About the job

Job summary

This is a busy role in the Business Change and Readiness team which is responsible for supporting the delivery of the Resource and Waste Strategy with a particular focus on Collection and Packaging Reforms and its associated projects.

Reporting to the Business Change Manager, you will support the development and delivery of all aspects of communications for specified change projects. You will work across a range of communication disciplines including external business campaigns, digital presence, event management and external communications. You will work with colleagues from across Defra, the Devolved Administrations and other government departments to target key audiences.

We are looking for a business change officer with experience of working in a communications department or an external change programme writing for external audiences, mainly businesses in the UK through digital channels i.e., web content, newsletters etc. You will also have strong news sense, excellent drafting and editing skills, and the political nous to spot issues.

Most importantly, you will need to have the experience and skills to communicate technical information in a simple and engaging way to support businesses in preparing for the upcoming changes. As part of a team, you will also respond to external business enquiries ensuring they have all the information they need for the successful implementation of the reforms.

You will have experience of event management – conferences, exhibitions, trade shows etc.

In addition, you will need to apply thinking to communications and planning, to ensure appropriate clearances are secured, timing aligns well with other communications activities and appropriate credible authors/speakers are involved.

The role is being advertised at any of the Defra hubs – York, London, Bristol, Newcastle & Cardiff 

Job description

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Support the development of communications plans, and have responsibility for tactical delivery, including the production of creative content and associated materials
• Develop and maintain relationships with key external partners and stakeholders
• Foster effective engagement across government to ensure a coordinated approach to communications
• Plan and deliver events, campaigns, and activities to support business objectives and significant milestones
• Produce digital content, including graphics, content, videos, photography, and animation by partnering with in-house specialist colleagues
• Use excellent drafting skills to produce compelling written content such as newsletters, articles, stories, and blogs
• Develop briefings and Q&As to support events, forums, announcements, publications
• Evaluate and monitor industry positions, and horizon-scan to ensure activity is targeted and encourages support for policies and plans
• Provide advice to non-communications professionals on handling

Person specification

• Excellent written and oral communication skills and a demonstrable ability to simplify complex issues accurately while writing inclusively for different audiences and channels
• The ability to think and write strategically, using the OASIS framework to develop engaging communications plans
• The ability to devise creative ideas and develop campaigns resulting in successful impactful outcomes, sometimes with little-to-no budget
• The skills to build productive working relationships in a complex, multi-organisational environment, with proven ability of expertly managing networks of varied stakeholders
• Strong news sense and political nous, with the skills and confidence to provide handling advice to non-communications professionals
• Experience of delivering effective change communications
• Strong organisational and management skills to see projects through from inception to completion
• Managing events – conferences, workshops, exhibitions etc.
• Plenty of drive, energy, and a real enthusiasm for communications and supporting businesses
• Worked in a communications, marketing or PR team.
• Worked on a large-scale change programme with external customers

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,136, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 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.

Application Process

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• A CV detailing your career history, including any relevant qualifications. Your CV will be used for Information purposes only and will not be scored
• A Personal Statement (max. 750 words) demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the job description, responsibilities, and essential criteria. Using the STAR process will help achieve a structured document
• 1 Behaviour statement (max. 250 words) - Communicating & Influencing 

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

Sift 

The sift panel will use the information in your Personal Statement and behaviour statement to assess your experience and knowledge. Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using your Personal Statement. 

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

Sift and Interview dates are to be confirmed.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on the Behaviours stated in the advert.

A short written assessment will take place 30 minutes leading up to the interview, and will be discussed. More details will be provided if you have been successful at application stage and invited to interview. 

Interviews will be held via Video link.

Location 

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) 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(s)

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.

Reserve List

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

Merit Lists 

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.

Salary 

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

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 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. 

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.

Higher Security Clearance 

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may 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 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 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.