About the job

Job summary

In DHSC’s Electives Directorate, we are proud to focus on one of the Government’s top 5 delivery priorities, as well as delivering a key part of the Department’s purpose to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. We are supportive, inclusive and solutions-focussed and our teams work hard to understand the challenges facing the electives system and how we can improve patient outcomes and experience. In particular, we work with NHS England and others to set direction for the elective system for the future and ensure timely delivery of targets set out in the elective recovery plan. 

We are looking for an individual who is keen to contribute to our team’s vital work in this priority area, working as part of a supportive and high performing team. 

Across two Deputy Director led teams where we are recruiting for new team members, we focus on the following:

• Delivery of the priorities set out in the Elective Recovery Plan, using excellent understanding and analysis of data, impactful presentation of quantitative and qualitative evidence and generating insights and solutions.
• Providing updates and advice to Ministers to assess progress on delivery, exploring variation and solutions and working closely with our excellent analytical team and colleagues in NHS England.
• Gripping the different elements of the electives system to understand delivery and the challenges and opportunities that exist - including on theatre productivity, diagnostics, outpatients, referrals, funding, choice, patient experience and more.
• Getting to grips with the big strategic questions in electives so we can ensure that future policy and spending decisions are grounded in evidence and credible insights.

The Directorate is a great place to work, with a fast-paced and challenging brief. The successful candidate will play a key role supporting two of our Senior Leadership Team to manage their priorities and their time effectively.

The directorate is a friendly, supportive, and welcoming place to work on an interesting and high-profile policy area.

Job description

We are looking for an enthusiastic self-starter to provide direct PA and administrative support to two of the Electives Senior Leadership Team.

The individual will also have the opportunity to get involved in the wider work of the elective policy and delivery teams.

This role is perfect for a confident, organised, dedicated, and enthusiastic self-starter who will thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic work environment, balancing competing prioritises and delivering to challenging timetables.

Person specification

• Providing diary support, managing, and prioritising multiple demands on Senior Leaders’ time, including engaging with high profile external stakeholders.

• Management of the Senior Leaders’ inbox, answering emails and cascading requests on their behalf. Drafting letters, communication, and responses for the DD to agree, comment and send out.

• Support Senior Management (SMT) meetings by drawing up agendas, circulating papers, minuting/recording and tracking actions and leading admin issues.

• Provide administration support to the Corporate Support Team and as required including raising purchase orders, accounting for payments and correspondence administration.

• Management and support across corporate activities; covering tasks related to HR, IT, on-boarding, business, and workforce planning and corporate work-streams.

Key Skills and Experience Required:

Essential

• Have the ability to form effective relationships with colleagues.

• Have a focused and positive attitude to achieve outcomes.

• Poses the ability to communicate clearly and concisely through both written and verbal communication.

• Be confident in working within a fast-paced environment and delivering to tight deadlines.

• Great organisation skills.

Desirable: 

• Experience as a personal assistant.

We are proud of our team’s diversity and inclusiveness and would encourage all candidates who might be uncertain that they fit all the criterion to attend the information session/s and submit an application. You can join the information session (details above) to ask any questions about the roles.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,079, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £7,311 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.

Sift date: expected W/C TBC

Interview date: expected W/C TBC

Interview location: By Video

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

Applications will be sifted on an Online Test, a Behaviour, a Statement of Suitability and a CV.

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Customer Service Skills Test. 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 is 23:55 on 20th December 2023. 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.

Please use your CV to set out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role. These can be found in the ‘key skills and experience required for the role’ section of the advert.

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, 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

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.

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.