About the job

Job summary

The role of the Lead Business Analyst is to lead and co-ordinate a team of Business Analysts across a group of projects delivering Digital Services within the Biosecurity, Borders and Trade Programme. The work required is a key component of the Project within the Portfolio and enables a technical solution to become an End-to-End Digital Service for users. The critical path for delivering checks at our borders is dependent on Business Readiness and Business change being in place, this role will manage the input for those workstreams.

The successful candidate will ensure alignment and coherence of changes being undertaken across multiple Digital Delivery project teams in DEFRA ensuring efficiency of processes and ways of working that enable the provision of an improved Digital Service for users as a part of the UK Borders 2025 Strategy.

We can only achieve our purpose through the skill, dedication, and professionalism of our people. You deserve to feel valued, rewarded and connected to the work you do - so through our People Strategy, we’re committed to making DEFRA an inclusive environment that engages, motivates, and ensures a better place to work for everyone.

Job description

We are looking for candidates who enjoy the challenge of working through complexity, have a real drive to deliver and make the world better for their stakeholders. You will be experienced in working with multiple delivery partners, both within and outside government and be able to demonstrate significant organisation and diligence.

We are looking for people who can demonstrate the following skills and experience:

• Business improvement process. You can identify and explore opportunities for service and business improvement. You know how to drive analysis and identify, prioritise and implement improvements and efficiencies, ensuring that the organisation derives maximum value from services
• Business process testing. You can plan, design, manage and report business process tests and usability evaluations. You know how to apply evaluation skills to see how appropriate or useful the defined process is going to be. Testing (business analysis). You can plan, design, manage and execute reporting of tests, using appropriate testing tools and techniques
• Methods and tools. You know how to use the most appropriate methods and tools
• Requirements definition and management. You know how to identify, define and manage the objectives of a business.
• Stakeholder relationship management. You know how to identify, analyse, manage and monitor relationships with and between stakeholders. You can communicate with stakeholders clearly
• User focus. You understand users and can identify who they are and what their needs are, based on evidence
• Business Change and Readiness. You can create Business Change products and support the engagement of relevant business/end users during this process

You will be able to demonstrate the following behaviours:

• Promote diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity, respecting difference and external experience. Welcome and respond to views and challenges from others, despite any conflicting pressures to ignore or give in to them. Stand by, promote or defend own and team’s actions and decisions where needed. Seek out shared interests beyond own area of responsibility, understanding the extent of the impact actions have on the organisation. Inspire and motivate teams to be fully engaged in their work and dedicated to their role
• Communicate with others in a clear, honest and enthusiastic way in order to build trust. Explain complex issues in a way that is easy to understand. Take into account people’s individual needs. Deliver difficult messages with clarity and sensitivity, being persuasive when required. Consider the impact of the language used. Remain open-minded and impartial in discussions, whilst respecting the diverse interests and opinions of others. Introduce different methods for communication, including making the most of digital resources whilst getting value for money. Monitor the effectiveness of own and team communications and take action to improve where necessary. Working with others collaboratively to establish and develop productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders, bringing people together to benefit the programme
• Working innovatively to research and apply new ideas and work with and through others in adopting new ways of working with a willingness to experiment and follow ideas through to implementation. Working with ambiguity in an environment of uncertainty and continual change. Able to feel comfortable making decisions and setting direction without having the full picture and re-focus as details emerge

Your personal qualities will be as important as your professional experience; and we welcome applications from all backgrounds. If you believe you have the skills and qualities we are looking for, then we would like to hear from you.

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. We want everyone to be able to contribute to the success of our organisation, regardless of your background.

Person specification

Typical role responsibilities:

• Leadership – Lead, motivate and inspire the Business Analyst team, provide support and guidance to the team and wider stakeholders in developing the skills required to deliver success for the individual and business
• Requirement gathering – Coordinate requirement activities, their validation and sign-off ensuring that the needs of the key stakeholders are articulated determining the need and value of performing the activity based on the context
• Gap, Impact & Benefits Analysis – Coordinate and lead on the evaluation of requirements against the present state (where we are) & the target state (where we want to be) and identify opportunities to develop successful business requirements as well as cultivate stakeholder relationships needed to make the transition. Impact Analysis – Lead on ensuring that the potential consequences of a change are correctly identified, that stakeholders have been identified and are part of the overall process and that benefits have been collated in response to the impact analysis
• System Analysis – Lead on the work of systems analysis to ensure business needs are translated into solutions against identified timelines, & work with technical leads to ensure business needs are translated into the technical solutions
• Business Improvement – Lead on the work with Business Improvement teams on business readiness and the identification of BAU enhancements and their solutions to ensure that defined project benefits are delivered
• Business Solution Design – Coordinate change with policy and strategy to ensure business systems, workflows and processes contribute to target operating model
• Business Readiness – Lead on the engagement with stakeholders and end users to identify and create the products to support business readiness

Qualifications

We would particularly welcome applications from individuals who have one or some the following qualifications:

• A BCS Practitioner, or IIBA Level 3 qualification in Business Analysis
• A relevant Project Management Qualification, APM PMQ, RPP, PRINCE2
• PROSCI Change Management Practitioner

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £52,120, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £14,072 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.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Technical skills

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

• Solution Development
• Requirement Management
• Business Change & Implementation

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 Statement of Suitability (max. 750 words) demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the job description, responsibilities, and essential criteria aligning your responses to the three Behavioural competencies of Communicating and Influencing and Leadership, and the Technical competencies of Solution Development, Requirement Management and Business Change & Implementation.  Using the STAR process will help achieve a structured document

Sift

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

Interview

During the interview candidates will be asked to deliver a 5-minute presentation on leadership, addressing questions provided in advance of the interview.

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.