The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is a small government department with a big mission: to keep food safe, ensure that it is what it says it is, and that is increasingly healthy and more sustainable. The organisation’s Northern Ireland office operates adjacent to the FSA in Britain and Wales, and as such takes on a lot of important duties separate from our wider operation.

We’re looking for an Executive Support Officer who can help us implement smooth running operations in our Northern Ireland offices. The demands of the role are deeply varied and entail a wide range of activities from the production of documents to the delivery of responses to stakeholders. Your robust support will enable us to better deliver our work and continue to protect the health of those in Northern Ireland and the wider UK.

You will liaise with colleagues from across relevant areas of the FSA’s Northern Ireland remit, as well as external stakeholders including local authorities and other government departments. From data management to the provision of support at internal and external meetings, you will be actively involved in helping the FSA run smoothly.

You will be motivated and organised, and capable of delivering against a number of concurrent targets while working at pace. If you are an enthusiastic communicator who is excited to collaborate with colleagues throughout the FSA, apply to join us as an Executive Support Officer today.

Please read the attached Candidate Pack to discover further details about the role, our organisation, who we are looking for and the criteria we will assess against during the selection process.

We look forward to receiving your application and wish you every success.

Full details of the selection process are detailed in the attached candidate pack. 

Application and shortlisting

You will be asked to provide personal details (not seen by the Panel) and to confirm your eligibility to apply for the role.

Ability: You will be asked to complete an online Civil Service judgement test and, if successful, will proceed to the rest of the application. 

You will then be asked to complete an application which will be used to assess you against the following essential criteria.

Essential criteria

Experience

·         Lead criteria: Examine complex information and obtain further information to make accurate decisions.   

·      Express ideas effectively, both orally and in writing, and with sensitivity and respect for others.

·      Take ownership of team and individual development by identifying capability needs and consistently achieving development objectives.

·      Work with the team to set priorities, create clear plans and manage all work to meet the needs of the customer and the business.

Lead Criteria An initial sift will take place on the Lead Criteria.

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, the minimum pass mark for the Lead Criteria may be raised at shortlisting stage. Candidates who apply under the DCS, GPTW or RIS schemes and meet the minimum requirements will be unaffected by the pass mark raise.

Interview

If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to a final interview in which we will assess you against the following Experience requirements of the role and Civil Service Behaviours (Level 2).

Behaviours

·         Making Effective Decisions

·         Communicating and Influencing

·         Working Together

·         Delivering at Pace

Full details of the positive indicators being assessed for each Behaviour can be found in the Candidate Pack.

Experience

·         Examine complex information and obtain further information to make accurate decisions.

Expected Timeline

Advert closes: 06 August 2024

Sift: Expected to take place 07 – 09 August 2024

Final panel interview: Expected to take place week commencing 19 August 2024

Interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams. (If you do not have the Microsoft Teams application installed on your computer, you can join on the web without installing the application).

Please note that indicated dates may be subject to change.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to the Food Standards Agency 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

Reserve List

A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

Candidates that do not pass the interview, but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that the FSA does not hold a licence to sponsor any visa applications and we are unable to provide any advice about visas.