About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with 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, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.  

Would you like the opportunity to become an integral part of Government Operations?

Do you want to work in an exciting, energetic environment where no two days are the same?

Are you passionate about delivering a first-class service to your customers?

If so, we would love to hear from you!

Job description

DfT are looking for an enthusiastic individual to support the efficient operation of the Government Car Service (GCS).

Your role would be to manage the provision of the secure Departmental Pool Car Service whilst leading a team of GCS drivers. You will ensure an exceptional level of customer service is provided to UK Government Ministers and senior officials, and maintain high standards of service delivery and discretion.

As part of the Operations Team, you will manage, coordinate and allocate available GCS car and driving resources to provide a seamless and cost-effective service to our customers, ensuring that each Departmental Pool Car service is properly resourced.

This is an exciting opportunity to gain significant exposure to ministers and senior officials whilst being at the heart of Government operations. You will have an invaluable input to provide an excellent and seamless service and be at the cutting edge of Government.

This role will involve shift working between the hours of 6am and 12am midnight, which will attract a 20% shift allowance. Weekend working will also be part of the role.

Responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• Autonomous day to day logistical decisions and reacting to changing circumstances need to be made promptly and with sound judgement to ensure the efficient utilisation of the available GCS car and driver resources to deliver a seamless car service to Ministers and senior officials.
• Logistical demands on the Government Car Service are changeable at a moment’s notice and can impact greatly on the available car and driver resources. Many logistical decisions are required ‘in the now’ but planning ahead for known situations (i.e. relief cover for driver leave absence) is vital as you will need to constantly reassess available resources, workloads and priorities if situations change or people are facing conflicting demands.
• There is a significant amount of contact with very busy Ministerial private offices, offices, senior officials and others associated with the provision of the Departmental Pool Car Service. You will be a representative of the GCS in all your communications with customers and are expected to display exceptional levels of customer service.
• Establish and maintain relationships with Ministerial private offices, senior officials and others associated with the provision of the secure Departmental Pool Car Service to support delivery of business outcomes.
• Establish and maintain relationships with GCS drivers and the GCS workshop staff to manage all available GCS car and driver resources to support the secure Departmental Pool Car Service, showing pragmatism and support for the shared aims of the organisation.

For further information, please see the attached role profile.

Person specification

About you

We are looking for someone who has exceptional communication skills and can express themselves in a confident and concise manner with colleagues at all levels. The ideal candidate will be resilient and can deal with conflict in a prompt, calm and constructive manner. You will represent the Agency in a professional and clear manner, ensuring key messages are delivered to both internal and external stakeholders in a timely manner.

People skills are essential for this role as you will be representing the agency when dealing with internal and external stakeholders via telephone. You will be confident in providing excellent customer service and love to go the extra mile to ensure you give a first-class service.

You will have good attention to detail and take pride in producing work to a high standard. Proven IT skills are essential, in particular Microsoft Office software including Excel. We also require someone who is eager to learn and is open to being trained on new systems.

Excellent organisational skills are required and you will be able to manage and filter workflow as well as organise and prioritise your work to maximise productivity and achieve all deadlines. You will be highly adaptable and flexible, adjusting to the requirements of the role, and do a thorough job even when under pressure.

Additional information

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance.  

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport.

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.

How to apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a CV and Personal Statement (500 words). Please tailor your CV to demonstrate your suitability to the role and the essential criteria. For your Personal Statement, please provide detailed evidence of the following:

• Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues of all grades, and build strong relationships.
• Proficient IT skills, in particular Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to work under pressure and achieve all deadlines.

The sift is due to take place week commencing 5th August 2024.

Interviews are likely to be held week commencing 19th August 2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates. 

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include: 

• An interview

The interviews will be held in person. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.  

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within. 

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. 

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website. 

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document 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.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

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.

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

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.