviour statement for Making Effective Decisions.  

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

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 to be confirmed.  

Interview 

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on your experience, behaviours and strengths. 

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed. 

For the purposes of the selection process, the Lead Behaviour will be Making effective decisions.

Reserve List 

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

Merit Lists 

The FTA contract is for 12 months. The permanent posts will be offered to the highest scoring candidates. 

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application. 

Salary 

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

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.

For most candidates your hours of work will be a blend of working from any of the following Scotland offices with working at home (Ayr, Galashiels, Inverness, Inverurie, Perth)

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 maybe carried out. 

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure Scotland 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. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk 

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 a Administrative Officer on the Scotland Field Delivery team because the post is not permanent. It is time limited due to a fixed funding period or as part of a specific project. The fixed term will end when the funding or the project expires.  

Your responsibilities will include those shown on the Responsibilities section of the advert. This post will therefore begin from the agreed start date and end on 31/03/25.    

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. 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.