About the job

Job summary

The Government Office for Science works at the heart of Government, ensuring policies and decisions are informed by the best scientific evidence and strategic long-term thinking. It's an exciting time to join the organisation; we have outstanding and high-profile positions providing you an opportunity to inform and influence policy-making and the systems for use of science and engineering across government. If you are highly motivated and looking for your next career challenge, we want to hear from you. 

  Our mission is: 

1. Science advice mechanisms that are efficient, effective, speak truth to power and are embedded irreversibly in Government systems. 
2. Visible impact through both pro-active and demand-led science advice that is relevant, excellent, and delivered fit for purpose. 

Further information can be found here: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/government-office-for-science 

We strongly believe diversity of experience, thought, perspectives, skills, and background makes us a more innovative, welcoming Department, thus making better decisions and better delivering our objectives.  We are actively seeking applications from every part of the community and particularly welcome applications from candidates of any age, background, disability, or from an ethnic minority background and any other protected characteristics.  This will help us move to a workforce that reflects the people we serve to deliver better policies.  

We are a friendly, inclusive team and emphasise personal development. We will ensure individuals with disabilities are provided adjustments to participate in the job application and interview process. We support your wellbeing by putting flexible working at the heart of our offer.; if successful, you will be able to discuss working arrangements with your new manager. 

We maintain an internal surge capability of staff who may be called at short notice to support an activation of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE).

Training and support will be provided. This is an excellent opportunity to develop crisis management skills. 

Job description

GO-Science Corporate Centre plays a crucial role in supporting the effective running of the organisation, ensuring we get the basics right so that our teams can operate effectively whilst delivering some of governments highest priorities. This role brings variety and interesting challenge with an opportunity to work across teams and with various stakeholders, playing a key role in supporting the senior leadership team to deliver.

It’s an interesting time to join GO-Science as we adapt to new ways of working across multiple sites, and work towards our updated set of priorities following our business planning process.

Person specification

Key responsibilities:

The successful candidates will be critical in ensuring that the Senior Leadership in GO-Science is in the right place, at the right time to achieve their goals and that GO-Science remains an excellent organisation.  The roles will also act as the primary point of contact for their Divisions on Corporate matters, ensuring that their teams can access the right Financial, HR and Estates guidance and taking direct responsibility for a range of corporate functions.  The post holder will be responsible for a wide range of administrative duties including:  • Building and maintaining key team resources to improve efficiency and maintain compliance e.g. Diary forward looks, staff leave trackers, inputs into gifts & hospitality register. • Ensure data from your Deputy Divisions is stored and processed in line with DSIT policy and GDPR regulations, including managing SharePoint access and files, distribution lists, meeting invites, mailboxes, organisational diagrams, and staffing lists. • Coordinate and support with correspondence requests, including Parliamentary Questions, Freedom of Information requests, and Urgent Questions.  • Act as Financial Point of Contact for the deputy division, which is to include holding a Government Procurement Card and raising purchase orders on the SAP system for services and goods, receipting appropriately and in a timely manner. • Coordinate and support with completing financial reports to strict deadlines. • Provide support to staff remotely in all GO-Science locations, ensuring they have access to the right tools, support, and guidance to deliver, escalating to seniors when needed.  • Diary management for up to 3 Deputy Directors, including travel and visitor support. • Support teams to organise and coordinate meetings and events  • Attend and contribute to team meetings as required, including presenting reports and updates on areas of responsibility. • Provide administrative support to cross-cutting GO-Science corporate projects. • Cover for other Executive Assistants, providing you with development and exposure to other areas of Science & Technology, when required.  The work will be varied and may shift over time, providing excellent opportunity for development. GO-Science's values of Kindness, Integrity, Openness and Collaboration drive focus on learning and development, meaning successful candidates will have access to meaningful, high-quality training. Successful applicants will be expected to upskill on Civil Service corporate skills and maintain these, ensuring continuous professional development.  Skills and experiences: Essential criteria  You will be highly organised, flexible and resilient, able to plan, organise and work well under pressure, managing conflicting demands and the multi-faceted elements of this role effectively. Have the ability to learn quickly, take the initiative, and work both autonomously and within a team. You will have effective and confident communication skills - an ability to liaise with staff at all levels effectively and communicate with clarity and confidence.   Desirable criteria Experience of raising and managing purchasing orders within government or other sectors. Experience of managing diaries for senior leaders

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £26,325, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £7,107 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.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement.

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

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 750 words) to address your suitability for the role in relation to the Essential criteria.

Applications will be sifted on CV and personal statement.

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the CV. 

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

The interview will consist of behaviour and strength-based questions.  

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c w/c 29/07/2024

Interview dates: w/c 05/08/2024

Interview Location: MS Teams.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Further Information

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

We fully support adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

We do not have an exhaustive list of adjustments that we support but just some examples include additional time to complete your application form, behaviour questions up to 72 hours prior to interview and having extra time at interview.

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

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

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

A location-based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home). 

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.

DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland 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. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk 

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.

Feedback

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.