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, sustaining a thriving rural economy, and supporting international nature, climate and biodiversity agendas.

Within the Environment Strategy Directorate, we have responsibility for cross cutting climate action including coordinating action and driving up ambition across UK Government on climate adaptation and coordinating Defra’s contribution to delivering our commitments to Net Zero.  We are also responsible for delivering key policies which directly support climate mitigation. This role is within one of our core climate policy teams – fluorinated gases and ozone depleting substances.

Defra is the lead government department for policies on ozone depleting substances (ODS) and fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases). These policies protect the Earth’s ozone layer and are key to helping address climate change. Within our team we work:

• Domestically to ensure we have effective and sufficiently ambitious F-gas and ODS systems in place which meet international obligations and deliver on domestic commitments such as Net Zero
• Internationally to deliver on the UK’s climate ambition by influencing and driving global ambition through the U Montreal Protocol negotiations and delivering our £21m Sustainable Cooling and Cold Chain Solutions Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a small but impactful team, who are at a crucial point in both policy development and delivery. Domestically we are in the process of reviewing our entire policy and legislation on F-gases as part of Defra’s Net Zero programme, with a view to consult on reforms and implement resulting changes in 2024. Internationally we are mid-delivery of our key ODA project in Africa, supporting farmers to reduce food and vaccine loss through improved sustainable refrigeration, whilst also preparing to push for greater ambition in our international negotiations.

As a small team, every team member has stretching and meaningful responsibilities. This is a great team to join if you’re seeking greater autonomy and/or seeking experience working on policy development or delivery.

Job description

This role will be on the domestic side of the team. However, all team members need to be prepared to work flexibly across both sides of the team as work peaks and troughs.

Responsibilities include:

• Supporting and leading on element of the F-gas review involving a consultation, government response and implementing new policies and legislation which drive forward our net zero objectives, address international obligations, and support wider government policies. This will include:

• Assessing the impacts of divergence and the interactions with the Windsor Framework

Other responsibilities may include:

• Updating F-gas policies under the Greening Government Commitments and Government Buying Standards

Person specification

Essential criteria:

• Interest and passion in climate or environmental policy, with a desire to drive positive change
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with, as well as effectively influence colleagues across Defra, Government, devolved administrations, and external stakeholders in industry and internationally
• Experience of working on a complex policy area
• Ability to work at pace to competing deadlines, strongly maintaining communication throughout
• Proactive leadership and ownership of responsibilities, with a self-starter and problem-solving attitude
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with the ability to produce high quality briefings and submissions for senior officials and Ministers

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,493, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £10,663 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.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a CV, 4 Behaviour Statements (250 word maximum per statement) and a Personal Statement (500 words maximum).

When writing your Personal Statement please refer 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.

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

Sift

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the lead behaviour statement "communicating and influencing" and the 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 to be confirmed.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on Experience, Behaviours and Strengths. 

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.

Interviews will be carried out via video link. 

Location

Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. 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.

Candidates applying for these roles will be based at one of the Defra hubs as advertised.  

For information, our core Defra hub locations are:

• York – the Kings Pool
• Newcastle – Lancaster House
• Bristol – Horizon House (Please note that space at this office is limited and it may not be possible for all Policy roles to be recruited to this location)
• London – 2 Marsham Street

Internal (core Defra) employees can apply for this role and choose to remain in their current location or to be based in one of the advertised locations.

All other applicants will be based in one of the advertised locations.Our current office attendance approach requires 60% attendance in Defra group workplaces or off site meetings with partners and customers. This balance provides thriving workplaces to connect with colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs balanced with personal flexibility and choice. 

Travel and subsistence will not be paid for travel to a base office location.

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 

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 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.