About the job

Job summary

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) are the public sector’s property valuation experts and advisers. Our work is vital to the collection of over £60 billion of revenue which goes back into communities, touching every citizen and every business across England and Wales.

We are committed to providing our people with a work environment which is accommodating and accessible to all, one which values diversity and inclusion in everything we do. We welcome applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds, who bring different perspectives, promote innovation, and enable us to be representative of the communities we serve.

Job description

Market Information Team Lead – Role Overview

The Customer Service Centre (CSC) sits at the heart of our operations here in the Valuation Office Agency. The CSC is the first point of contact for our customers, and you will play a crucial role leading our colleagues to support our customer’s needs and upholding the agency’s reputation.

Your role within the Customer Service Centre will be to become a trusted and reliable ally to the Reval and Market Information Team (MIT) Lead. You’ll be responsible for improving engagement, performance and quality across MIT teams, liaising closely with the Performance Lead and wider Senior Management Team providing advice to overcome challenges within the team. You’ll identify potential for business improvement, supporting the Customer Service Centre’s Efficiency Challenges year upon year.

For an insight into working for The Customer service Centre within the VOA, please click on the video link below.

https://youtu.be/CAPxCn3yF0Q?si=mD-ljGtMDofEA5g7

Market Information Team Lead – Key responsibilities

• Build a strong relationship with Subject Matter Experts (SME), Operational Leads and a range of colleagues to drive continual improvement to our business and service offering.
  
• Work closely with Operational Leads as well as the Reval and Market Information Team (MIT) Lead to identify issues to identify issues on behalf of the Unit Head, providing clear guidance and accurate advice based on relevant management information to ensure timely resolution.
• Deputise where required for Reval and Market Information Team (MIT) lead.
• Oversee Performance, Quality and Productivity across MIT supporting the Reval and Market Information Team (MIT) lead to ensure both operational goals and customer service aspirations are met.
• Assess Quality measures and practices across your specialism.
• Review and assess the impact of process change announcements on the business, providing advice to Reval and Market Information Team (MIT) lead on implementation of change.
• Contribute and influence the MIT training plan, building a strong relationship with the CSC Learning Lead to ensure the operational team have the right skillset.
• Identify, manage and mitigate potential risks ensuring that the appropriate escalation and resolution routes are in place.
• Inspire and motivate team to deliver through creating and promoting an inclusive working environment that values everyone for their individual contributions.
• To support teams through change by communicating the need for changes, promoting the benefits, and ensuring the team feel involved in the development of change plans.
  

Person specification

We are looking for someone who is self-motivated and able to work collaboratively in a team. As Market Information Team Lead, the successful candidate will effectively promote engagement whilst having a willingness to seek out and act on feedback, building on existing skills and developing new ones, encouraging and influencing team members to do the same.

The ability to remain flexible and adaptable is essential to put in place robust workforce plans in order to maximise efficiency and customer service experience.

Essential Criteria

• Recent Non-Domestic Rating knowledge and/or experience of Market Information collection.
• Good horizon scanning skills with the ability to identify and communicate business needs clearly.
• Strong leadership and people skills, effectively working as part of a team and collaborating across different business areas.
• The ability to engage with and manage complex internal and external stakeholders, influencing across all levels and handling difficult conversations with impartiality and integrity.
• Possess strong numerical skills and attention to detail, with the ability to analyse and present Management Information, highlighting future delivery challenges and potential solutions to prevent impacts on customer service.
• The ability to work flexibly and be able to adapt to competing priorities whilst maintaining standards and delivering against challenging timescales.
• Willingness to travel. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,185, Valuation Office Agency contributes £10,849 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 and Experience.

If you can meet our person requirements above we are keen to hear from you.

To apply for this post, you must complete an online application with the following:

A CV setting out your Job History and Previous skills & experiences.

A Personal Statement (maximum 1000 words), please outline your suitability for the role. Please pay particular attention to the ‘Essential Criteria’ and ‘Person Specification’ outlined in the advert when providing your answer.

Sift – 3rd May 2024. Please note that this date is provisional and may be subject to change.

We will assess you on your CV and Personal Statement.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted on the CV and the following essential criteria: Recent Non-Domestic Rating knowledge and/or experience of Market Information collection.

Interviews – W/C 27th May 2024. Please note these dates are provisional and may be subject to change. These will be confirmed should you be invited to interview.

Interviews are currently taking place using Microsoft Teams Video. We will provide more detail if you are shortlisted for interview.

We will assess you on the Behaviours listed in the job description and Strengths.

At the interview, the panel can then probe further and ask applicants to provide further specific examples that show how they best demonstrate their skills.

Application Hints and Tips

For more information on Success Profiles, tips on how to write a successful application and find out more about what’s involved in the application process please visit About the application process , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk)

Further Information

This post is full time however those applicants who do or wish to work an alternative working pattern are welcome to apply. The preferred working pattern may or may not be available. You should discuss this with the vacancy holder.

Any move to VOA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

The VOA is an office based organisation that supports flexible working. By default, everyone in the VOA is a hybrid worker with options to work in the office, at home or out and about, depending on the work they’re doing that day and where it’s best done.

VOA employees only:  If you are currently in receipt of DTA as a result of a VOA office closure/restructure and it is agreed for you to take up this role in your current location, you may continue to receive DTA for the remainder of the period you can claim for.  Please check with the Vacancy Holder on preferred locations for this role before you apply.

Pre-employment Checks

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.

If you would require a Certificate of Sponsorship from the VOA to undertake this role, please contact resourcingteam@voa.gov.uk before submitting your application.

Reasonable Adjustment

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition, or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate. 

If you need a reasonable adjustment or a change to be made so that you can make your application please click here for more information:

Reasonable Adjustments , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk) and contact voarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible.

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.

Terms & Conditions

Voluntary terms apply.

Reserve Lists

If we have more successful candidates than available vacancies, we will hold a 6-month reserve list by exception. During that time, we may use the list to fill the same, or similar roles with closely matching essential criteria, without further testing of merit. Any appointments from the Reserve list will be made in strict merit order.

Applying

All applications for these vacancies must be made online. There are limited exceptions to this. Paper applications will only be considered if you have a disability that will prevent you from applying online. If this is the case, please email voarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Once you have submitted your application it cannot be amended; only submit your application when you have completely finished and answered all the relevant questions.

Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

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

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Concerns/Complaints

The Valuation Office Agency’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, you may make a complaint, by contacting the Central Recruitment Team at the following address: resourcingteam@voa.gov.uk

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint you have the right to complain to the Civil Service Commissioners.

 

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.