About the job

Job summary

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) are the public sector’s property valuation experts and advisers. Our work is vital to the collection of over £60 billion of revenue which goes back into communities, touching every citizen and every business across England and Wales.

We are committed to providing our people with a work environment which is accommodating and accessible to all, one which values diversity and inclusion in everything we do. We welcome applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds, who bring different perspectives, promote innovation and enable us to be representative of the communities we serve.

Job description

Portfolio Analyst – Role Overview

The role of a Portfolio Analyst sits within the Transformation Team which has been established to manage a single, consolidated portfolio covering all transformational change activity across the VOA. There are three functional areas within the team: Portfolio Development, Portfolio Delivery and Portfolio Management. This role sits within the Portfolio Management function.

The purpose of the Portfolio Analyst is to support the Portfolio Office Lead in managing delivery, including co-ordination, planning, control, reporting and analysis. You will focus on developing detailed portfolio plans, and working with stakeholders to ensure all aspects of the portfolio are defined, key milestones mapped and dependencies captured. You will be expected to provide clarity on key milestones to define what, when and how activities are to be organised to ensure the outcomes of the Portfolio can be achieved, with the resources available.

You will be providing insight, information and support that strengthens portfolio governance and enables prioritisation decisions across the portfolio. The role will involve use of best practice delivery frameworks, compliance, and locally agreed practices to support the Agency in ensuring optimal delivery of the Valuation Office’s strategic objectives. This will also be achieved through the analysis of a range of information sources and engagement with programme and project stakeholders.

 

Portfolio Analyst – Key responsibilities

• Lead on planning activity across the Portfolio and work with the programmes to support delivery of business case benefits and outcomes.
• Challenge and test project/programme assumptions to ensure that plans are realistic and achievable.
• Maintain portfolio roadmap and critical path to monitor programme progress, and identify interdependencies across the portfolio, working with programme teams to manage these.
• Monitor and analyse information, reporting progress, slippage and highlighting areas of risk and opportunity, using appropriate reporting and visualisation methods.
• Support capability building and the use of best practice in planning and reporting. Provide expert advice for team members and Project Programme Management (PPM) community, leading workshops as required.
• Support the Portfolio Manager to communicate with stakeholders and build commitment to a shared vision and sense of purpose.
• Work with risk owners to identify and monitor portfolio level risks, developing mitigating actions, engaging across the agency to manage these, and escalate as appropriate.
• Lead assurance activities across programmes, ensuring initiatives are appropriately managed and remain aligned to the Agency’s strategic objectives. Supporting the implementation of portfolio second line assurance activity.
• Develop and maintain documents and processes that enable the independent assessment and confirmation that the portfolio and programmes are on track.
• Ensure the Portfolio aligns to government functional standards on portfolio and programme delivery.

Person specification

We are seeking a self-motivated Project Delivery professional who has strong planning, analytical and critical thinking skills. As a Portfolio Analyst, strong organisational abilities are necessary to complete tasks to deadline’s whilst working remotely within a geographically distributed team. The successful candidate will have excellent attention to detail so that reports and records are accurate and usable by anyone on the team. The successful candidate must also have the ability to effectively collaborate with team colleagues, delivery leads and senior leaders to develop strong relationships across traditional boundaries.

Essential Criteria

• Analytical thinking and the ability to interpret data with strong problem-solving skills and form well thought out conclusions and recommendations.
• Experience in leading on all aspects of planning, including the development, updating, and monitoring of plans and schedules. Identifying, mapping and managing dependencies.
• Experience in the application of assurance standards and knowledge of the types of assurance requirements and activities.
• Ability to work on several different activities and to work flexibly across these, offering support, as the need arises.
• Experience of working in a project, programme or portfolio management environment.
• Experience of identifying, communicating with, and influencing a wide range of senior stakeholders, both internal and external to your organisation.
• Strong proficiency with office management software like Microsoft Office suite including Excel and Visio.
• To hold or be willing to work towards the following: Prince 2 Practitioner, APM qualified, P3O or equivalent certifications.

Desirable Criteria

•  Experience of leading or managing a team.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,185, Valuation Office Agency contributes £10,850 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.

If you can meet our person requirements above we are keen to hear from you. 

To apply for this post, you must complete an online application with the following: 

A CV setting out your Full Qualifications and Previous skills and experiences.  

A Personal Statement (maximum 750 words), please outline your suitability for the role, Examples of evidence that demonstrates against the essential criteria.

Sift - 8th April 2024 - Please note these dates are provisional and may be subject to change. 

We will assess you on your CV and Personal Statement.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead essential criteria, Analytical thinking and the ability to interpret data with strong problem-solving skills and form well thought out conclusions and recommendations. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to interview.

Interviews - 22nd April 2024 - Please note these dates are provisional and may be subject to change. These will be confirmed should you be invited to interview

Interviews are currently taking place using Microsoft Teams Video. We will provide more detail if you are shortlisted for interview.  

We will assess you on the Behaviours listed in the job description Strengths and a Technical question. 

At the interview, the panel can then probe further and ask applicants to provide further specific examples that show how they best demonstrate their skills. 

Behaviours 

The distinguishing Behaviours (the required skills, knowledge and behaviours) for this role are set out in the Civil Service Behaviours Framework 2018 (Success Profiles - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)) and should be referred to when making this application. 

You are required, under the Behaviours approach, to describe how you have dealt with a specific situation. 

You must give evidence of your knowledge, skills and behaviours and how you have applied this, such as what you did or said and how you interacted with other people. 

When you are giving your examples, do not spend too many words on description and background information. Avoid using general or unspecific statements. Instead say what the situation was, what you did what your thought process was and so on.

Further Information.

As part of the application process you will be asked to tell us which of the locations available, you can work in. You will be able to specify up to 3 options. 

Due to the way the CS Jobs system is set up, when choosing your preferred locations, you will find that the Canary Wharf location will not appear on the list of options. It is replaced by Tower Hamlets.

Should you wish to choose Canary Wharf as a location then please select Tower Hamlets.

Please note the Tower Hamlets location is our Canary Wharf location, 10 South Colonnade, E14 4PU.

Any move to VOA 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

VOA employees only:  If you are currently in receipt of DTA as a result of a VOA office closure/restructure and it is agreed for you to take up this role in your current location, you may continue to receive DTA for the remainder of the period you can claim for.  Please check with the Vacancy Holder on preferred locations for this role before you apply.

The VOA is an office-based organisation, however as all of our roles have aspects which can be completed from home, all colleagues have the ability to work a hybrid working pattern. The amount that colleagues work from home or office is defined by several factors including the nature of the work they carry out, the needs of their stakeholders, their development needs and personal circumstances such as caring responsibilities. To learn more about the hybrid working arrangements that could be available in this role, please contact the vacancy holder.

Pre-employment Checks

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. 

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. 

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 voarecruitment.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 an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Terms & Conditions

Voluntary terms apply.

Reserve Lists

If we have more successful candidates than available vacancies, we will hold a 3-month reserve list as standard.

During that time, we may use the list to fill the same, or similar roles with closely matching essential criteria, without further testing of merit. Any appointments from the Reserve list will be made in strict merit order. 

Starting Work

The successful candidate will normally take up duty within one month from notification of successful completion of pre-employment checks.

Applying

All applications for these vacancies must be made online. There are limited exceptions to this. Paper applications will only be considered if you have a disability that will prevent you from applying online. If this is the case, please email voarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Once you have submitted your application it cannot be amended; only submit your application when you have completely finished and answered all the relevant questions.
Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

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

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

Concerns/Complaints

The Valuation Office Agency’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, you may make a complaint, by contacting the Central Recruitment Team at the following address: resourcingteam@voa.gov.uk

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint you have the right to complain to the Civil Service Commissioners.

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.