About the job

Job summary

The responsibilities for the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology for 2023 are as follows:

• Positioning the UK at the forefront of global scientific and technological advancement
• Driving innovations that change lives and sustain economic growth
• Delivering talent programmes, physical and digital infrastructure and regulation to support our economy, security and public services
• R&D funding

For 2023, our priorities are:

• Optimise public R&D investment to support areas of relative UK strength and increase the level of private R&D to make our economy the most innovative in the world.
• Promote a diverse research and innovation system that connects discovery to new companies, growth and jobs – including by delivering world-class physical and digital infrastructure (such as gigabit broadband), making the UK the best place to start and grow a technology business and developing and attracting top talent.
• Put our public services – including the NHS and schools – at the forefront of innovation, championing new ways of working and the development of in-house STEM capability to improve outcomes for people.
• Strengthen international collaboration on science and technology in line with the Integrated Review, and ensure our researchers are able to continue to work with leading scientists in Europe and around the world.
• Deliver key legislative and regulatory reforms to drive competition and promote innovation, including the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill and our pro-innovation approach to regulating AI.
• Pass the remaining stages of the reformed Online Safety Bill to keep British people, especially children, safe online.

Our Inclusive Environment

We are building an inclusive culture to make the Department 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.

We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. 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 will fully support candidates with a disability or long-term condition who require adjustments in our recruitment process.

Find Out More

We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/departmentforsciencetechnologyandinnovation?

You can also follow our LinkedIn Careers Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/dsitcareers/

Job description

The SIG Corporate Hub works closely with the Private Office of the Director General for Science, Innovation & Growth (SIG). The team provides corporate assistance to SIG at a Group level, working closely with the SIG Corporate Business Managers who provide corporate support at a directorate level. Our shared mission is to make SIG a great place to work.

What it's like to work in our team

The Corporate Hub is a small, friendly, and hardworking team. There’s plenty of scope to get stuck in, offer ideas, and help on multiple corporate workstreams. We are committed to flexible working and maintaining a strong focus on work objectives and wellbeing. We ensure we have the time and space to develop the skills, learning and development that enables the team to carry out its duties. This also helps us to maintain a good work/life balance.

We work closely with the DG’s Private Office –providing day to day support to the Director General – as well as a range of teams providing corporate services including Corporate Business Managers, the HR Business Partner, and the Finance Business Partners. You will therefore have plenty of opportunity to work with, and learn from, colleagues across the department.

We are committed to investing in the personal development of all our team members. We will help you plan the skills and experiences you would like to get out of your time with us and provide training to you when you need it.

Who would enjoy this role?

We are looking for candidates who enjoy completing tasks and objectives. You will have some familiarity with all core Microsoft Office software products, particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and Outlook. You should have a willingness to learn e.g., training on alternative software packages enjoy working collaboratively and provide a helpful and timely service to your colleagues.  We expect a good standard of general education e.g. GCSEs or equivalent including English and Mathematics at grade C/grade 4 or above.

You will have the opportunity undertake a Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship whilst providing support to the wider business. Business administrators have a highly transferable set of knowledge, skills and behaviours that can be applied in all sectors. These skills will be developed through supporting and engaging with different parts of the organisation.

You do not need to have a background in corporate work to apply. We will teach you everything you need to know when you join. It is important that you are motivated, willing to learn and committed to providing a great service to the teams we support. As there is always more to be done when improving a corporate service, good organisational skills will be important. You will need to be prepared to engage with a range of different people to get the job done. 

Apprenticeship Information

The apprenticeship standard is at Level 3 and will be delivered by the Lifetime Training Group, which will make up 20% of the employees’ weekly hours. The apprenticeship will typically take between 12 and 18 months to complete. Where a business administrator has not already achieved Level 2 English and Maths, they must do so before taking the end-point assessment. 

More information can be found on the apprenticeship website, which gives the apprenticeship standard for this course.

https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/business-administrator-v1-0

Person specification

In this role, responsibilities are likely to include:

Providing office management support for the Group, including procuring, and managing stationary supplies, and supporting colleagues to ensure we all have everything we need to do our jobs effectively.

Answering questions from colleagues in the group on a range of corporate issues, such as recruitment and onboarding, corporate reporting and in year awards. 

Using information from management information and HR systems to update our corporate dashboards for Directorate and Group Senior Management Team meetings.

Keeping our databases on things like recruitment, commissions and in year awards up to date and helping colleagues find the information they need when using these systems themselves. 

Proactively updating the information about our teams when people leave and join the group, for example, updating distribution lists and org charts. 

Reviewing the locker system and helping maintain the locker process when required.

In all of this, you'll be closely supported by two HEO colleagues in the Corporate Hub, and the Deputy Chief of Staff. 

Essential skills and experience

We work with a range of different teams, so you will need to be able to build strong interpersonal relationships and communicate effectively with a variety of colleagues both through spoken and written communication. 

You will be a team player, happy to work collaboratively with different people from across the organisation to achieve a task. 

You will be comfortable seeking feedback proactively and changing your approach in response. 

As there is always more to be done when improving a corporate service, it's important that you can organise and sequence your work so you can make the biggest impact with the time you have. Organisational skills are critical.

Benefits

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

• A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an average employer contribution of 27%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
• Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
• A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40-60% of their time in the office (minimum of 40%) over a month with flex dependent on balancing business and individual need.

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.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and a number of behavioural statements. 

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

Please note - the CV incorporated into the application form is for information purposes only and will not be scored.

Applications will be sifted on behavioural statements.

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the lead behavioural statement - Managing a Quality Service.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview will consist of behavioural-based questions and a written exercise.

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 15/01/2024

Interview dates: w/c 29/01/2024

Interview Location: MS Teams.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Further Information

Who can start an apprenticeship

To start an apprenticeship, you’ll need to be:

• 16 or over
• living in England
• not in full-time education

You can apply for an apprenticeship while you’re still at school but you’ll need to be 16 or over by the end of the summer holidays to start the apprenticeship. Please note if successful you must be 16 or over to undergo the relevant security checks.

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

We fully support adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

We do not have an exhaustive list of adjustments that we support but just some examples include additional time to complete your application form, behaviour questions up to 72 hours prior to interview and having extra time at interview.

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

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

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

A location-based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home). 

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.

DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

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. 

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.

Feedback

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.