About the job

Job summary

We welcome applications from every part of the community, and we don’t discriminate against any gender identity. We’re especially interested to hear from underrepresented groups in the DfT such as gender diverse, ethnic minority, LGBT+ and disabled candidates.

Do you have a keen eye for detail and take pride in your level of accuracy?

Would you embrace the opportunity to enhance public safety through effective regulation of transporting dangerous goods?

If so, we have an opportunity available within the Dangerous Goods Office and would love to hear from you!

Job description

The primary responsibility of the Dangerous Goods (DG) Consultant is to assess applications for UN packaging approval and come to a decision. This involves liaising with customers and test stations and reviewing test reports to verify compliance with the regulations. 

The DG consultant is responsible for responding to applications in a timely manner and meeting key performance indicators. To aid in this, the role includes line management responsibility over one EO (Executive Officer), who will provide administrative support.

A typical week will involve responding to customer enquiries, ensuring that all questions and concerns are addressed promptly and accurately. Another important task is to provide the Department for Transport (DfT) with expertise in relation to the dangerous goods regulations - for example the potential impact of a change to the packaging requirements. 

This role also includes routine visits to drum reconditioner sites to assess operations and provide necessary guidance. In this role a keen attention to detail is essential. Excellent organisation skills are also necessary, as multiple tasks and projects will need to be managed simultaneously. The role demands a strong customer focus to ensure all customer requirements are addressed promptly and accurately. 

The dangerous goods office is currently undergoing a digitalisation process as part of a VCA-wide digital transformation programme. The VCA has invested heavily to improve work processes and increase efficiency. The postholder will be expected to engage with this programme and will have the chance to influence the way in which the Dangerous Goods Office operates going forwards.

Where the job sits within the Agency 

Dangerous goods are vital to many sectors, such as construction, energy supply, food production, defence, information technology, and the healthcare. Through effective regulation, the Department for Transport (DfT) seeks to minimise the risks in transporting dangerous goods by ensuring they are transported in a way that protects the population and the environment. 

The VCA Dangerous Goods Office (DGO), an executive agency of DfT, is responsible for approving containment systems, ensuring they conform to regulations and are suitable for the safe carriage of dangerous goods. These can range in size from small packaging (boxes, jerrycans, drums etc.), aerosols and gas cylinders through to road tankers and globally used tank containers all come under this remit. Some of the approval streams are issued in-house and others by bodies deemed suitable to undertake test and inspection, for example, of larger tanks and pressure receptacles. Our work includes the assessment, appointment and supervision of suitable inspection and test bodies and providing a central database for the certification of packaging and tanks respectively.

Your duties will include but not limited to;

• Management of the Dangerous Goods Packaging Approval process.
• Managing the priority and issuing of Dangerous Goods Packaging Approval Certificates to target timescales.
• Managing and maintaining the dangerous goods packaging approval database and engaging with the team lead in planning for a replacement system.
• Leading on preparations for the annual certification invoicing run.
• Preparing documents for the Packaging Scheme Review Committee (PSRC), liaising with VCA’s Finance section on accounts matters.
• Arranging a programme of audit visits to packaging reconditioners in the UK and the annual Ministry of Defence (MoD) packaging audit.
• Collectively answering packaging and general queries, by telephone and email.
• Line management responsibilities (currently one member of staff), accountable for training, development, monitoring performance, prioritising and organising the distribution of workload.
• Answer dangerous goods enquiries from industry and the public in a concise, accurate and timely manner.
• Make considered contributions to improve the dangerous goods carriage regime, participating in meetings as appropriate, including overseas if necessary.
• Develop competency in other VCA DGO workstreams sufficient to cover for colleagues when required.
• Work within VCA Quality Management System to ensure high quality standards are maintained.

For more information, please see the role profile attached.

Person specification

About You

Please find below a list of experience relevant to the role, Candidates will be expected to demonstrate their suitability against these in their application and during the assessment:

• Experience of either dangerous goods regulations or packaging, and/or familiarity with legislation.
• The ability to absorb and retain significant amounts of regulatory and technical detail if not already familiar with dangerous goods regulations and/or packaging.
• Experience of target driven front-line management and working to deadlines, in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong attention to detail when checking documentation and accuracy in data entry.
• Ability to deal with enquiries by establishing the background to the enquiry thereby ensuring that appropriate advice is given.
• Customer focused, with the ability to understand and respond to the needs and expectations of both external and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to network showing good communication skills with a good telephone and email manner.
• Good IT skills – Microsoft Word, Adobe, Excel, Outlook, Teams, Access, Adobe

Additional Information

A minimum of 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace.

Benefits

The Vehicle Certification Agency is the designated UK Vehicle Type Approval Authority. We have over 30 years’ experience supporting industry by providing internationally recognised testing and certification for vehicles, their systems and components.

If you would like to read more about VCA and the benefits of working for us, visit our Careers website!

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.

Selection Process

When considering applying please look at how your experience relates to the role, and within your CV and Personal Statement please provide detailed evidence of your experience of the following: 

Your personal statement will be assessed based on your experience in relation to its applicability of this role. The two experience indicators being assessed are:

• Working with and understanding regulations, legislation and technical detail to ensure correct information is provided to stakeholders.
• Experience of target driven front-line management and working to deadlines, in a fast-paced environment.

Your personal statement should be a maximum of 750 words.

Sift and Interview

The sift is due to take place from 18th June 2024.

Interviews are likely to be held from 2nd July 2024. 

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates. 

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:

• An Interview

This interview will be conducted face to face. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within. 

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order 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.  

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website. 

Please note that VCA are unable to offer VISA sponsorship. 

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.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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.