About the job

Job summary

APHA is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.  

Are you highly organised with excellent communication skills?       

Can you lead others through change and motivate them to reach their full potential? 

Do you have a Can-Do attitude and a methodical approach to organising work?  

If so we would love to hear from you! 

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity to join our Management Team focusing on leadership and supporting the Executive Officer (EO) groups to effectively deliver their commitments.  

You will be responsible for the day-to-day leadership and management of 4 to 5 administrative teams, working collaboratively across Wales with your Delivery Manager colleague, Wales Operations Admin Manager and EO group to prioritise and allocate work effectively, ensuring policies and procedures are followed to meet team targets and wider customer, business and regulatory requirements. 

As a Delivery Manager you will carry out any duties commensurate with the grade and purpose of the post including, but not limited to the following:  

Leadership  

• Function as part of the Management Team, take accountability for the actions of the administrative teams and their work. 

• Proactively and positively adapt to changing circumstances, situations or priorities, ensuring that those in the administrative team understand and identify with the reasons for organisational change. 

• Role model the ‘One Wales ethos’ ensuring that teams work with field and management colleagues to successfully deliver. 

• Support the EOs and their teams to ensure their delivery of work is of the highest quality in an environment in which everyone can and does contribute effectively and that different perspectives are heard. 

Resource and People Management  

• To allocate administrative work and manage resources to enable the Operational Business Unit and Agency to meet overall targets ensuring all staff are clear on expected targets and that procedures and policies are consistently applied and regularly reviewed and improved upon. 

• Be familiar with and implement People Policies and action as appropriate. Proactively manage the performance, conduct and attendance of the administrative team, reviewing performance on a regular basis and establishing performance improvement plans where these are necessary.  

Continuous Improvement and Change  

• To identify, evidence and develop robust proposals for change, considering bigger picture impacts across the Business Unit in order to enhance customer service and delivery to enable effective and efficient use of resource. 

Target Delivery  

• Demonstrate an awareness of potential risks and issues. Use a proactive approach to deal with these, identifying issues, offering solutions and upward reporting as appropriate.  

• Take responsibility for the provision of accurate management information, to be used for upward reporting, business planning and performance management. 

Customer Service  

• Manage and monitor customer service delivered across the Business Unit providing both positive feedback and constructive improvement advice to the administration team as and when required.   

• Ensure the delivery of operational policies, initiatives and services are consistent with the APHA Welsh Language Scheme.

Emergency Response  

• Responsible for ensuring the readiness of regional administrative staff to manage incidents, outbreaks and emergencies.  

• Assist in developing and reviewing contingency and business continuity plans and ensuring that administrative staff are developed to undertake their roles.   

• Ensure the effective and efficient deployment of administrative staff to outbreak activities whilst ensuring that BAU activities are maintained during incidents. 

SHaW  

• In liaison with the SHaW Advisor, ensure that Health and Safety policy and procedure is compliant in administrative offices, reporting any risks and issues to SHaW.   
• Champion wellbeing by carrying out regular Team Wellbeing Reviews, addressing issues raised and escalating when appropriate. 

Person specification

A successful candidate will be expected to display: 

• Excellent communication and influencing skills.  

• Exceptional organisational and prioritisation skills. 

• Resource management skills. 

• The ability to cope well in pressured and changing environments. 

• Collaborative yet decisive leadership, including leading people through change. 

• The ability to hold meaningful, honest conversations about performance, supporting others to do the same. 

• Excellent interpersonal skills - Builds effective relationships with a wide range people. 

• Good IT literacy. 

• The ability to think ahead to anticipate, identify, and address any risks or problems before they occur. 

Learning and Development  

Everyone in APHA is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, our work and our policies. Your line manager will also work with you to establish your priorities for the year, developing a performance, learning and development plan tailored to you and your role. 

In return for your dedication, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training. Inclusion, support and the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA.  

Workplace requirements 

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home.  

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,136, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £8,676 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 500- word personal statement and a 250- word behaviour statement for the lead behaviour, Leadership. 

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

Interview  

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on your experience, behaviours, and strengths   

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.  

For the purposes of the selection process, the Lead Behaviour will be ‘Leadership’ 

Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

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 are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.

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.

Location  

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s)

Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

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.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

For most candidates your hours of work will be a blend of working from an  APHA workplace (specific to the team location) with working at home.   

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 maybe 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.    

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

Open to UK nationals only.

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.