About the job

Job summary

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.

Strategy Group Business Management provide business and Senior Leader Team support across for 7 directorates across 3 groups. We are an efficient and professional team that delivers across a range of different Business Management Activity ensuring that each directorate is able to deliver its priorities and objectives.

As part of this we're now recruiting a Business Officer to join a cross-cutting team providing important services and support to the Group. This is a permanent position and as part of the role you’ll undertake a Business Administration Apprenticeship at Level 3. This is the academic equivalent of two ‘A’ Levels. We will enrol you onto the apprenticeship shortly after you join, and it will typically take 18 months + 3 months to complete the End Point Assessment. On successful completion of the apprenticeship your employment will continue with us.

We're a focused team with big ambitions to deliver a grade A business management service. We are looking for people who can build a positive and collaborative team environment that individuals enjoy working in, whilst designing and delivering the team’s strategy and work programme; improving current processes and developing ambitious new services.

Encouraging diverse applicants
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.

We also encourage flexible working arrangements, including compressed hours and part-time arrangements.

Job description

• Manage 2 x Deputy Director’s diary and resolve conflicting demands in planning schedules whilst ensuring that time management is optimised
• Act as the first point of contact for the Deputy Directors, using initiative and responding to and/or directing queries to the relevant external parties/team members
• Understand key priorities to support effective decision making around diary management
• Developing sufficient understanding of the Deputy Directors specific business areas
• Highlight priority work to the Deputy Directors and respond to queries using an understanding of the team’s responsibilities and of its key stakeholders
• Managing commissions to ensure the Deputy Directors are able to complete the requested work in a timely manner, or delegating work to their team where appropriate to meet regular deadlines
• Provide a full range of secretarial, administrative support and assistance including taking minutes and keeping notes of arising actions
• Ensuring effective inbox management for the Deputy Directors, including recognising and flagging the relevant importance of emails and requests being received
• Support planning and finalising of agendas for meetings, oversee the coordination and distribution of the relevant paperwork
• Liaising with colleagues and stakeholders to deal with enquiries and to coordinate appointments and engagements, arranging meetings for internal and external attendees, booking rooms, preparing materials, etc
• Arrange business travel and accommodation for the Deputy Directors when necessary
• Contribute towards the organisation and coordination of large- scale events such as awaydays
• Taking an active role in the Business Management Team’s Business Support Network, building up good working relationships with other Business Support Officers to progress work and provide ad hoc cover where necessary

This list isn’t exhaustive but provides an overview of the activities the role will carry out.

Person specification

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for this role you must hold the qualifications listed in this advert, but you must also be eligible for apprenticeship funding.

The eligibility criteria for an apprenticeship is detailed in the Candidate Pack but it is important to note all apprenticeships are designed to provide substantive new skills and learning. It is important that you do not already have the skills, knowledge and behaviours that the apprenticeship is designed to deliver.

Qualifications

You must have GCSEs in Maths and English at Grades A-C or 9-4.

If you have ‘A’ levels you can apply but if you hold a qualification higher than a Level 3 (e.g. a Level 4/HNC, Level 5/Foundation degree or Level 6/degree qualification) we will not be able to consider you. -   You can apply for a lower level apprenticeship even if you have a degree. As long as the degree is in a different subject. You may have an Ecology degree and undertake Business Admin

If this is the case, you may find more suitable vacancies on our main recruitment website Civil Service Jobs.

If you are a graduate, our Graduate Fast Stream Programme may be more appropriate for you.

Person Specification 

• Proven track record of working in a fast-paced environment, including demonstrable experience of diary management and meeting organisation
• Exceptional time management and organisational skills
• Be able to effectively prioritise own workload and confidently deal with conflicting priorities
• Demonstration of working well as part of a team
• Experience of following processes and operating firmly within a discreet and confidential manner
• Ability to work and communicate confidently and effectively with stakeholders at all levels

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,470, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £7,416 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, personal statement (In no more than 500 words, evidence how your experience meets the Person Specification criteria) and 1 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 Delivering at Pace. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Sifting is likely to be occur w/c 1st April, with interviews likely to take place w/c 15th April. These dates are indicative only.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on 4 Behaviours and a Experience Question

You may also be asked to present a presentation

Interviews are expected to last no longer than 50 minutes.

Interview 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.

NSV

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

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.

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to 2 Marsham Street Londonmay 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.