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 Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) plays a vital role in leading the nation’s health and social care, to help people live more independent, healthier lives for longer.

We are recruiting an HEO to join the Visiting and Health Protection Policy team. The team is responsible for visiting policy, pandemic preparedness, and infection, prevention and control (IPC) guidance in adult social care (ASC). The team works to ensure that policies continue to protect those at highest risk of severe illness to infectious diseases while maximising their wellbeing.

The role offers an excellent opportunity to gain policy experience whilst working in an interesting, varied and high-profile area that contributes to improving people’s lives. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work across the team’s policy areas, on priorities such as ensuring that the ASC sector’s needs are reflected across DHSC’s pandemic preparedness work, that the sector is prepared to implement visiting as a fundamental standard of care, and that IPC guidance for the sector is clear. The role will include engaging with internal and external stakeholders and supporting key work across the team. 

Diversity and inclusion are two of our biggest priorities and we aim to establish a workforce which reflects the society we serve, welcoming applications from all. We are especially interested to hear from gender diverse, disabled, LGBT+ candidates, and candidates from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds, including Black, Asian, mixed and other ethnic groups. We view flexible working and inclusive leadership as essential for all our employees.

Job description

The Visiting and Health Protection Policy team plays an important role in developing policy that protects people who access adult social care, both now and in the future. We are looking for an HEO to pick up and support work on policies which deliver against ministerial objectives and support the sector.

As we saw during the covid-19 pandemic, Adult Social Care is one of the key settings that will be most impacted during any future pandemic. Our team works across the Department, UK Health Security Agency and NHS England to ensure that policies continue to protect people at highest risk to infectious diseases while maximising their wellbeing. This is an exciting role in a small team focused on futureproofing pandemic plans for the Adult Social Care sector. thinking strategically and seeing how Adult Social Care's role fits into wider pandemic preparedness planning policy work.

It is expected that the successful applicant will be flexible in taking a lead on other work strands within the team, as ministerial and departmental priorities shift. This could include involvement with ongoing work on infection, prevention and control; future pandemic preparedness; and developing legislation. They will also be part of the team ‘briefing hub’, leading responses to briefing requests, PQs and correspondence for our policy areas.

Person specification

Role responsibilities

• Support engagement with teams across the Department, ALBs and OGDs and other internal and external stakeholders to develop robust pandemic preparedness policies for the sector
• Utilise project management skills to ensure that key milestones are set out and delivered upon
• Support on work strands across the team’s policy areas as required, which may include strategic thinking on future pandemic preparedness or policy development on infection, prevention and control.
• Contribute to business of state functions of the team in terms of briefing ministers or responding to PQs and correspondence cases.

Key skills and experience required for this role

• Ability to confidently work  across different teams and functions to develop evidence, gather views and develop policy recommendations
• Able to communicate clearly, with experience in drafting high-quality and clear written products
• A strong team player, comfortable working with internal and external stakeholders to ensure ongoing work accounts for a variety of views and to communicate key messages
• Handling briefing, PQ and correspondence requests in a timely manner with high-quality output
• Have the capability to grasp a complex policy area, building your knowledge so you can  adapt policy to ensure it aligns with recent developments, evidence and the latest government priorities
• You will be highly motivated, comfortable working independently and have excellent time management skills to proactively prioritise workloads and conflicting demands.

Working location requirements

Your normal place of work will be your contractual primary workplace, at Quarry House in Leeds.  Within DHSC we offer non-contractual hybrid working. The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time spent in the office, enabling in person interaction and collaboration and enhancing team working, learning, and support. 

You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas and some travel may be required across the DHSC estate. 

Opportunities for some working from home may be available; other flexible working options may be discussed with the hiring manager in line with individual circumstances and business need. 

There are a limited number of DHSC colleagues who have existing agreed homeworking contracts resulting from Our Future Estate Programme 2023-2024. Colleagues covered by these arrangements are eligible to apply for this role whilst continuing their agreed existing home working arrangement. Occasional travel to DHSC offices or other locations may still be required according to business need. Travel and subsistence will be provided in line with the pre-agreed homeworker arrangements.    

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,188, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £8,690 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: W/C 08/04/2024

Interview date: expected W/C 22/04/2024

Interview location: By video

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

Applications will be sifted on CV, Statement of Suitability, and a Behaviour

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 for this role.

An initial sift based on the lead behaviour of Working Together 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 and to find out more information on how to apply visit the Civil Service Careers Website here 

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

Please note that applicants will require BPSS clearance.

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.

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

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

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

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.

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.

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

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. 

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.