About the job

Job summary

Do you want a role safeguarding standards of animal and plant health and welfare?
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (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. 

APHA recently unified all our controlled content under one umbrella platform: Defra Content Cloud. Controlled content is work-related guidance, including procedures, forms, or any other document that provides the information staff need to do their job. 

Are you seeking an opportunity to play a pivotal role in embedding Content Cloud into our agency’s framework, ensuring quality, compliance, and efficiency? 

Are you ready to embark on an exciting journey with APHA as our Content Cloud Deputy Manager, then why not join our team of passionate individuals dedicated to making a difference!

Job description

As the APHA Content Cloud Deputy Manager you will be responsible for managing the assurance team and system to process internal and external content. You will be supporting users to create, update and review content within Content Cloud, ensuring it meets style guides and accessibility standards. You will also help users navigate to the content they require, providing support on IT issues encountered to maintain Content Cloud for the agency.

The role includes line management, and you will be required to manage and develop staff at EO grades within the team. You will also provide support and management during a disease outbreak/incident for the quick publication of necessary instructions.  

Key Responsibilities for this role include: 

• Managing the assurance and publishing service for controlled content against APHA/Defra standards.
• Providing accessibility advice on content and format.
• Influencing staff to use knowledge effectively and promote effective management of controlled content.
• Communicating with staff to ensure that they understand their responsibilities and actions and work with them improve their content.
• Providing support to the business to manage their content through the lifecycle (writing, updating, reviewing and archiving).
• Providing coaching and training to staff on Content Cloud.
• Managing the Helpdesk and customer queries to ensure service level agreements are met.
• Answering customer queries and find solutions to issues.
• Providing technical support for staff using the tools and guidance.
• Completing system administration duties to maintain Content Cloud.
• Building and maintaining relationships throughout the Agency and with external customers.
• Monitoring and reporting on performance of the assurance service.
• Using data to help the business understand their content.
• Undertaking roles and responsibilities in the event of a disease outbreak or incident.

Person specification

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following skills and experience:

• Excellent IT skills including a strong proficiency in MS Office packages (Word, Excel, SharePoint etc).
• Strong organisational skills and ability to prioritise own workload and workload of your team.
• Ability to manage a team.
• Highly self-motivated with an ability to work under pressure, maintaining focus and concentration.
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.
• Ability to adhere to deadlines demonstrating excellent time keeping skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and adherence to style guides (to meet regulations including Accessibility standards).
• Ability to use your own initiative and make effective decisions.
• Understanding of Content Cloud and the controlled document life cycle.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,136, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £8,676 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.

Throughout our selection process, we will make decisions about your capability to do the job, based on evidence you provide against the essential criteria for the role which are detailed in the advert and attached Candidate Pack.
 
Application Process

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

• Personal Statement - In a maximum of 750 words, please demonstrate how you are most suited to this role.
• One Behaviour Statement - In a maximum of 250 words, please provide an example against the following behaviour Managing a Quality Service (Lead behaviour).

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, Managing a Quality Service. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview. 
 
Sift to take place at the beginning of March with interview before the end of March 2024 where possible.  
 
Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to an interview where you will be assessed on four behaviours Managing a Quality Service (Lead behaviour), Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace and Working Together. 

Interviews to be held via video link on MS Teams.

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.
 
Location

Please be aware that this role will be contractually based in an APHA workplace. 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. 

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate 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.

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.

Travel

This post will require travel around the Agency’s locations to attend meetings, with some overnight stays.

Support, Training and Induction  

Everyone in APHA is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. New joiners to the organisation will attend an induction programme that will provide you with 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 which will include all line management training. 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.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)

We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive. 
 
We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion. 
We have strong staff networks covering mental health, disability and other needs. We also have a range of special leave policies and will put reasonable adjustments in place for people who need them. 
 
The department places significant emphasis on talent programmes that help everyone to achieve their full potential. The Civil Service as a whole is committed to providing a work environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimisation. Support available includes a bullying and harassment network and mediation services. 
 
Encouraging diverse applicants 

The natural environment is important for everyone, and we aim for our teams to reflect the diversity of our society. We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups. Your personal qualities will be as important as your professional experience, and we welcome applications from all ethnicities, faiths and backgrounds.  
 
We welcome applications from candidates who have not previously worked for the Civil Service, mid- and late-career changers with transferable skills, people from all backgrounds and circumstances regardless of disability, gender, age, ethnicity, LGBT+ identity and socio-economic status.  

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 or 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 

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.
 
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.

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

This post requires the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. However, candidates posted to either Weybridge or London office locations will be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer. 
 
Childcare Vouchers 

Any move to APHA 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. 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.