About the job

Job summary

https://youtu.be/rVaPVTGV3oA

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

In Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

1. We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health.
2. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact recruitment.sfso@education.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
3. Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” 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.

Our teams are based across several offices, and we are currently offering a hybrid working arrangement with an expectation that the successful candidate will work from their ‘home’ office 60% of their working week. Whilst we aim to be flexible with working hours and location, please ensure you live within a commutable distance of your selected office locations.

About the role

This is a post within the Finance and Directorate Support Team in the Finance and Provider Market Oversight (FPMO) Directorate

The role will primarily focus on the directorate’s finance activities but will also include other activities relating to governance and secretariat.  In addition to working alongside colleagues in the Finance and Directorate Support Team, the post-holder will be required to work closely with senior colleagues in other parts of FPMO.

Job description

• Leading on the processing of purchase orders, invoices and accruals
• Monitoring and investigating problems with ‘on hold’ invoices
• Contributing to developing mechanisms to improve the way our finance processes work
• Working closely with operational finance colleagues to support with divisional financial reporting
• Assisting with arrangements for a range of internal governance meetings, ensuring that commissions are managed in an efficient and effective manner
• Supporting other personal assistants in FPMO with diary management for Deputy Directors, and when required helping to manage Deputy Directors’ inboxes to ensure that communication and work is effectively prioritised, delivered, and distributed as appropriate.
• Providing secretariat support for the Senior Leadership Team
• Supporting colleagues in the business planning team as requested
• Prepare meeting papers, obtaining background papers, briefing notes, etc and liaising with meeting organisers or others to ensure your Director or Deputy Director has everything they require.

About the Apprenticeship

This is an excellent opportunity to gain a Level 3 apprenticeship in Business Administration.

To be eligible:

• 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.
• You have a degree (or equivalent) in Business Administration or similar
• 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.

If you are unsure of your eligibility, please review the content of the apprenticeship standard on the IfATE website: Business administrator / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education and assess whether your previous learning has already covered much of this content. If it has, you’re unlikely to be eligible for the apprenticeship.

Person specification

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate experience of the following essential criteria:

• Strong organisational skills
• Ability to plan ahead and anticipate forthcoming activities
• Ambition to work on finance activities
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to engage effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders
• Ability to work flexibly across a range of priority areas, independently and as part of a team
• Ability to work effectively to deadlines and keep calm under pressure

Does this sound like you? If so we would love to hear from you.

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 and Experience.

Application

To apply for this role, you will be asked to provide a CV and a statement of suitability (max 1000 words). We will assess your Experience using your CV and statement, against the essential criteria set out in the advert. 

Ensure your CV includes employment history, showcases your roles, responsibilities, and key achievements. 

You should use the personal statement as an opportunity to highlight how you meet the essential criteria listed in the 'Person Specification' section of the advert.

You may wish to include examples of how you have tackled similar tasks or demonstrated the skills outlined in the job advertisement. Sometimes experience can be transferable from a non-work context. Skills gained through voluntary work or a hobby, such as teamwork or communication, can demonstrate the experience required for the role. It is worth considering using the STAR technique to help structure your responses (situation, task, action and result). Whatever structure you end up using, ensure your answers focus on the actions and your transferrable skills.

Interview

If you are successful in reaching interview stage you will be invited to a video based interview assessing your Behaviours and Experience against the essential criteria. 

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview. Interviews will take place via a Microsoft teams video call.

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.   

For this role the department would not consider sponsoring a Certificate of Sponsorship/visa. Please note we are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.

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. 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.