About the job

Job summary

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.

Digital, Data and Technology Services (DDTS) is the trusted team for digital across the entire Defra Group.

We have around 1,200 colleagues across DDTS and our ambition is to make it easier and faster than ever for people to interact with Defra. If you are ready to drive innovation and push boundaries, we want to hear from you. Join us and together we will create a great place for living, and a green and healthy future for all.

Find out more about DDTS:

Defra digital, data and technology blog

LinkedIn 

Defra Jobs 

Job description

Do you want to enable Digital and IT professionals maximise their skills to excel in their roles to deliver services to the Defra Group and to the Public? Are you keen to provide leadership and motivate a talented team of Learning & Development (L&D) subject matter experts to deliver an excellent service?

We are currently recruiting for a Capability Development Lead to give vision and leadership on all matters relating to L&D to enable Defra's Digital Data Technology Service (DDTS) to build capability across all its professions. The role holder will provide strategic capability, learning and development advice and support to staff, managers, teams and change programmes; facilitating a culture where professionalism is valued and staff have opportunities to develop careers.

DDTS is a diverse Directorate with a range of technical specialists and capabilities, some of which are established while others that are innovative, new and developing. The role holder is required to support the needs of people that deliver a vast portfolio of systems, services and programmes across a range of Government and external professions such as Government Digital and Data, Programme and Project Management and Security. In addition, the organisation is currently undertaking a once in a generation Transformation, making this is a particularly interesting time for our Learning & Development team as we on-board new people, processes and technology.

We are seeking an experienced and inspirational learning and development professional to use their expertise across all teams in DDTS to deliver a capability development service which influences staff performance, advises on improving capability and resilience, optimises talent management and leadership, health safety and wellbeing policies, diversity learning approaches, recruitment, retention and workforce planning.

The role holder will drive their own work and their team to deliver strategic capability goals that contribute to the development and implementation of the Defra's Digital & Data Transformation Strategy, through working with stakeholders to deliver a service that is valued.

Person specification

Responsibilities

• Development of DDTS Capability Learning and Development Strategy and Plan, including reporting and spend against targets and budget to develop DDTS people and workforce capabilities
• Providing professional L&D advice to internal stakeholders and representing DDTS at external and cross-government forums
• Working with managers and teams to collaborate on problem solving to identify and deliver learning through suppliers, internal specialists or personally; and oversee any relevant procurement activity.
• Identifying relevant learning resources and facilitate delivery through internal and external training courses and self-teaching resources.
• Managing the Learning and Development budget, while complying with Government Learning and Development, Finance and Commercial policy and processes and aligned to Defra HR
• Evaluation, scrutiny and reporting on the outcome of L&D undertaken by staff
• Leading, coaching and mentoring the L&D team and others, a geographically dispersed team of SMEs and managers, to deliver a quality service and build their own skills and capabilities.
• Maintaining contact with the DDTS Executive Board and CDDO to influence, report and provide authoritative advice on L&D and continuous improvement opportunities.
• Developing and owning tools eg Career Pathways and advising on/developing other skills tool(s)

Skills and experience

• CIPD level 5 qualification or equivalent experience
• Extensive experience of leading, managing and delivering L&D in a comparable sized organisation (c1000) including supplier and budget management, knowledge of skills frameworks and developing and improving L&D services
• Extensive technical knowledge of the L&D field to influence and negotiate across DDTS and externally to facilitate the best learning options for our staff to ensure DDTS sources and retains the right skills, capabilities and capacity to deliver Defra and DDTS strategies.
• Highly motivated to improve staff capability; organised with proven track record of achieving results within a set time-frame, able to effectively prioritise and the ability to work and make recommendations under pressure.
• Research, diagnostic skills and use of data to develop engaging and informative presentations and reports.
• Excellent communication skills, with the confidence to engage with stakeholders at all levels of the organisation and external partners or suppliers to direct conversations, provide advice and influence outcomes.
• Experience of working in a training or L&D role to identify, scope, design and address learning needs, including manager development; working with suppliers to address delivery; evaluating outcomes.

Selection process

The Civil Service marks each element of the selection process on a merit basis. You can visit the gov.uk website for further information on the Civil Service rating scale.

Ensure you have tailored your CV and Personal Statement to the 'responsibilities' and 'skills and experience' section of the job advert by providing examples on how you are suitable for the role. We would recommend using the STAR method. 

For further information on STAR, you can check out our hints and tips document.

Application

As part of the application process, you will be assessed on your experience and will be asked to complete:

• A CV
• A 750-word personal statement: "Referring to the 'responsibilities and 'skills and experience' sections of the job advert, please demonstrate how you are suitable for the role by providing relevant examples."

Sift

Sift will begin shortly after the advert closes.

Should there be a large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted using your personal statement.

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

Interview

If successful at sift stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on the Behaviours listed below. As part of the interview process, you will be asked to do a presentation. Full details of this will be sent prior to the interview.

Interview dates are to be confirmed. Please note that these may be subject to change.

Interviews will be held virtually on Microsoft Teams.

For further information on Success Profiles, please use the links below and watch our videos on Defra Jobs.

Behaviours

Experience

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £52,120, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £14,072 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.

For further information on the selection process for this role, please refer to the person specification section of the job advert.

Near miss

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Defra which may be at a lower grade, but have a potential skills match.

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.

Reserve list

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

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.

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.

London location

To work from 2 Marsham Street, London, you will require the higher level of counter-terrorist check (CTC) clearance. Therefore, confirmation of appointment to the advertised post will be dependent upon successful CTC clearance being confirmed as part of pre-employment checks.  

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

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

Visa sponsorship statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker Licence 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 (GRS) 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 maybe 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 circumstance 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-Employment.Checks@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.

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.