About the job

Job summary

The Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is 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.

Everyone who works with us or in one of our agencies and public bodies has a part to play in achieving our vision of ‘creating a great place for people to live’. The work we do impacts the lives of everyone living in the UK.

About the Biosecurity, Borders and Trade Programme

The Biosecurity, Borders and Trade (BBT) programme delivers on Defra’s responsibility for setting policies to protect biosecurity, by designing and delivering a regime of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) import controls. In doing so it contributes to wider Government 2025 UK Border Strategy, supporting the ambition of ‘having ‘the world's most effective border that creates prosperity and enhances security for a global United Kingdom’. The purpose of that strategy is to set out:

1. Our approach to working in partnership with the border industry and users of the border to design, deliver and innovate around the border.
   
   
2. A long-term Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) that describes the border we are intending to create.
   
   
3. The major transformations that government and industry will need to deliver by 2025 and beyond to implement the Border Target Operating Model.

The BBT programme directly supports the three purposes outlined in the 2025 UK Border Strategy, and in developing and implementing the new Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) delivers most directly on the second. The BTOM was published by the Government on the 29th August 2023 and sets out risk-based, effective SPS controls that optimise the balance between ensuring biosecurity, public health, food safety and trading confidence, and the cost of the regulatory burden to achieve it. The controls set out in the BTOM also meet our World Trade Organisation (WTO) commitments to implement an SPS regime that applies equally to goods of EU and non-EU origin.

Job description

As Head of Common User Charge Policy and Implementation you will be working closely with Ministers, senior officials, and key external stakeholders such as trade partners and traders to ensure successful delivery of this important part of the recently published Border Target Operating Model.

Reporting to the Infrastructure Project Director, the successful candidate will be accountable for leading a mixed-discipline team to successfully deliver the Common User Charge (CUC) for April 2024.

We can only achieve our purpose through the skill, dedication, and professionalism of our people. You deserve to feel valued, rewarded and connected to the work you do - so through our People Strategy, we’re committed to making DEFRA an inclusive environment that engages, motivates, and ensures a better place to work for everyone.

Person specification

We are looking for candidates who enjoy the challenge of working through complexity, have a real drive to deliver and make the world better for their stakeholders. Candidates will be experienced in working with multiple delivery partners, both within and outside government and be able to demonstrate significant project delivery skills and expertise, such as large-scale business and operational change, digital transformation, and infrastructure delivery.

We are looking for people who have:

• Experience of leading successful multi-disciplinary teams in a project/programme environment
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• The ability to lead with authority, especially when operating in a senior/ political environment
• Proven experience of balancing and delivering multiple demands in a changing environment
• Ability to strategically think and plan ahead, ensuring policy and delivery plans are developed to meet changing business needs
• Excellent project management – you will be a self-starter, able to work through complexity and ambiguity and have shown an ability to initiate, lead and drive delivery
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to form well thought out conclusions and recommendations, exercising sound judgement and then ability to challenge others in a constructive manner
• Analytical thinking and the ability to interpret data
• Strong communication skills, with an ability to present progress updates to a variety of different stakeholders, both verbally and in writing

Your personal qualities will be as important as your professional experience; and we welcome applications from all backgrounds. If you believe you have the skills and qualities we are looking for, then we would like to hear from you. The Defra group is dedicated to having a diverse workforce which represents people in our communities and an inclusive culture where everyone feels they can be their authentic self at work, belong in the organisation and can speak up to challenge. We want everyone to be able to contribute to the success of our organisation, regardless of your background.

Responsibilities

Include:

• Finalise the policy objectives, with Ministers and senior officials, for the CUC including fully defining the payment mechanism and methodology to set rates for the charge
• Design and deliver the annual reconciliation process for the charge ensuring alignment with other charging mechanisms
• Deliver and implement the digital administration solution and required managed service for the charge. This will involve working with key providers to design and scope the requirements for the new solution; to work with commercial on delivering the required contract to support the solution; and to work with analytical and digital colleagues to ensure the new service is integrated with Defra’s core data and systems
• Ensuring the design of the charge effectively takes account of biosecurity and the impact on trade and that the programme objectives continue to be met throughout delivery
• Play a key role in liaising with Cabinet Office, HMRC, DfT, Home Office, Devolved Administrations, and other senior government stakeholders, to contribute to design and deliver the Common User Charge
• Build strong relationships with Trade partners, traders, port operators and other stakeholders to ensure they are fully engaged in the development of the policy
• Maintain a clear plan of activity, taking account of the programme governance including the escalation of key risks and issues and highlighting dependencies
• Support the team to grow and develop in their roles and ensuring an inclusive environment where people feel valued, respected, safe to challenge and where contribution is recognised

Essential criteria:

• Excellent communication and influencing skills, influencing stakeholders at the highest level whilst adapting your delivery to suit a wide variety of audiences
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and lead teams to respond flexibly to change and competing demands
• Bring a passion for innovation, showing leadership in delivering new ideas and ways of working
• Ability to strategically think and plan ahead, ensuring policy and delivery plans are developed to meet changing business needs
• Ability to engage, motivate and coach others to create and present a compelling vision that motivates others to work towards a common goal
• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders, sharing information, resources and support

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £62,605, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £17,466 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 and Experience.

Application Process 

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete: 

• A CV detailing your career history (including any relevant qualifications. Your CV will be used for assessing experience). 
• A Personal Statement (max. 750 words) demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the job description, responsibilities, and about you. 

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

Sift

The sift panel will use the information in your CV and Personal Statement to assess your experience and knowledge.

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

Sifting is likely to occur w/c 01/01/2024.

These dates are indicative only. 

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on behaviours and experience. A presentation will also be required.

Further details on what this should be based on will be advised if you are invited to interview. 

Interview dates to be confirmed.

Interviews to be held via video link.

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.  

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.

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.

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.