About the job

Job summary

In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you’d like to work in, we’d love to hear from you.

DHSC Security is adapting to support current and future requirements. This is a great opportunity to join a major government department at a critical time. You will play an important role in delivering organisational resilience and be a member of the Government Security Profession, which offers opportunities to develop your career that simply cannot be found anywhere else.  

We are looking for people with experience in business continuity management or organisational resilience who can work collaboratively within DHSC and across government. Your role will be to help the department anticipate, prepare for, respond and adapt to incremental change and disruptions in order to survive and prosper.

If you're keen to help shape the future and improve organisation resilience, thrive in a demanding environment with the skills and experience required, then DHSC is keen to hear from you.

We can offer training to support your development, and (for Civil Service applicants) are prepared to consider both level transfers and appointments on promotion for the right candidates.

Job description

Deliver an effective Business Continuity Management programme.

1. Support business units in the embedding, analysis, design, implementation and validation of business continuity management-related initiatives, policies, programmes and services.
2. Review and validate business continuity plans through exercising and testing.
3. Maintain an accurate assessment of threat, risk and organisational readiness, including risk owners and lines of accountability.
4. Co-ordinate the identification and documentation of business continuity risks and issues, and act as an escalation point for mitigation.
5. Support seniors to deliver the department’s incident and crisis management response through a corporate central service.
6. Join an on-call duty officer rota to provide an out-of-hours incident management response.
7. The role may require line management responsibilities which will need demonstrable support for career development, diversity and inclusion.
8. Maintain a flexible approach to work and take on other business continuity, resilience and security workstreams as required.

 

Person specification

You will be comfortable engaging with and influencing stakeholders at all grades and be able to robustly challenge business continuity behaviours or actions where necessary.

You will develop, maintain, and improve functions to map, assess and improve the maturity of the Business Continuity Management culture within DHSC.

You will look to support the Head of Organisational Resilience in developing a robust Business Continuity Management culture within DHSC and ensuring continuous improvement.

You will continue to upskill and develop your Business Continuity knowledge using materials and access from recognised specialists such as the Business Continuity Institute (BCI) and UK Government Security.

We can offer training to support your development, and (for Civil Service applicants) are prepared to consider both level transfers and appointments on promotion for the right candidates.

This role requires participation in an out-of-hours duty roster and additional pay is provided for this.

Key skills and experience required for the role

• You should have experience of building a network of colleagues and contacts to achieve progress on departmental objectives and shared interests and support cross-departmental/cross-government professional communities.
• You should be able to demonstrate that you are able to work with minimal direction and have the ability to make risk-based decisions based on the evidence available to you at the time.
• You should have experience of designing and delivering presentations in a number of formats, to audiences of varying sizes and seniority.
• You must be able to show evidence that you are organised and can run a number of areas of work concurrently.
• Demonstrate prior experience within a resilience or business continuity role.

Desirable:

• The ability to build an understanding of the strategic drivers for business continuity and align your activities to contribute to the wider organisational priorities.
• The ability to encourage contributions and involvement from a broad and diverse range of staff by being visible and accessible and play an active role in developing talent within the profession.
• Familiarity with ISO 22031:2019 Business Continuity Management Systems and ISO 22316:2017 Security and resilience.
• Business continuity or organisational resilience relevant qualifications, either academic, vocational or practical (i.e., relevant police, military training or corporate resilience function)

Qualifications & Membership

To have a Certificate of the Business Continuity Institute (CBCI), or Membership of the Business Continuity Institute (MBCI) or willingness to work towards this.

Candidates should use their CVs to demonstrate their previous experience, qualifications, and skills in business continuity.

The successful candidate must be willing to be cleared to SC level if not already held.

This role requires participation in an out-of-hours duty roster and additional pay is provided for this.

DHSC is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination or harassment of any kind. We are committed to equality opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. The department encourages flexible working arrangements where appropriate. Employment decisions at DHSC are based on business needs, job requirements and qualifications, without regard to age, race, colour, religion or belief, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.

Further details of clearance requirements:

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security checks. If successful, you must also hold or be willing to obtain security clearance to SC level. More information about the vetting process can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/united-kingdom-security-vetting-applicant

Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate.

Candidates applying for security clearance should usually have been continuously resident in the UK for the following periods immediately before the clearance is launched:

CTC – 3 years

SC – 5 years

DV – 10 years

Your normal place of work will be your contractual primary workplace, usually either London or Leeds.  Within DHSC we offer non-contractual hybrid working. The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time spent in the office, enabling in person interaction and collaboration and enhancing team working, learning, and support. 

You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas and some travel may be required across the DHSC estate. 

Opportunities for some working from home may be available; other flexible working options may be discussed with the hiring manager in line with individual circumstances and business need. 

There are a limited number of DHSC colleagues who have existing agreed homeworking contracts resulting from Our Future Estate Programme 2023-2024. Colleagues covered by these arrangements are eligible to apply for this role whilst continuing their agreed existing home working arrangement. Occasional travel to DHSC offices or other locations may still be required according to business need. Travel and subsistence will be provided in line with the pre-agreed homeworker arrangements.    

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,025, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £10,806 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, Strengths and Experience.

Sift date: W/C 22/04/2024 

Interview date: expected W/C 06/05/2024 

Interview location: By video

The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores. 

Applications will be sifted on CV, Statement of Suitability and Behaviours.

Please use your CV to set out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role. These can be found in the ‘key skills and experience required for the role’ section of the advert. Please also include a list of your relevant qualifications.

Please use your statement of suitability to (in no more than 500 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert.

At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviours, Strengths, and Experience.

To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here and to find out more information on how to apply visit the Civil Service Careers Website here 

Applicants who are appointable but were not successful in appointment to this vacancy, may be held on a reserve list for up to 12 months, and contacted if similar vacancies become available. 

Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate. 

Please note that applicants will require SC clearance. For SC clearance, candidates must have been a resident in the UK for the past 5 years.

Memberships and Qualifications required for the role will be checked and verified by the vacancy holder as part of the onboarding process. You may also be asked to provide evidence that any qualifications obtained overseas are equivalent to those advertised.

Further Information

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

Any move to DHSC 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

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 dhscrecruitment.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. 

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. 

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

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.

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 role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Terms and Conditions

Candidates should note that DHSC’s Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful. 

New Entrants to the Civil Service

New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions:

• Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
• Privilege Leave: 1 day - for the King’s birthday
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months’ full pay and five months’ half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Probation: 6 month probation period

Existing Civil Service staff transferring from another Government department, on either level transfer or promotion

All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above). 

Existing DHSC staff, appointed on either level transfer or promotion

If DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSC’s pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).

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.