About the job

Job summary

In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you’d like to work in, we’d love to hear from you.

The post holder will work in the Office of the Data Protection Officer (ODPO) which has responsibility for all aspects of data protection law and practice.

Compliance with data protection legislation (United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UKGDPR) and the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018) places considerable demands on the organisation, requiring an increase in the level of resource at HEO grade to support and deliver key requirements of the legislation, as well as the organisational policies and procedures that need to be in place as part of our essential corporate functions.

We are a motivated, friendly and supportive team that sits within the Workspace, Information, Security and Technology Directorate and work with the whole Department, our arms-length bodies (ALBs) and across Government.

This is a hybrid role with an expectation that the successful candidates will spend at least 60% of their working week in their chosen office location.

Job description

This is a highly rewarding, important role which is diverse in nature and involves handling Individual Rights requests, supporting DHSC and its Agencies’ wider compliance with the UK GDPR, DPA and Information Management protocols and contributing to and providing support for the wider team and corporate initiatives.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, diligent individual with excellent communication and organisational skills.

Person specification

• Manage responses to individual rights’ requests in compliance with the legislative deadline, ensuring responses are timely and accurate
• Liaise as necessary with other teams across the organisation to respond to Individual Rights requests
• Data Breach investigations & reporting
• Managing the Data Protection mailbox; providing high quality & timely policy advice and guidance to DHSC colleagues and the public
• Develop and maintain a sound knowledge and understanding of UK GDPR, DPA, and related good practice
• Ensure effective liaison as necessary with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), DHSC Legal Services, Freedom of Information (FOI) Team, HR and policy teams
• Keep accurate and accessible records and statistics

Due to the nature of the post and the considerable degree of sensitivity of the information assets to which the post-holder will have access, national security vetting to SC level is a requirement of the role.

Key skills and experience required for the role

• Good communication skills, both written and oral, and the ability to explain complex issues and adapt your communications to meet the needs of different audiences
• An ability to build and maintain strong relationships with a range of stakeholders to achieve desired outcomes
• Adapt positively and with energy to changed priorities and/or unforeseen demands
• Excellent planning and organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise your work effectively
• Ability to work at pace
• Ability to work with and manage sensitive data with diplomacy, professionalism and confidentiality
• An ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Good team working skills, happy to communicate what you are doing and help out when other work areas become busy
• Good Microsoft Office application skills
• Contribute to and provide support for wider team and corporate initiatives
• Demonstrate support and enthusiasm for new ways of working

We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers better outcomes.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of UK GDPR
• Delivery in a similar operational or project role in a complex and diverse organisation

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,188, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £8,690 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.

Sift date: W/C 19/02/2024 

Interview date: expected W/C 04/03/2024

Interview location: By video

The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores. 

Applications will be sifted on CV and Statement of Suitability.

Please use your CV to set out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role. These can be found in the ‘key skills and experience required for the role’ section of the advert.

Please use your Statement of Suitability to (in no more than 1000 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert.

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

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

At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviours and Strengths.

To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here and to find out more information on how to apply visit the Civil Service Careers Website here 

Further Information

Applicants who are appointable but were not successful in appointment to this vacancy, may be held on a reserve list for up to 12 months, and contacted if similar vacancies become available. 

Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate. 

Please note that applicants will require SC clearance. For SC clearance, candidates must have been a resident in the UK for the past 5 years.

Any move to DHSC from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

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 dhscrecruitment.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.

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.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

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.

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 role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Terms and Conditions

Candidates should note that DHSC’s Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful. 

New Entrants to the Civil Service

New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions:

• Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
• Privilege Leave: 1 day - for the King’s birthday
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months’ full pay and five months’ half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Probation: 6 month probation period

Existing Civil Service staff transferring from another Government department, on either level transfer or promotion

All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above). 

Existing DHSC staff, appointed on either level transfer or promotion

If DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSC’s pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.