About the job

Job summary

In the Department of Health and Social Care (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 would like to work in, we would love to hear from you.

This is an opportunity to join a team at the heart of the Ministers, Accountability and Strategy (MAS) directorate. MAS comprises: Private Office, Intelligence and Parliamentary; Governance and Accountability; and Strategy, Implementation and Strategic Finance.

This is a unique role that will give you oversight of all these business areas and more. Your primary role will be to support the MAS Senior Civil Servants (SCS), within a directorate that provides day-to-day support to DHSC’s Ministers and Permanent Secretary, provides an interface between DHSC’s leadership board, Arm’s-Length Bodies, Parliament, and the public, and sets future direction to ensure the implementation of key priorities. 

Job description

You will work directly with the MAS Senior Leadership Team and will play an important role in ensuring the Director and Deputy Directors have everything they need to lead their teams effectively and efficiently.

You will lead on diary management, so should be proficient in Microsoft Outlook, and must be confident in challenging appropriately and seeking information to establish the importance of differing requirements.

You will build an extensive network of internal stakeholders, working with teams across the department and engaging with senior leaders daily. You will work closely with the offices of the ministers and the Permanent Secretaries, so should communicate in a clear and concise manner, and demonstrate exemplary written skills.

The nature of the directorate’s work will provide you with a range of opportunities to support your personal and career development. You will develop an understanding of the breadth of work undertaken across the department, particularly operational delivery, policy, strategy, and Parliamentary matters undertaken in our directorate.

Your team works alongside the Head of Corporate Reform, undertaking tasks in a range of business and people matters such as wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, learning and development and reward and recognition.

Person specification

Proactively manage the diary for at least one of the SCS within MAS and provide cover for others on an ad hoc basis. Prioritise tasks, provide clear and concise advice and updates, and cascade messages as appropriate to ensure transparency and that SCS time is utilised effectively and efficiently.

Undertake administration related duties as required, including but not limited to, inbox management, preparing documents, tracking financial spend, and managing organograms. Be adaptable and flexible in your tasks, recognising the importance of your work on the wider directorate.

Track deadlines and monitor progress against requirements, such as in collating returns for the directorate to ensure adherence. Chase, seek information and offer advice where possible to support deadline achievement.  

Take personal responsibility and accountability for your performance. Support colleagues in your own team and the wider unit as required to ensure objectives are met. Work flexibly, primarily within the team but also across the wider unit as required. Be innovative and look for ways to improve our service.

Use appropriate communication skills to handle enquiries in a professional manner. Be confident in engaging with both internal and external stakeholders and in engaging with senior leaders and VIPs. Remain calm and level-headed, even under pressure.

Key skills and experience required for the role

Experience is not required but candidates should demonstrate their ability to:

• Deliver written work with excellent English skills including grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
• Work at pace and to a consistently high standard. Track progress against deadlines, even under pressure.
• Appreciate the importance of delivering a good service. Recognise when this is at risk and take action to address the situation.
• Build relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Be confident in dealing with people in a senior position and be firm but polite in responding to requests.
• Adapt to the diverse needs of different people.
• Be flexible in the work you undertake for the team and the style in which you are asked to work.
• React quickly and proactively to rapidly changing circumstances. Remain calm and level-headed at all times.
• Be proficient in using Microsoft Word and Outlook.

For candidates who have been successful at interview and wish to take up the post, there is the opportunity to undertake a Business Administration Apprenticeship following successful completion of your probation.

Your normal place of work will be your contractual primary workplace, usually either London or Leeds.  Within DHSC we offer non-contractual hybrid working. The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time spent in the office, enabling in person interaction and collaboration and enhancing team working, learning, and support. 

You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas and some travel may be required across the DHSC estate. 

Opportunities for some working from home may be available; other flexible working options may be discussed with the hiring manager in line with individual circumstances and business need. 

There are a limited number of DHSC colleagues who have existing agreed homeworking contracts resulting from Our Future Estate Programme 2023-2024. Colleagues covered by these arrangements are eligible to apply for this role whilst continuing their agreed existing home working arrangement. Occasional travel to DHSC offices or other locations may still be required according to business need. Travel and subsistence will be provided in line with the pre-agreed homeworker arrangements.    

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,079, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £7,311 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 06/05/2024

Interview date: expected W/C 20/05/2024

Interview location: By video. Further details will be released to candidates who are successful at sift. 

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

Applications will be sifted on Statement of Suitability and Behaviours.

Please use your statement of suitability to (in no more than 750 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert. 

An initial sift based on your Statement of Suitability may be held if a large number of applications are received. 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 

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

Please note that applicants will require BPSS clearance. 

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

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

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.

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.

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.

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. 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.