About the job

Job summary

Do you have expert practical knowledge of Vehicle Testing Service products and Vehicle Approval Schemes?

Do you have experience setting standards and producing instructions and guidance for operational teams?

If so, we are looking to recruit two permanent Product Specialists to join us at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), and we’d love to hear from you.

Job description

You will play a key role in the Vehicle Testing Service Team, ensuring that all elements of national policy and service provision in relation to Vehicle Approvals Schemes meet customer and user needs together with DVSA requirements.

To achieve this, you will need to provide a high level of product knowledge and ideally have and a technical appreciation to ensure the product meets a balance of policy and customer requirements. 

Responsibilities 

Your duties will include:

• Working with the Policy Manager to develop Vehicle Testing Services from inception through to implementation, including developing policy and responses to technical progress, legislative changes and customer and user led demand.
• Analysing product data and information to highlight the benefits of product changes by outlining costs, benefits, risks, and potential responses to each.
• Providing expert product advice and guidance to internal and external customers and users on any component of the product lifecycle.
• Ensuring clear articulation of what is required from both operational and digital delivery teams which will include setting technical standards, quality expectations, test procedures, product policies and service levels.
• Working with User Researchers to ensure excellent understanding of customer and user requirements so that well informed, timely product development and improvement decisions can be made.

Please see the Candidate Pack attached to this advert for more detail about the role and responsibilities.

Additional information 

This role can be based in Bristol, Swansea, Nottingham, Newcastle, your presence at one of these locations will form part of the working arrangements agreed with you. We operate a hybrid working model giving you greater flexibility about where and when you work. Our expectation is that you will spend a minimum 60% of your time at your base location. Visits to other DVSA sites or work locations count towards this. 

Please note, the ability to travel for this role is essential.

There may be an occasional requirement to work late evenings or weekends to support service improvement activities – you will be paid overtime/granted TOIL to cover this work as agreed.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement, for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 35 hours per week.

Person specification

To be successful in this role, you will need to be able to demonstrate the following essential skills and experience:

• Expert practical knowledge of the Vehicle Testing Service products and their capabilities, in particular Vehicle Approval Schemes - this will include a knowledge of the policies and processes related to the services.
• Operational experience in a formal quality environment (e.g. ISO).
• Experience of service delivery in response to customer/user needs.
• Good written and oral communication skills.
• Sound IT skills, particularly in relation to Microsoft Applications.
• Proven organisational and planning abilities alongside effective problem solving and decision-making.
• Experience of setting standards and producing supporting instructions, materials and guidance for operational teams.

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

About Us  

The DVSA helps keep Britain moving, safely and sustainably.  

  

We do this by helping people through a lifetime of safe and sustainable journeys, helping them keep their vehicles safe to drive, and protecting them from unsafe drivers and vehicles.  

We’re working hard to:  

• Make roads safer.
• Improve services for our customers.
• Make road transport greener and healthier.
• Harness the potential of technology and data. 
• Grow and level up the economy. 

We’re committed to giving all our colleagues purpose, professionalism and pride in what we do. We work in supportive, diverse and inclusive teams where everyone is valued. You can grow, develop and progress, and make a real difference to society. 

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice and welcome and encourage applications from everyone, such as ethnic minorities, women, disabled people and those who identify as LGBT+. 
 
To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace and making DVSA a great place to work visit our Careers website. 

Benefits

• An environment with flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance 
• Exceptional pension with an employer contribution of an average of 27% 
• Generous Annual Leave - 25 days holiday, increasing by 1 each year of service, up to 30 
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday  
• Latest IT and Tech devices  
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues 
• Excellent learning and development tailored to your role including paid apprenticeships up to Masters level 
• Wide range of discounts schemes on high street names 
• Employee assistance program for health and wellbeing  
• Cycle to work scheme and Gym membership offers 

For more information see visit our careers page  

 

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.

As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a CV and Personal Statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.   

For your Personal Statement, please provide detailed evidence of the following: 

• Expert practical knowledge of Vehicle Testing Service products, in particular Vehicle Approval Schemes.
• Operational experience in a formal quality environment (e.g. ISO).
• Experience of setting standards and producing supporting instructions, materials and guidance for operational teams.

Your personal statement will be limited to a maximum of 1000 words.  

The sift is due to take place from Monday the 15th of April 2024. 

Interviews are likely to be held from Friday the 3rd of May 2024. 

This interview will be conducted via a video interview, details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.  

We’ll try to meet the dates we’ve set out in the advert. But there may be occasions when these dates will change. We’ll give you plenty of notice of any important dates. 

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include: 

• An interview.

If you would like to find out more about what it’s like to work for DVSA and how to apply, we will be holding virtual sessions to find out more. Please click here to secure your place at one of our upcoming events.  

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the candidate pack attached, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.  

The Department for Transport recruits using Success Profiles. For each role, we consider what you need to demonstrate to be successful.  

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.   

You can read more about Success Profiles here.  

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document 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.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

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.

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.