About the job

Job summary

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 objective of the Marine and Fisheries Directorate is to ensure our seas are cleaner, healthier, safer, more productive, and biologically diverse. This means protecting and improving the marine environment, both in the UK and internationally, and managing our diverse range of fisheries sustainably. Now that we have left the EU it provides the opportunity to improve how we manage our seas, whilst enabling marine, fisheries, and seafood businesses to thrive and develop. 
 
We recruit by merit based on fair and open competition, we embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity, and we are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. There is a disability confident scheme (DCS) for people with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. 
 
We are inclusive: 
We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible and recognise how important inclusivity is to achieve the best outcomes. We hope to attract applications from all underrepresented groups. 
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Job description

This is a role for a Resourcing Manager in the Business Management Team providing integral support to the Business Manager managing the Marine and Fisheries directorate’s people and HR activities.

The post provides an excellent opportunity to build on existing skills, develop new ones, and gain exposure to a wide range of exciting policy areas.

The Marine and Fisheries Directorate is a friendly, collegiate and – importantly - fun place to work, covering a range of policy areas critical to Defra’s success and the UK’s ability to achieve key environmental improvement targets as set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan and elsewhere.

Our Directorate leads on an exciting range of policy areas ranging from leading negotiations with other coastal states to secure fishing quota for our fishing sector, to ensuring effective and sustainable management of our fishing sector and leading on efforts to protect our marine environment, and so much more.

This role is critical to enabling all of these policy areas to thrive by ensuring the right people are in the right place at the right time.

We are a diverse, welcoming and dedicated group of people, with a range of different career paths and levels of experience within the Civil Service.

We are committed to work-life balance and flexible working.

The Marine and Fisheries Directorate encourages and champions our own People Groups covering a range of areas such as diversity, equality and wellbeing, mental health, and so much more – and everyone who works here is empowered to play a part.  

Key responsibilities:

As a Business Management lead you will play an active role in the Marine and Fisheries Directorate's Business Management team - and will be critical in enabling the Directorate to operate effectively.  

The responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to:

• Line management of two members of staff
• Supporting line managers to fill their vacancies by providing expert advice on and throughout the recruitment process
• Leading on workforce planning, workforce and vacancy management data and management information.
• Understanding and explaining recruitment processes based on HR guidance to the directorate.
• Develop, maintain and champion a recruitment/workforce frequently asked questions (FAQs) document
• Be the first point of contact for the directorate on all Defra recruitment processes (Eploy & VX support and Onboarding of new staff)
• Lead on managing the relationship between Defra core HR, Government Recruitment Service and the Directorate.
• Providing reports and management information to senior managers.

Assisting in development of the Marine and Fisheries Strategic workforce plan

Person specification

Skills and experience: 

• Excellent organisational skills and ability to efficiently prioritise and manage multiple tasks;
• Excellent numerical ability and confidence in handling data;
• Strong IT skills including competence in use of Microsoft Excel and Powerpoint at a minimum; experience of Power BI an advantage.
• Ability to work under your own initiative and make sound decisions at pace;
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with ability to build and utilise networks to support delivery;
• Excellent team worker with willingness to flex and adapt to support the wider team;
• Excellent management skills, and ability to lead, influence and develop others.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,439, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £10,649 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, Strengths, Ability and Experience.

Application Process 

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement, behaviour statements and complete a numerical reasoning test. 

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

Online tests

After submission of the first stage of your application, you will be invited to complete a (Civil Service Verbal Test, Civil Service Numerical Test, Civil Service Judgement Test, Civil Service Management Judgement Test, and Civil Service Work Strengths Test – delete as required). If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application. 

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests and application is 23:55 on 22nd April. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website. 

Do not leave completing the tests until the last minute in case you experience any access or technical issues. There may not be technical support available after business hours and after 2pm on the closing date of 22nd April.

While the tests should work on most operating systems and modern browsers with a good internet connection, we cannot guarantee that every combination will work. At the beginning, the test will check which browser you are using, and alert you if it is likely to be incompatible. 

It is highly recommended that you complete the online tests on a desktop computer, not a mobile phone or tablet. 

Please note that online tests associated with this vacancy are not subject to time limits. Click https://www.gov.uk/guidance/reasonable-adjustments-for-online-tests-a-candidate-guide for test guidance

Sift 

Should many applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Delivering at Pace. 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 may be assessed on behaviours, strengths, and experience. 

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed. 

Location

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s)

Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

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.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

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 maybe carried out. 

To process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognize in exceptional circumstance 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-Employment.Checks@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. 

NSV

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

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.