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 

Prevent is part of CONTEST, the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy. The aim of Prevent is to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. We do this by challenging terrorist ideology, supporting vulnerable people, and supporting sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation.

The Department for Education plays a crucial role in this government-wide strategy. These are high-profile roles that form an important part of how the Department directly supports education settings with advice and guidance on how to implement their responsibilities, respond to concerns and drive continuous improvement to protect young people and learners from radicalisation.

This role is based in the Department’s Counter-Extremism and Non-School Education Division (CENSED) in the Prevent Policy and Delivery Unit (PPDU) and will involve supporting the range of teams and functions within PPDU, but primarily supporting the frontline delivery team.

The frontline delivery team works closely with both internal and external Prevent practitioners, including Department for Education Regional Prevent Coordinators (RPCs) and Local Authority employed Prevent Education Officers (PEOs) to ensure support to young people and learners, and effective implementation of the Prevent programme in education settings across the country.

Job description

Frontline Delivery:

• Lead on the support and professionalisation of Local Authority employed Prevent Education Officers (PEOs)
• Introducing and inducting new PEOs into the network as and when required and updating mailing and distribution lists in line with new starters and people departing the network.
• Acting as one of two DfE points of contact for the PEO network – responding to queries and concerns from individuals within the network in a timely manner.
• Organising training and continued professional development (CPD) events for PEOs including supporting the organisation and facilitation of the annual ‘Prevent in Education Conference’.
• Supporting PEOs in the arranging and facilitating of regional quarterly PEO meetings including attending the meetings and taking minutes along with other Department representatives.
• Commissioning and analysing the PEO quarterly narrative reports and feeding back to stakeholders about the findings of each quarter, and using the data within the reports to feed into the Department’s support and management of the PEO network.
• Working with the SEO Senior Prevent Delivery Officer in supporting and developing plans to broaden the DfE’s engagement and support to all Local Authorities in England.
• Designing and producing a monthly newsletter for the PEO network to update them on key changes and developments within the Prevent and Counter-Terrorism/Counter-Extremism space, including pulling together relevant content and using the E-Shot platform to design and send the newsletter.

Apprenticeship

As this role includes completion of the Business Administration Apprenticeship (Level 3) please check the eligibility requirements below using the apprenticeship standard: Business administrator / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education 

• You must have lived in the UK for 3 years prior to apprenticeship start date and not be undertaking another apprenticeship at the same time.
• You must not already have a substantial amount of the skills and knowledge that is covered in the contents of the apprenticeship standard.
• You must not have already worked in a similar role, or your previous learning, and/or work experience covers the contents (Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours) of the apprenticeship standard.

Please do not apply if:

• You already have all the skills and knowledge that is covered in the contents of the apprenticeship standard.
• You have already worked in a similar role, or your previous learning, and/or work experience covers the contents (Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours) of the apprenticeship standard.
• Part of this apprenticeship is to complete a level 2 English and maths functional skills qualification. If you have already achieved GCSEs in English and maths at Level 4 (grade C) or equivalent or a higher grade, you will not need to complete the functional skills qualification.

 At the enrolment stage, the individual's eligibility will be checked by the training provider.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Understanding of Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, Outlook.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to prioritise workloads.
• Ability to work at pace, flexibly and reprioritise where necessary to achieve successful outcomes.
• Build positive and effective networks and relationships (this will be required for both across the team and with the Local Authority Networks);
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to convey messages clearly and concisely and with attention to detail.

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 Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Applicant Support

Please visit the below webinars for further information and support in completing your application and preparing for an interview:

• How to craft a well written job application in the UK Civil Service
• Crafting a CV that stands out in the UK Civil Service
• Writing a personal statement in the UK Civil Service
• How to ace interviews in the public service

Application Stage

At the application stage, we will assess Experience and behaviours. To do this, we will ask you to provide your CV, a Personal Statement (500 words max) and examples of the how you demonstrate the behaviours required for this role.

Candidates will be sifted on their experience using their CV and personal statement and on the following behaviours (max 250 words each):

• Communicating and Influencing and
• Working Together

Your personal statement should display how your experience meets the essential criteria of the role, listed in the Person Specification section. If we receive a large number of applications, we will sift using the CV and Personal Statement.

Interview Stage

The interview will involve behaviour and strength-based questions. The behaviours assessed at interview will include:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Developing Self and others

Other Information 

We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates. 

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas. 

The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.    

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 circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated. 

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. 

Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location. 

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. 

Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs 

Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum. 

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual. 

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information. 

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 Department of Education via centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk 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. 

Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming 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/ 

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.