About the job

Job summary

This is an exciting time to join the Covid-19 Inquiry Response Unit within the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) as our team grows to support the response to the Covid-19 Inquiry.  

The Covid-19 Response Unit works at pace to support and deliver the department’s response to the Covid-19 Inquiry. Our team is dedicated to upholding our duty of candour to the Inquiry and working with stakeholders to provide relevant material which enables the Inquiry to examine the UK’s response to and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.  

As part of the team, you will work with policy teams across the department and with external legal and technical teams, to identify and collate relevant records and ensure they are securely transferred to our data processor for review. This is a stretching role with significant opportunity to shape your own work.  

You will support the team with operational delivery but will also support the wider directorate by acting as a primary point of contact for Information Management related matters. 

This is a unique opportunity to develop a broad range of skills, from technical and Knowledge and Information Management (KIM) to operational delivery, in a supportive and growing team. 

The Inquiry is structured in Modules. For more information about the Inquiry please refer to the following website. 

Job description

Your role will be at the centre of the team and cover a range of areas, including: 

• Helping to create searching strategies and searching data repositories (SharePoint, Outlook, OneDrive) using Microsoft eDiscovery to identify, collate and export records and securely transfer them to our data processor. 
• Engaging with key internal stakeholders and external technical and legal teams to drive forward projects and deliver on Modules. 
• Organising meetings both in the office and over Microsoft Teams. 
• Taking ownership of information and permissions management through Teams and SharePoint, managing access, and ensuring KIM best practices with record-keeping. 
• Designing SharePoint content for our internal team’s site and our department-facing communication site using Power BI. 
• Supporting the wider team to deliver at pace, jumping in on tasks when needed, such as Material Provider Reviews where we work with policy and legal teams to redact documents prior to disclosure. 
• Taking on a corporate contribution of supporting the wider Information Management responsibilities of the directorate.  

Person specification

Essential Criteria 

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate capability in the following areas:  

• Exposure or proficiency in using Microsoft eDiscovery, Azure, and SharePoint/MS Teams Admin Centre, and Power BI.  
• Ability to work independently or collaboratively with a range of stakeholders and communicate in a way that is tailored to your audience. 
• Experience working cross-departmentally, or with external contractors, to problem solve.  
• Proactive with strong organisational and time management skills. 
• Ability to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances and balance competing priorities whilst remaining focused on delivering high quality work. 
• Willingness to be flexible and a team player.

Desirable Criteria 

• An aptitude and enthusiasm for learning and developing new technical skills.  
• An interest in getting the best use out of the technology available to the Department. 
• Project delivery experience. 
• An ability to help others understand technical information. 

Personal Attributes & Skills 

• A strong team player and communicator, who is comfortable working in a fast-paced environment on a wide variety of subjects, tasks, and activities. 
• Keen to develop both technical and interpersonal skills, showing interest in innovation and building connections. 
• An ability to work independently under your own initiative. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,858, Department for Business and Trade contributes £8,871 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 and Experience.

Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually. We will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception.

Please ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:   

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.
• A Personal Statement of 750 words explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential criteria.

It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 3-5 weeks after the closing date though this is subject to change.

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift will be conducted on the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

Vetting

The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.   

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. In order to request an adjustment: 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. 

Alternatively contact the Government Recruitment Service at DBTrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.  

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

Candidate Support

You may want to join a virtual Candidate Support Session. These sessions include helpful tips and advice on the recruitment process, from application to interview.  

Please see attached Candidate Pack for further information on: Diversity and Inclusion; Benefits; Learning and Development; Working Patterns and what we deliver as a department. 

Further Information:

• A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve Lists will be for each location and appointments made in merit order based on location preferences.   
• Any move to the Department for Business and Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.
• The Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.  
• 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. Any applicant who has 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.  
• Terms and Conditions are attached.  Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
• Please note – the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland/Access NI 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. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk 

For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email accessni@ani.x.gsi.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 security 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.