About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Are you seeking a development opportunity to gain valuable project delivery skills?

Do you enjoy a varied and interesting workload?

If so, we are looking for a highly motivated individual to join our Rail Passenger Services Programme, and we would love to hear from you.

Job description

Our team take a central role in the management & optimization of National Rail Contracts (NRC).

As Project Assistant, you will play a key part in supporting the successful delivery of Operator Performance Assessments (OPA), a vital component of the NRC that rewards effective private sector delivery and validates the right outcome for rail passengers and taxpayers.

This role provides a fantastic opportunity to develop a range of project delivery skills whilst working with the Project Delivery profession.

You will be joining a hardworking team leading on the planning and delivery of the annual scorecard evaluation and Quantitative Target Methodology (QTM) target setting process.

To be successful in this role. you will need to be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and advising partners on matters relating to the programme.

If you would like to find out more about what it's like to work at DfT Rail, please click here.

As Project Assistant, your key responsibilities will include:

• Supporting the project team in developing and base-lining the evaluation programme, including working with relevant partners and scheduling meetings.
• Taking a leading role in delivering the programme by tracking progress, identifying and resolving issues and supporting others within the team.
• Leading on establishing and maintaining the portal (AWARD) used to run the evaluation.
• Developing and maintaining several trackers of registers covering risks, issues or lessons learnt.
• Collaborating with others within the project team to identify and implement continuous improvement to the process and identifying actions through own work.
• Providing support and arranging appropriate controls and documentation for commercial processes.
• Identifying, sharing and promoting best practices and lessons learned to support continuous improvement and optimise project delivery.
• Managing and maintaining a delivery plan and identifying and escalating any risks or issues to delivery.
• Ownership of inbox and diary management.
• Stakeholder management - leading on meetings and providing updates through various methods of communication. 

Person specification

About you

You will display excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills to build positive relationships with internal teams and key partners within and outside of the Department. You will be a confident communicator to engage with partners at all levels.

With excellent planning and organisational skills, you will take a proactive approach to delivering results in a fast paced and evolving environment. You will be a team player, enjoy taking the initiative and will positively adapt to changing priorities and workloads.

You will be proficient with the use of Microsoft Excel and Word and will be keen to learn new skills and share best practice.

Additional Information 

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance. 

Occasional travel to other DfT offices may be required.

This post is offered on a Fixed Term Appointment (FTA) basis to cover maternity leave.

For permanent Civil Servants, this role is only available on loan, so you must have your home departments approval to return to them at the end of the loan before you apply. There is no opportunity for a permanent Civil Servant to take on this role as a fixed term appointment. OGD applicants will be appointed on an inward loan and subject to the terms of the agreed inward loan. Internal candidates will return to their previous post at the end of the loan period, which will need to be agreed with your line manager in advance.

If you're employed by a non-departmental public body (NDPB) by moving jobs this will involve a change of employer and you may break the statutory rules on continuity of employment.

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport.

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.

How to apply 

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide your CV and a 500-word Personal Statement.

When considering your experience, please tailor your CV and Personal Statement to provide evidence of the following experience:

• Building effective relationships with internal and external stakeholder to deliver a business outcome/project.
• Coordinating and delivering multiple workloads and changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

The sift is due to take place from 21/05/2024.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held week commencing 10/06/2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

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

• An interview.

This interview could be conducted online via Teams or face to face at one of our offices. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

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.