About the job

Job summary

The agriculture, food and drink industry is the UK's largest manufacturing industry.  This is an exciting opportunity to join the Agri-Food Chain Directorate in Defra and play a leadership role in the Food Data, Standards and Sustainability Division.  As Team Leader for Food Information and Labelling you will be the expert on food information and labelling policy: you will motivate and inspire your five person team to help give consumers confidence in the food they buy and maintain food standards and a level playing field for businesses. 

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.

The Defra group is dedicated to having a diverse workforce which represents people in our communities and an inclusive culture where everyone feels they can be their authentic self at work, belong in the organisation and can speak up to challenge others when needed. We want everyone to be able to contribute to the success of our organisation, regardless of your background. 

Job description

You will lead on domestic food information legislation, as well as setting direction on the UK’s approach to international standards in the area. Food labelling is frequently covered in the press and parliamentary activity and is often seen as a tool to deliver other policies. Food labelling in the UK changed when we left the EU, and could change further, and it plays a role in implementing arrangements in Northern Ireland including the Windsor Framework.

The team has recently helped shape work on the Government Food Strategy, led on drafting an International Standard on Food Labelling, ongoing Brexit related work (e.g. implementation of the NIP and now the Windsor Framework), Retained EU Law Bill, Obesity Strategy and food supply issues arising from the war in Ukraine and from Avian Influenza.

The scope of this role is therefore broad and can be very time critical. You will support Ministers and senior managers by working with other policy colleagues, lawyers, analysts, businesses and those that enforce regulations to propose solutions to challenges. You will consult with others and work with the Devolved Administrations to implement solutions.  

Person specification

You will need a proven track record of leading others (ideally a team) often under pressure, by exemplifying honesty, integrity, impartiality and objectivity. You will be able to plan and prioritise effectively to meet deadlines, respond quickly to changing demands, with the confidence to take quick decisions often without comprising the quality of work. 

You will be an excellent collaborator with your own team and being someone who knows how to manage any tensions that arise, setting a culture that inspires and motivates them to be fully engaged in their work and be dedicated to their role.

This is also a technical role requiring you to get up to speed quickly with legislation and use economic analysis and social research within a policy setting. You will therefore be able to work across complex policy areas, with creative problem solving and propose new solutions, while being live to key risks. And you will need to communicate this confidently and concisely to a range of audiences.

You will also be someone who is comfortable working flexibly across boundaries to deliver shared objectives. You will have evidence that you have built and managed relationships with a range of groups.

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership (lead behaviour)
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £52,120, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £14,541 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.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and 4 Behaviour Statements (Leadership (lead behaviour), Seeing the Big Picture, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing).

For the Behaviour Statements you should familiarise yourself with the person specification and the relevant behaviours set out in Success Profiles (opens in a new window) to help you best describe how your skills and experience show that you are suitable for this role. You will need to be able to provide strong examples of the behaviours listed. 

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

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using just the lead behaviour of Leadership. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Sift and interview dates as well as the interview location to be confirmed.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on the Behaviours listed.

A pre-prepared presentation may also be included as part of the interview to help test one or more of the listed behaviours.

Interviews to be held via MS Teams.

Location

Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Candidates applying for these roles will be based at one of the Defra hubs as advertised.  

For information, our core Defra hub locations are:

• York – the Kings Pool
• Newcastle – Lancaster House
• Bristol – Horizon House (Please note that space at this office is limited and it may not be possible for all Policy roles to be recruited to this location)
• London – 2 Marsham Street

Internal (core Defra) employees can apply for this role and choose to remain in their current location or to be based in one of the advertised locations.

All other applicants will be based in one of the advertised locations.Our current office attendance approach requires 60% attendance in Defra group workplaces or off site meetings with partners and customers. This balance provides thriving workplaces to connect with colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs balanced with personal flexibility and choice. 

Travel and subsistence will not be paid for travel to a base office location.

Reserve List

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

Near Miss 

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Defra which may be at a lower grade, but have a potential skills match.

Merit Lists

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.

Salary 

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

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 defrarecruitment.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. 

Accessibility

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

Criminal Record Check

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. 

Internal Fraud Database Check

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.

Full Time Only

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying. 

Higher Security Clearance 

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer. 

Childcare Vouchers 

Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. 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 counter-terrorist 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.