About the job

Job summary

We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates  

At DfE, we are proud of the commitment we make to diversity and inclusion and of the progress we have made. We have active & vibrant staff networks, special leave policies and workplace adjustments put in place for those who need them. We are continuing to build a diverse DfE, in an inclusive environment which nurtures and realises potential in all, at all levels.

Equality and Diversity - Department for Education

In the Data Directorate we are striving to make DfE a data enabled organisation, where we can make decisions that lead to better outcomes for all children, young people, and adults. These are exciting times in our transformation journey at DfE.

The Data Architecture & Governance Division has the primary responsibility for ensuring the best use of data, and for designing at a high level, automated data pipelines and data flows that comprise Data Directorate’s data services, as used within the Department, across the education sector and beyond.

You will be joining a diverse, multidisciplinary division (Data Architects, Solution Architects, Data Modelers, Enterprise Architects and Data Governance colleagues), located across DfE sites. You will get opportunities to learn, grow and lead by supporting teams to make a difference to some of the most fundamental issues in education, skills and social care.

We are looking for four Data Architecture and Governance Support Officers to work across the various streams in the division including Data Governance, Data Quality & Metadata, Enterprise, Solution and Data Architecture and the Programme Management teams. Your role will be to support drafting policies and standards for use across the Department, board secretariat support, commercial and contract management, recruitment and resource management, onboarding of data in the Data Governance platform and the opportunity to develop knowledge and expertise in data, including AI.

Job description

Typical responsibilities across the four roles are:

• Supporting the team in understanding and mapping business processes and data landscapes; supporting our communications strategy by helping draft communications, updating and maintaining the intranet resources and tailoring to audience;
• Lead Secretariat for the Data Governance Assurance Boards including: commissioning papers, producing agendas, minute taking, managing risks, actions, issues and decisions log (RAID), working with Senior stakeholders, and chasing up actions;
• Support development of the Department-wide data management policies, processes and standards;
• Populating and maintaining DfE data catalogue
• Engaging with senior stakeholders across the Department including Data Owners, Data Stewards, technical Subject Matter Experts;
• Support workstream leads in planning, milestone tracking and co-ordinating commissions;
• Support coordination of recruitment processes within the Data Architecture & Governance division, documenting and maintaining the DfE processes through to onboarding and offboarding resources;
• Support commercial and contract management including drafting business cases, tracking statements of work and performance to set deliverables and KPI’s, managing cost models;
• Team player, keen to take on responsibilities outside the core role, dependent on programme demands and deliverables.

Person specification

Essential skills and experience:

• Experience in secretariat duties, providing organised and effective support to the board and committees;
• Experience of one of the following: recruitment; programme/project management and commercial processes, financial planning, forecasting, and resourcing;
• Proven ability and experience of working collaboratively across all levels of the organisation;
• Ability to work with initiative, being proactive, and displaying strong interpersonal skills, excellent communication and superb organisational skills with prioritisation, working to tight deadlines.

 Desirable skills and experience:

• Knowledge and experience in Data Management.

Desirable criteria will only be assessed in the event of a tie break situation to make an informed decision.

Learning and Development opportunity to undertake an apprenticeship within your area of work.

Benefits

Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK, with an average employer contribution of 27%

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.

We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours. 

Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Strengths and Experience.

If you would like to apply for this position, please complete the Civil Service Jobs application form by clicking the "apply now" button at the top or bottom of this advert. On your application, please demonstrate your suitability for the role by detailing how your experience meets the essential.

Stage 1: Application

On the application, please provide a CV and statement of suitability, setting out how this meets the essential skills and experience. Please align both your CV and Statement of Suitability (750 words) to the essential criteria in the responsibilities section, in this advert.

Stage 2: Sift

At sift stage, your application will be considered by a panel who will assess how well your experience is outlined in your CV and Statement of Suitability against the essential criteria. Candidates successful at sift stage will be invited to interview.

Stage 3: Interview

You will be interviewed by a panel which will last for approximately 45 minutes. At interview we will assess your experience and skills through experience and strength based questions and how well you are able to demonstrate experience of the essential criteria.

Sifting to take place w/c 08 January 2024

Interviews to take place w/c 29 January 2024

Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams. If you are invited to interview, please ensure that you have access to this software and that you have your video turned on. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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.