About the job

Job summary

The Civil Service embraces equality, diversity, and inclusion. At HSE, your personal qualities are as important as your professional experience. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and all walks of life.

Our approach is to recruit “on merit on the basis of fair and open competition”, in line with the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. As such, our thorough selection process ensures that you and every other candidate receive equal and fair treatment.

At the Chemical Regulations Division (CRD), we work with one goal in mind – to protect human health and the environment from the effects of potentially harmful substances.

To help us meet these challenges, we have 2 opportunities for administrative staff at AO/Band 6 level in the Pesticide Operational Support Team.

Please note - part time opportunities are available, however the minimum number of hours a week we can accommodate is 22.5 across three days.

Job description

We currently have vacancies within our Pesticide Operational Support Team.

You could be working in a team supporting scientists with their work or responding to requests from stakeholders on their applications..

These posts give you the opportunity to support scientific staff on progressing the authorisation of applications for the approval of pesticides or industrial chemicals and managing the delivery of approval/authorisation of pesticide active substances and products.

We also have teams involved in the evaluation of data submitted in support of applications for approval of pesticides in the UK.

As an Administrative Support Officer your responsibilities will include:

• You will be responsible for the receipt of applications, authorisation processing and issuing invoices.
• You will assist in maintaining quality in authorisation, amendment and withdrawal notices issued following applications from the pesticides industry decisions.
• You will be the administrator of internal CRD databases.
• You will support CRDs records and data management functions, including carrying out records reviews.
• You will respond to telephone and written enquiries, requests for advice from colleagues in CRD, members of public and other organisations.
• You will be involved in general administrative duties and other work as directed by the team leader.

This list of key responsibilities is not exhaustive.

Person specification

Essential Skills and Criteria

• A team player with good collaboration skills, with experience of working within a close team
• Good communication skills to enable effective verbal and written correspondence with internal and external stakeholders
• Good organisational skills, to work within a fast-paced environment, with strict deadlines, competing priorities and ensuring a quality service is provided.
• You must have a working knowledge of the Microsoft suite of software packages (Word, Excel and Outlook)

HSE has adopted hybrid working which will allow us all to work both in the office and at home and we will provide you with the necessary equipment to support you when working from home. However, please note that these posts are an office-based role, and they are not a remote location based or home worker post; as such, successful candidates will need to be in a position to attend the office from appointment date onwards and will be required to attend the office regularly and potentially at short notice. Successful candidates will also be expected to undertake some face-to-face training upon joining HSE and this will be office based.

HSE encourage staff to take 5 learning and development days a year. This could involve online learning courses or face to face classroom-based courses relevant to your role to continue your professional knowledge i.e. – we are supportive of colleagues who wish to undertake professional apprenticeship qualifications.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £22,845, Health and Safety Executive contributes £6,168 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 Strengths, Ability and Experience.

Application Information:

Upon submitting your short application form, you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Verbal Test.

Please complete the online test as soon as possible, within 24-48 hours is recommended, to allow time to complete your full application. If you successfully pass the test, you will then be invited to complete the final stage of your application. You must complete your full application form and online tests by midday on the 8th April 2024. If you fail to complete the online test and full application form 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.

If you successfully pass the tests, you will be invited to the second stage of the application where you will be asked to write a personal statement of up to 500 words detailing your suitability for the role and how you meet the essential skills and criteria listed within the person specification. 

Application Guidance

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply and how to complete a personal statement https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/how-to-apply/


Sift Information

The sift is due to take place from the week commencing 8th April 2024, where you will be assessed on your personal statement.

Interview Information

The Interviews will be face to face and will take place at the York HSE office at Mallard House, YO1 7PX. Interviews will be scheduled for week commencing 15th April 2024 where you will be assessed on strengths and your experience. 

(Please note that the sift and interview dates are provisional and are subject to change due to panel availability)

AI Tools & Platforms

During the application process candidates are allowed to utilise AI (artificial intelligence) platforms and Tools to support them in writing their Behaviours, CV’s and Personal Statements. However, all information submitted must be factually accurate. This includes presenting the ideas and experience of others, or those generated by artificial intelligence, as your own. All presented information will be assessed at the Interview Stage.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments may be made within various CRD teams such as:

Corporate support

Policy

Plant Protection Products (PPP)

Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH)

Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP)

Enforcement

Evidence and New Technologies Team

Sponsorship

This role is not open to application from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and require sponsorship your application will be rejected, and any provisional offers of employment will be withdrawn.

It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful in their application.

For a summary of HSE terms and conditions as part of Civil Service Reform, please see the attached document.

Any move to HSE from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at here.

HSE is proud to be a part of the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS). As a Disability Confident employer, we positively welcome applications from disabled people. We are committed to making workplace adjustments to ensure anyone can participate in the recruitment and selection process.

We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all disabled applicants who provide evidence of meeting the minimum requirements necessary for the post. If, during the application or interview process, you require any assistance due to a disability or a medical condition, please contact us at the email address below to discuss how we can support you.

If successful in securing your role, HSE can provide suitable workplace adjustments to support you throughout your career with HSE

If you have a disability and you need an application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please contact: hr.resourcing-team@hse.gov.uk

Please note, if you are a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions your application will not be progressed any further; Formal discipline action, any formal action regarding attendance, poor performance or any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action.

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.