About the job

Job summary

This post provides support within a busy Regional Veterinary Surveillance Centre, acting as key point of contact and local source of knowledge for support issues within the Centre. 

The post holder will provide general administrative support within the Surveillance Centre and across the wider Surveillance and Laboratory Services Department as required by the Surveillance and laboratory Services Director.
 
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 2,000 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.

Job description

To carry out any duties commensurate with the grade and purpose of the post including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Administrative Support 

• Providing various office administrative duties to the immediate and when required wider team, including, but not limited to, the production of purchase orders, completion of zoonoses paperwork, booking in of submissions and preparing reports
• Answering telephone queries and following up enquires that cannot be immediately resolved 
• Greeting customers at Reception and assisting with enquiries
• Ensuring accurate records are kept and updated accordingly
• Inputting data and information onto APHA data systems 
• Ordering stationery, laboratory, and PM room consumables for local use and, when required, for the procurement team
• Take ownership for a set of defined admin procedures, as determined by line management 
• Ensure actions are carried out in accordance with the procedures and within the necessary timescales 
• Providing support and guidance to others (internally and externally)
• To be responsible for the receipt of samples into the centre, including opening of post and booking in samples with assistance from administrative staff as required

2. Quality

• Work to quality standards (ISO 17025) within the Centre
• Participate in audits and to support the Local Quality Manger
• To assist with local auditing and clearing of actions arising from audits, in liaison with the Local Quality Manager
• To assist with collation of quality information, such as complaints, audits, non-conforming work, proficiency testing results etc., for the Local Quality Manager

3. Safety, Health and Wellbeing

• To comply with APHA Health, Safety and Welfare policies and procedures
  

4. Outbreak Response

• Is flexible to adapt to changing situations within the office and prepared to support other parts of APHA in the event of an outbreak

Work activities may change depending on the needs of the business which may involve training for additional tasks not detailed on this job description.

Person specification

Required skills and experience:

• Experience of Microsoft Office
• High levels of attention to detail
• Ability to follow and apply standard procedures
• Good analytical skills
• Good written and oral communication skills

Staff (excluding under 18-year-olds) may be required to work rostered weekends, Bank Holidays and occasional evenings. APHA Management reserves the right to change overtime patterns to meet requirements. You may be eligible for overtime payments and where overtime is approved you will receive appropriate payment.

Travel may occasionally be required to attend training courses and undertake farm visits.  You must have a valid driving licence or be able to call upon suitable alternate means of transport.

The successful candidate will need to comply with several health protocols and wear protective clothing and Respiratory Personal Protective Equipment (RPPE) as required. 

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 and Experience.

Application Process

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

In your Personal Statement please write up to 500 words demonstrating how you match the required skills and experience for this post, referring to the job description.

Please complete a statement on the specified Behaviour (250 word max).

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: Working Together.

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 behaviours and experience.

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.

Location

Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. 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.

Applicants will be based in one of the advertised Defra hub locations. Defra’s current policy is that no more than 40% of the working week should be spent at home, averaged over a month unless exceptional circumstances apply and/or the post-holder is a contractual home worker. Office attendance will enable candidates to connect with their colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs. Travel and subsistence will not be paid for travel to a base office location.

Reserve List

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

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service 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 maybe 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 circumstance 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-Employment.Checks@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.

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 agreed. Part-time hours will only be considered as part of a job share.

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 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. 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.