About the job

Job summary

In the Defra group, we deal with a vast range of issues that profoundly impact on people’s lives. We are responsible for England’s food and farming sectors, the environment, our countryside and our rural economy, and have lead responsibility for protection from a wide range of natural threats and hazards.

Defra’s UK Office for SPS Trade Assurance (the UK SPS Office) was established in 2021 and sits in the Animal and Plant Health and Welfare Directorate (APHW). The APHW Directorate’s objective is to protect the nation from animal and plant diseases and pests, and to uphold the UK’s high animal welfare standards. These are major priorities for Defra, creating a healthy environment that everyone can enjoy, a successful, productive food and farming sector and a thriving rural economy.

The UK SPS Office ensures the safety of imports of animals and animal products to the United Kingdom. We represent the four governments of the UK, working closely with risk and policy experts in other departments and agencies to support high standards for biosecurity and food safety, while facilitating international trade in sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) products.

Job description

Job description

The UK SPS Office is recruiting a HEO Policy Advisor to support effective delivery of the UK’s monitoring programme for residues and contaminants in imported food. This is an important role developing the UK system to ensure imported food is safe for human consumption. The role will involve line management of an EO apprentice.

Responsibilities

• Working across Defra and delivery bodies to design and deliver systems and operating procedures to manage the UK’s residue monitoring programme for food imports
• Coordinating the submission and assessment of trading partner residue control plans through close engagement with trading partner contacts and colleagues across Government
• Drafting and supporting communications with key stakeholders, including communicating assessment outcomes to trading partners
• Reviewing and responding to queries from trading partners, border control posts and other Government departments relating to import approvals and establishments approved to export to Great Britain

Person specification

For this role we are seeking a highly motivated HEO who is confident working with others, while proactively driving work forward independently. Excellent communication skills are needed for establishing and maintaining relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

In this exciting, fast moving and high-profile policy area, successful candidates will need to be organised, have an eye for detail and accuracy, have excellent written and oral communication skills, and be able to work at pace.

The abilities we seek in our policy professionals are relevant to all teams they work in, and include:

• Sound analytical skills, identifying and gathering information from a wide range of sources to detect trends and critical issues and escalate as appropriate
• Planning and prioritising effectively to deliver a quality service and results at pace, with good attention to detail
• A tactical thinker with creative problem-solving abilities and an ability to develop clear, evidenced options
• Building strong relationships with colleagues and confidently engaging stakeholders to be able to take account of their different and often conflicting views
• The ability to learn fast and get to grips with an area of expertise quickly
• Well-developed interpersonal skills, with ability to work in a multidisciplinary environment
• Self-motivated, self-aware with high inner resilience and calm under pressure
• Presenting issues clearly and persuasively with excellent written and verbal communication skills
• A flexible and adaptable approach to change
• Ability to explain technical concepts to a non-technical audience

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,136, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £8,676 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.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a personal statement (max 500 words) and three behaviour statements (max 250 words).

For your Personal Statement please explain why you feel you are suitable for this role. Please detail how your previous experience and the interpersonal or relevant practical skills you believe you could bring to this role relate to the content in the job description and responsibilities sections above and the behaviour statements (500 words max). 

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

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Making Effective Decisions. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on Behaviours, Presentation, Experience and Strengths.

The interview will take place on Teams and will involve a presentation or exercise.

Assessment of the suitability of all candidates will take place once all interviews are complete.

Location

Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Candidates applying for these roles will be based at one of the Defra hubs as advertised or a Defra office.  

For information, our core Defra hub locations are:

• York – the Kings Pool
• Newcastle – Lancaster House
• Bristol – Horizon House (Please note that space at this office is limited and it may not be possible for all Policy roles to be recruited to this location)
• London – 2 Marsham Street

Internal (core Defra) employees can apply for this role and choose to remain in their current location or to be based in one of the advertised locations.

All other applicants will be based in one of the advertised locations. Our current office attendance approach requires 60% attendance in Defra group workplaces or off site meetings with partners and customers. This balance provides thriving workplaces to connect with colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs balanced with personal flexibility and choice. 

Travel and subsistence will not be paid for travel to a base office location.

Reserve List

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

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

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 defrarecruitment.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

Accessibility

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

Criminal Record Check

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.

Internal Fraud Database Check

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.

Higher Security Clearance 

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.

Childcare Vouchers 

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

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.