About the job

Job summary

In Defra, we address a vast range of issues that profoundly impact on people’s lives. We are responsible for England’s environment, our countryside and rural economy, the food and farming sectors and lead responsibility for protection from natural threats and hazards.

This role sits in the Resources and Waste Directorate.

Resources and Waste goes to the heart of how society interacts with goods and services, from material extraction, industrial production through to how materials are ultimately managed as waste. Material resource use is fundamental to how our society functions and is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions as well as other environmental impacts such as biodiversity loss. The 2018 Resources and Waste Strategy signals the path for England to become a world leader in using resources efficiently and reducing the amount of waste it produces and associated greenhouse gas emissions.

The Resources & Waste Analysis and Science Division is a friendly, multidisciplinary team of economists, statisticians, scientists, operational researchers, and social researchers working together to provide scientific and analytical advice and support for current and future policy making. 

As Head of Strategic Evidence and Analysis, you will be in a key leadership role. You will be responsible for a talented team of 20 science, social research and statistics professionals ensuring they continue to have the tools and resource to delivery against policy priorities.

You will be responsible for strategic oversight of a multi-million-pound R&D programme, a monitoring and evaluation programme for a national strategy and a government major project, directorate data and evidence strategies and a wide portfolio of statistical publications, including national statistics. You will also lead a new work programme developing delivery pathways against key policy commitments.

You will ensure your team has the right specialist skill mix to meet immediate needs whilst also anticipating future needs, working closely with senior policy and analytical colleagues to ensure they support policy priorities. You will identify opportunities to bring together specialist skills across the team, wider department and government and other relevant stakeholders to deliver these. You will provide senior analytical/scientific review and sign off across the team.   

You will be an excellent communicator, explaining technical scientific and analytical a non-technical audience of senior decision makers and Ministers. You will ensure policy options and advice follow the evidence and are based on high quality analysis to enable effective decisions to be made.

Job description

In this post you will:

Be a visible senior leader, setting the strategic direction for the Directorate through high quality evidence and analysis to support policy design, development, and delivery. Working closely with fellow evidence & analysis G6s and DD to ensure effective prioritisation and alignment of work programme across the division and wider directorate.

Be an effective manager, prioritising the learning, development and wellbeing needs of your team to progress their careers and deliver quality advice for policy.

Own key programmes of work, including R&D, monitoring and evaluation and data strategies, ensuring they deliver on time, quality and, where appropriate, cost. You will be responsible for these areas of work in the Directorates programme governance.  

Be a great collaborator. You will work closely with colleagues across Defra’s evidence community, other Departments and outside of government to delivery high quality, policy relevant research.

Use your communication and influencing skills to ensure policy decisions are based on the sound use of evidence and analysis.

If you are new to Resources & Waste policy, there are a wide range of learning and development opportunities designed to support your knowledge and understanding.

Some of the responsibilities may be reviewed as we confirm our ways of working as a newly formed division and analytical leadership team.

Person specification

Personal specification

We are searching for a Head of Strategy Evidence and Analysis with a strong record of leading and managing large, multidisciplinary teams and experience of working in fast-paced environments (such as policy delivery).

You will have excellent interpersonal skills and be a trusted senior leader, with the credibility to influence and challenge effectively to gain consensus on complex areas of policy development and delivery. You will have excellent verbal and written communication skills and be able to present complex technical science and analysis to a diverse, non-specialist audience, including senior policy officials and Ministers.

With exceptional collaborative skills, you will confidently engage to build constructive relationships within your own team, colleagues and senior leaders across the Defra, other departments, external stakeholders, and academia to deliver better policy outcomes.

You will have experience of delivering large programmes of work, including R&D management and monitoring and evaluation alongside developing and implementing medium to long-term strategies.   

You will have experience managing statistical and data teams and ensuring compliance with the statistics codes of practice.

Essential criteria:

You will have substantive experience in the following areas:

• Leading and managing a large, multidisciplinary team of science and analytical specialists to deliver high quality outputs to support near and longer-term policy priorities, adapting the specialist skills in your team according to business need
• Communicating complex, technical information to senior leaders, Ministers and stakeholders, utilising evidence, and analysis to steer effective decision making
• Experience of successfully leading and delivering multiple, large-scale, and cross-cutting programmes of work such as research and development, monitoring and evaluation, statistical reporting, developing data strategies etc
• Collaborating with a wide range of colleagues (e.g., policy, other specialists, other departments, external experts, industry leaders etc) to deliver shared goals
• Current membership, or technical background capable of meeting one of governments core analytical or science professions (GSR, GORS, GSS, GSE)
• Membership of Government Science and Engineering, Operational Research, Statistics or Social Research Profession

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £62,605, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £16,903 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, Experience and Technical skills.

Application Process 

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete: 

• A CV detailing your career history (including any relevant qualifications. Your CV will be used for information only)
• A Personal Statement (max. 1000 words) demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the job description, responsibilities, and about you
• GSR assessment prior to interview (if not already badged), presentation at interview to demonstrate technical skills for all professions
• x3 Behaviours statements (max. 250 words per statement) - Leadership, Working together & Communicating & Influencing 
• Technical - Skills to satisfy the G6 requirements for the relevant profession

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

Sift

The sift panel will use the information in your CV, Personal Statement, GSR assessment & Behaviour statements to assess your experience and knowledge.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using CV and Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Sifting is likely to occur w/c 15th January 2024.

These dates are indicative only. 

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on behaviours and experience, which will also include a presentation to demonstrate technical skills for all professions. Further details on the assessment will be provided if you are successful at application stage.

Interview dates to be confirmed.

Interviews to be held via video link.

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.

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.

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. 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.