The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is a relatively small government department with a big remit: to keep food safe, ensure that it is what it says it is, and work towards making it healthier and more sustainable. We work across three nations to make a tangible and positive impact on what consumers eat.

The Assembly Liaison team sits at the heart of our efforts in the country, working to represent local interests whilst working alongside the wider FSA to ensure a coherency to all that we do.

We are in search of a dynamic individual to join us as the Secretariat for the Northern Ireland Food Advisory Committee (NIFAC). In this pivotal role, you will collaborate with a diverse array of stakeholders, fostering in person engagement, preparing meticulous papers, ensuring accurate minutes are kept. Your contribution will play a crucial role in maximizing NIFAC's impact on food safety.

This is an opportunity to organise and manage in-person meetings across Northern Ireland. As the orchestrator of NIFAC's day-to-day operations, your responsibilities will span from meticulously organising meetings in different venues to facilitating public appointments to the Committee. Your adept management will uphold a seamlessly functioning operation, ensuring that Committee advice is delivered to the Agency.

Interacting with colleagues from the FSA to external stakeholders in governmental and non-governmental organisations, you will navigate a broad spectrum of relationships. Your effective communication skills will be instrumental in achieving shared goals. Your organisational prowess, integral to the role, will ensure that NIFAC optimally utilises its time and resources.

Above all, if you are driven, organised, and possess key secretariat skills, this is an opportunity to contribute significantly to NIFAC's mission. If you are passionate about leveraging your abilities to support our crucial work in the realm of food safety, we invite you to apply today. Join us in making a lasting impact on the safety and trustworthiness of the nation's food supply.

This post is advertised as a Fixed Term/Loan appointment until the 1st November 2024 with the possibility of extension or permanency.  Candidates that are already established Civil Servants or from non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will come to the FSA on a Loan basis and will need to request permission from their Home Department for the Loan prior to applying for this job. 

Note for FSA employees:

You must seek approval from your substantive manager before applying for any non-permanent vacancy, this includes applying for a new post during an existing temporary posting.  Please note that if applying for a temporary post within the FSA or elsewhere on promotion, successful appointment will not automatically result in a permanent promotion - you will revert to your current substantive grade at the end of the Fixed Term or Loan period (unless funding has been approved to make the post permanent).

Please read the attached Candidate Pack to discover further details about the role, our organisation, who we are looking for and the criteria we will assess against during the selection process.

We look forward to receiving your application and wish you every success.

Full details of the selection process are detailed in the attached candidate pack. 

Application and shortlisting

You will be asked to provide personal details (not seen by the Panel) and to confirm your eligibility to apply for the role.

You will then be asked to complete an application which will be used to assess you against the following essential criteria.

Experience

1.       Lead criteria:  Secretariat skills including minute taking, meeting organisation, preparing agendas and organising venues and speakers (lead)

2.       Experience of working with senior leaders in an organisation including providing written and oral briefings e.g. to Director/Senior Management Team

3.      Effective communication skills with a broad range of colleagues and stakeholders (orally and in writing)

Lead Criteria An initial sift may take place on just the identified Lead Criteria indicated.

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, the minimum pass mark for the Lead Criteria may be raised at shortlisting stage. Candidates who apply under the DCS, or RIS schemes and meet the minimum requirements will be unaffected by the pass mark raise.

Interview

If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to a final interview in which we will assess you against the following Strengths requirements of the role and Civil Service Behaviours Level 3

Behaviours

·         Making Effective Decisions

·         Working Together

·         Delivering at Pace

Full details of the positive indicators being assessed for each Behaviour can be found in the Candidate Pack.

Strengths: We will also assess you against a number of Civil Service Strengths – these are not disclosed prior to interview.

Expected Timeline

Advert closes: 03/03/2024

Sift: Expected to take place w/c 04/03/2024

Final panel interview: Expected to take place WC 18/03/2024.

Interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams. (If you do not have the Microsoft Teams application installed on your computer, you can join on the web without installing the application.)

Please note that indicated dates may be subject to change.

 The FSA is dedicated to a policy of equal opportunity for all.

Being truly reflective of our society and building a culture where everyone can perform at their best is critical to the work of the FSA. We are looking to recruit from the widest possible talent pool and encourage candidates to apply from a diverse range of backgrounds. We are proud to be an inclusive, equal opportunities employer and are committed to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment and selection process and beyond. All appointments are made on merit.

Please be assured that diversity or socio–economic information requested during the course of your application plays absolutely no part in our selection processes and is not seen by anyone assessing applications.  Any information provided is anonymised and used for statistical purposes only.

We actively review the deployment of talent on a periodic basis in the interests of optimising personal development and the achievement of business plans.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to the Food Standards Agency 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

Reserve List

A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that the FSA does not hold a licence to sponsor any visa applications and we are unable to provide any advice about visas.