About the job

Job summary

Defra is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.

Digital, Data and Technology Services (DDTS) is the trusted team for digital across the entire Defra Group.

We have around 1,200 colleagues across DDTS and our ambition is to make it easier and faster than ever for people to interact with Defra. If you are ready to drive innovation and push boundaries, we want to hear from you. Join us and together we will create a great place for living, and a green and healthy future for all.

Find out more about DDTS:

Defra digital, data and technology blog

LinkedIn 

Defra Jobs 

Job description

Are you interested in making changes and contribute to Defra’s IT services by delivering excellent service?

We are looking for a Portfolio Analyst to join the Major Projects & Digital Delivery area within the Digital Data & Technology Services (DDTS) function on a permanent basis.

Portfolio analysts help ensure optimal delivery of departmental/business strategic goals in line with government priorities. This is through the examination of a range of information sources. Including engagement with programme and project stakeholders, converting this into informed insights using appropriate reporting and visualisation methods.

In Defra you will work in Defra's Digital Delivery (DD) function. You will be accountable for the oversight of the Major Projects Portfolio that contribute to delivering departmental goals.

In this role you will focus on providing insight, information and support that strengthens portfolio and Programme Management Office (PMO) governance. Enabling prioritisation recommendations, effective allocation of resources and reporting & escalatory production and management across the DD portfolio. You will be required to work across all disciplines managed by the Programme Management Office. This includes (where needed) the effective line-management of other roles within the function.

Join us and become a part of the team who deliver transformational change across our country and further field in key areas such as sustainability, farming and key environmental areas. The opportunities are countless. Your learning, development and career growth journey doesn't end when you join Defra. It's just getting started!

Person specification

Responsibilities

• Work with the business areas to identify, categorise and initiate appropriate governance methods and processes for new projects.
• Monitor the delivery of the portfolio & programme-level risk and issue registers and activities against plans, challenging progress as appropriate.
• Cross functional examination to compile key risks and issues that impact the successful delivery of the portfolio. To be presented and escalated as appropriate via our governance boards.
• Maintaining programme and portfolio delivery map(s) and critical path(s) to monitor project progress. Recognise and track interdependencies across projects. Managing dependencies and conflict between initiatives.
• Identifying and monitoring programme/portfolio risks and issues escalating as appropriate.
• Managing and engaging with a wide range of stakeholders. Draft and sign-off correspondence.

Skills and experience

• Portfolio/Programme/Project management qualification at either foundation or practitioner level or equivalent experience and commitment to work towards qualification.
• Experience of governing or managing projects and programmes. The use of portfolio management as a tool for managing organisational change.
• Good knowledge of Managing Cost/Benefits methodology and its implementation at the programme and portfolio level.
• Excellent people skills with an ability to work in a dispersed environment. Ability to build effective working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.
• Experience of organisational budgeting approaches on medium to high complex programmes.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail with experience of organisational planning & scheduling approaches and techniques.

Selection process

The Civil Service marks each element of the selection process on a merit basis. You can visit the gov.uk website for further information on the Civil Service rating scale.

Ensure you have tailored your CV and Personal Statement to the 'responsibilities' and 'skills and experience' section of the job advert by providing examples on how you are suitable for the role. We would recommend using the STAR method. 

For further information on STAR, you can check out our hints and tips document.

Application Process

As part of the application process, you will be assessed on your experience and will be asked to complete:

• A CV
• A 750-word personal statement: "Referring to the 'responsibilities and 'skills and experience' sections of the job advert, please demonstrate how you are suitable for the role by providing relevant examples."

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

Sift

Sift will begin shortly after the advert closes.

Should there be a large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted using your personal statement.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment or interview.

Interview

If successful at sift stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on Strengths, Technical Skills and the Behaviours listed below.  

Interviews dates are to be confirmed. Please note that these may be subject to change.

Interviews will be held virtually on Microsoft Teams.

For further information on Success Profiles, please use the links below and watch our videos on Defra Jobs.

Behaviours

Experience

Technical

Strengths 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,439, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £10,648 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, Experience and Technical skills.

For further information on the selection process for this role, please refer to the person specification section of the job advert.

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.  

As part of the pre-employment process, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).

Where the location is 'National' the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Reserve List

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

Merit Lists 

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.

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. 

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.