Corporate Liaison Manager
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
About the job
Job summary
Do you have excellent writing skills with the ability to draft content which is concise, clear and error free?
Are you confident in making quick and effective decisions?
Can you work flexibly and adapt quickly to changing priorities?
If so, we’d love to hear from you!
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) as a Corporate Liaison Manager, where no two days are the same.
The role will present an excellent opportunity to work alongside a wide range of people, providing an insight into all areas of the agency.
Job description
The role holder supports the Head of Corporate Reputation through the processing of Parliamentary Questions and high-level correspondence, to the required standard, within Department for Transport (DfT) target deadlines. That includes ministerial, MP and Treat Official (TO) correspondence and correspondence sent direct to the Chief Executive.
The role holder will support the Head of Corporate Reputation through the preparation, with subject matter expert (SME) input, when required to do so, of departmental submissions, CEO, ministerial and Transport Select Committee briefings liaising with ministers’ private offices and DfT officials.
The role holder will support the DfT/DVSA relationship management role liaising with ministers’ offices, Director General’s office, Permanent Secretary’s office and DVSA Agency Sponsorship colleagues to ensure joined up working between the agency and the department.
The role holder will be expected, when required, to stand in for the Head of Corporate Reputation and represent the agency, demonstrating appropriate styles of behaviour and leadership while doing so.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to;
- Work in collaboration with other managers across all functions for the good of DVSA and to create a high performing and well-respected Agency.
- Manage accurate and concise responses to Parliamentary Questions with support from relevant SMEs within departmental time frames.
- Draft supplementary briefing and lines to take.
- Draft briefings for ministers and for MP meetings when required, working with ministers’ and MPs’ offices as appropriate.
- Produce monthly reports and analysis of data on all types of correspondence.
For more information about the role and responsibilities please see the attached Candidate Pack.
Person specification
We’re looking for someone with exceptional writing skills who can create high-quality submissions and briefings suitable for varied audiences. You have an eye for detail and take pride in your work, ensuring everything is accurate and grammatically correct and written in plain English.
You can demonstrate strong negotiation skills and can comfortably facilitate meaningful conversations, resulting in resolution. You thrive when being challenged and show resilience under pressure, remaining calm, composed and flexible, even if your priorities need to change quickly. You are determined and focused, which means you like to see things through from beginning to end. You strive for excellence in everything you do.
Additional information
This role can be based in Bristol, Newcastle, Nottingham or Swansea, your presence at one of these locations will form part of the working arrangements agreed with you. We operate a hybrid working model giving you greater flexibility about where and when you work. Our expectation is that you will spend a minimum 60% of your time at your base location. Visits to other DVSA sites or work locations count towards this.
There will be occasional travel required with this role to other DVSA locations, including overnight stays.
Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement, for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 35 hours per week.
Please take note that DVSA does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker Licence sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
About us
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) helps keep Britain moving, safely and sustainably.
We do this by helping people through a lifetime of safe and sustainable journeys, helping them keep their vehicles safe to drive, and protecting them from unsafe drivers and vehicles.
We’re working hard to:
- make roads safer
- improve services for our customers
- make road transport greener and healthier
- harness the potential of technology and data
- grow and level up the economy.
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the and the .
To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace and making DVSA a great place to work visit our Careers website.
Benefits
- An environment with flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance
- Exceptional pension with an employer contribution of an average of 27%
- Generous Annual Leave - 25 days holiday, increasing by 1 each year of service, up to 30
- 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday
- Latest IT and Tech devices
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues
- Excellent learning and development tailored to your role including paid apprenticeships up to Masters level
- Wide range of discounts schemes on high street names
- Employee assistance program for health and wellbeing
- Cycle to work scheme and Gym membership offers
- For more information see visit our careers page
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.How to Apply
As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
For your personal statement, please provide detailed evidence of the following:
- Your experience of working in a fast-paced environment, producing work for senior officials.
- Your experience of negotiations and having had challenging conversations.
- Your experience of delivering outcomes successfully when working under pressure.
Your personal statement will be limited to a maximum of 1,000 words.
The sift is due to take place 15 - 17 July 2024.
Interviews are likely to be held 31 July - 02 August 2024.
This interview could be conducted face to face, details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.
We’ll try to meet the dates we’ve set out in the advert. But there may be occasions when these dates will change. We’ll give you plenty of notice of any important dates.
The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:
- An interview and a written exercise.
If you would like to find out more about what it’s like to work for DVSA and how to apply, we will be holding virtual sessions to find out more. Please click here to secure your place at one of our upcoming events.
The Department for Transport recruits using Success Profiles. For each role, we consider what you need to demonstrate to be successful.
This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
You can read more about Success Profiles here.
Reasonable Adjustments
As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Document 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.
This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.
Further Information
For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.
Pre-employment Checking
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.
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
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.