About the job

Job summary

In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you’d like to work in, we’d love to hear from you.

The Emergency and Health Protection Directorate, within the Global Health Group, plays a vital role in preparing for and responding to all types of national incidents, such as disease outbreaks or terrorist attacks. This busy Directorate leads a great range of policy, covering everything from infectious disease planning and response including Ebola and pandemic flu, to health security, anti-microbial resistance, and counter terrorism preparations and response.

Job description

The successful applicant will provide PA support to DDs across the Emergency Preparedness and Health Protection Directorate. The post holder will also provide administrative support to the Deputy Director-led teams. In delivering these functions, the postholder will contribute to the smooth functioning of the Directorate and facilitate delivery of the public health outcomes for which the Directorate is responsible. The business of the Directorate is often fast-paced and high-profile, particularly when responding to incidents, and can attract significant Ministerial, parliamentary and media interest.

The role provides an excellent opportunity to gain exposure to the Senior Civil Service (SCS) as well as offering a good knowledge of the policy work undertaken in the Directorate and across the Department and its arms’-length bodies. The role may also require deputising for others in the team as necessary to cover periods of absence and leave.

The Emergency Preparedness and Health Protection Directorate is an equal opportunity team and we value diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion/faith, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable adjustments to participate in the interview process, and to succeed in the role.

Following appointment, there may be scope for these roles to be aligned to an apprenticeship and we would welcome applications from candidates interested in apprenticeship opportunities, including Level 3 (EO) Business Administration. DHSC will offer to support you through an Apprenticeship, which involves a blended approach to learning, with a combination of facilitated learning in workshops, digital delivery and one-to-one coaching support, alongside your day job.

Person specification

Role responsibilities:-

The exact tasks will be agreed with the postholder but are likely to include:

• Developing a knowledge of the relevant policy areas to be able to better support Deputy Directors to deliver this work
• Ability to build and maintain good relationships with colleagues across the department and its arms’-length bodies, including senior colleagues as necessary, stakeholders, external organisations and colleagues within the team
• Using initiative to develop or modify existing approaches to streamline processes reflecting DD preferences
• Organising meetings and making the necessary arrangements for those meetings, such as booking rooms where required and meeting and greeting visitors at all levels of seniority
• Maintaining, organising and coordinating diaries and arranging travel and accommodation as necessary
• Support Director/DD to manage emails and proactively delegate tasks arising from emails to team members as appropriate
• Screening phone calls, enquiries, and requests
• Commissioning briefings to ensure Deputy Directors are prepared for meetings
• Printing and collating documents and briefing papers to best support the DD
• Acting as point of contact within DD-led areas on corporate commissions
• Corporate tasks (to be allocated on appointment).

Key skills and experience required for the role:-

• The ability to build and maintain strong relationships with colleagues internally and across organisational boundaries, including building trust and credibility with seniors, is essential, and the postholder will have opportunities to demonstrate and develop a mix of skills in a supportive environment
• You will be expected to be able to demonstrate a high level of motivation, commitment and drive, be able to work independently to agreed deadlines, and be able to adapt and flex your priorities as required
• Good organisational skills and attention to detail. Ability to use effectively MS Office tools
• A knowledge and understanding of health and social care institutions and policies is desirable but not essential

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,923, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £8,349 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.

Sift date: expected W/C 22nd January 2024

Interview date: expected W/C 5th February 2024

Interview location: The interview will take place at 39 Victoria Street, Westminster, London SW1H 0EU. Further details will be released to candidates who are successful at sift. 

The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores.

Applications will be sifted on your Statement of Suitability and behaviours. 

Please use your Statement of Suitability to (in no more than 500 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert.

Please complete statements on the specified Behaviours (250 word max per statement).

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

An initial sift based on the lead behaviour of Managing a Quality Service may be held if a large number of applications are received. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

At interview candidates will be assessed on behaviours and strengths.

To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here 

Further Information

Applicants who are appointable but were not successful in appointment to this vacancy, may be held on a reserve list for up to 12 months, and contacted if similar vacancies become available. 

Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate. 

Please note that applicants will require BPSS clearance.

Any move to DHSC 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

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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 dhscrecruitment.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.

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.

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 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.

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

This role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Terms and Conditions

Candidates should note that DHSC’s Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful. 

New Entrants to the Civil Service

New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions:

• Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
• Privilege Leave: 1 day - for the King’s birthday
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months’ full pay and five months’ half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Probation: 6 month probation period

Existing Civil Service staff transferring from another Government department, on either level transfer or promotion

All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above). 

Existing DHSC staff, appointed on either level transfer or promotion

If DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSC’s pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).

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.