About the job

Job summary

This role can be based in Caernarfon or Pontypridd, where your presence at this location will form part of the working arrangements agreed with you. We operate a hybrid working model with the expectation that you will spend a minimum 60% on a DVSA site or on official business giving you greater flexibility about where and when you work.

Do you have experience of leading and managing a team?

Are you an effective problem solver with the ability to interpret legislation and analyse information from a variety of sources?

Can you influence and communicate with senior officials and stakeholders?

If so, we’d like to hear from you!

Job description

The Hearing Centre Team Manager works within the Office of the Traffic Commissioner (OTC).

The traffic commissioners (TCs) have statutory responsibility for the licensing and regulation of GB based operators of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), light goods vehicles (LGVs) involved in international transport, and buses and coaches (public service vehicles - PSVs), and of those who drive them; the registration of local bus services, adjudication of appeals against the impounding of vehicles operated without a valid operator’s license and other functions.

In this role you will manage a team responsible for preparing casework on Public Inquiry and other hearings. You will be responsible for ensuring that all functions are carried out in an efficient and timely manner so that legislative time scales are adhered to.

The work of the team involves the collation of evidence into public inquiry bundles that are served on parties to the inquiry and ensuring that the TC has all relevant papers in order to make an informed decision.

You will be an effective communicator as the role will involve frequent engagement with parties and legal representatives.

In addition to organising and monitoring the team’s activities the development and mentoring of the team members will be key to this role.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Managing the listing, preparation and management of public inquiry and other hearing cases to be heard by TCs.
• Effective engagement with traffic commissioners and OTC staff in the hearing centre and licensing teams to ensure that a joined-up approach is taken to all functions.
• Ensure that actions arising from hearings are progressed, a clear record is made of the outcome and cases are referred to the relevant OTC teams as appropriate.
• Drafting responses to letters received from stakeholders providing advice and guidance as required.
• Ensuring that resource management is carried out through analysis of volumes of work with resource implications considered and work prioritised as appropriate.
• Providing guidance to staff to support the delivery of objectives. Manage and engage with honesty and integrity, upholding the reputation of the OTC, Agency, Department and Civil Service.
• Maintaining an awareness of external factors (including government business initiatives and current and proposed legislation in relation to commercial activities) which impact the business and communicate such risk information as appropriate.

For further information and responsibilities please find the attached candidate pack.

Person specification

To be successful in this role, you will be an excellent leader and will have experience of managing a team.

• You will have the ability to speak, read and write to customers in Welsh.
• You will have the ability to work well in pressurised working environments and will be able to work at pace, within tight time frames.
• You will be an excellent communicator and will have experience of working with stakeholders of varying seniority levels.
• You will be an effective problem solver and will possess the ability to analyse information from various sources.
• You will also have experience of interpreting complex legislation and have an understanding of the function of courts and tribunals.

Further Information

Whilst we accept applications for those looking for part time work, please note, that there will be a business requirement for successful candidates to work a minimum of 30 hours per week.

Please note, due to the nature of the role candidates must expect travel and overnight stays, as per business requirements.

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

About Us

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) helps keep Britain moving, safely and sustainably. 

We do this by helping people through a lifetime of safe and sustainable journeys, helping them keep their vehicles safe to drive, and protecting them from unsafe drivers and vehicles. 

We’re working hard to:  

• Make roads safer.
• Improve services for our customers.
• Make road transport greener and healthier.
• Harness the potential of technology and data.
• Grow and level up the economy.

We’re committed to giving all our colleagues purpose, professionalism and pride in what we do. We work in supportive, diverse and inclusive teams where everyone is valued. You can grow, develop and progress, and make a real difference to society. 

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice and welcome and encourage applications from everyone, such as ethnic minorities, women, disabled people and those who identify as LGBT+. 

Benefits

• An environment with flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.
• Exceptional pension with an employer contribution of an average of 27%.
• Generous Annual Leave - 25 days holiday, increasing by 1 each year of service, up to 30.
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
• Latest IT and Tech devices.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
• Excellent learning and development tailored to your role including paid apprenticeships up to Masters level.
• Wide range of discounts schemes on high street names.
• Employee assistance program for health and wellbeing.
• Cycle to work scheme and Gym membership offers.
• For more information see visit our careers page.

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, Ability and Experience.

As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a CV and Personal Statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

For your Personal Statement, please provide detailed evidence of the following:

• Experience of organising and leading a team.
• Experience of working well under pressure to meet set deadlines.
• Experience of where you have communicated effectively and have tailored your communication style to meet the requirements of a particular audience.
• Experience of where you have analysed and interpreted information, including the interpretation of complex legislation, and from this have made recommendations or have identified associated risks.

Your Personal Statement will be limited to a maximum of 1000 words.

Sift and Interview Dates

The sift is due to take place on 14/3/24 & 15/3/24.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held from 27/3/24.

This interview could be conducted via a video interview, details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview. 

We’ll try to meet the dates we’ve set out in the advert. But there may be occasions when these dates will change. We’ll give you plenty of notice of any important dates. 

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include: 

• An interview.
• A translation written exercise (measuring your ability to translate Welsh to English and English to Welsh).

Please note, for the translation exercise, we will be measuring your ability to read and write in Welsh.

If you would like to find out more about what it’s like to work for DVSA and how to apply, we will be holding virtual sessions to find out more. Please click here to secure your place at one of our upcoming events. 

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the candidate pack attached, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within. 

The Department for Transport recruits using Success Profiles. For each role, we consider what you need to demonstrate to be successful.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

You can read more about Success Profiles here.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document 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.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

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 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.