About the job

Job summary

The Government Recruitment Service (GRS) was launched in September 2017 and is part of Government People Group (GPG) in the Cabinet Office.

GRS is a vibrant, modern and exciting place to work, attracting a diverse workforce which represents the people we serve. The roles in this campaign are to fill current and emerging vacancies. You will be given full training, coaching and support to help you achieve your best.

We aim to modernise and open up Civil Service recruitment to attract a broader, more diverse pool of talent. It’s also our priority to unlock the talent within the Civil Service, giving everyone the opportunity to fulfil their potential while making an important contribution to government.

We deliver around 70% of the recruitment volume across the Civil Service and aspire to be the recruitment partner of choice for all Civil Service departments, agencies and approved non-departmental public bodies.

• We are run by civil servants for civil servants, with an in-depth understanding of how government works.
• We have privileged access to the experience and data recruiting departments need.
• We recruit for all roles and grades, including Senior Civil Servants.
• Our service ‘menu’ is built around customer need, with the flexibility to take on as much or as little of their recruitment campaign as they need.

Job description

GRS offers a single point of contact approach to account management to deliver a department’s recruitment needs. As a Recruitment Advisor within the Department, you will work across GRS, using your recruitment knowledge to promote good practice and consistency.

The main responsibilities of this role are to:

• Build and maintain productive working relationships with colleagues and customers, and work collaboratively with others;
• Deal effectively with email and telephone enquiries;
• Progress recruitment campaigns using the in-house e-recruitment tracking system or complete the relevant pre-employment checks for candidates;
• Assist in the collation of data so that accurate figures can be produced and monitored against the agreed KPIs;
• Comply with relevant recruitment policies and procedures, and be able to advise customers of these;
• Drive continuous improvement within the Department, making suggestions and supporting any relevant implementation.

We are looking for energetic individuals to join the team who shares our passion and excitement about the work we do on behalf of the Civil Service and who relishes the opportunity to be involved in a growing and evolving team, developing themselves as the team develops. Does this sound like you?

Person specification

We are looking for enthusiastic candidates who have strong communication skills and a collaborative approach to join our organisation in supporting the recruitment process. In our Department, good customer service skills are essential and being a team player is a must, as this is the key to our success.

Working with government departments in a fast paced environment, priorities are ever changing so you must have the ability to work at pace, and have resilience to meet competing demands. You will need to be open to change, and focused on helping us to develop a professional service.

In order to be successful in this role, you will:

• Have a strong customer service ethos;
• Be effective in building and maintaining relationships with colleagues and customers;
• Be able to manage and prioritise your workload to meet changing demands and delivery targets;
• Have a keen attention to detail, and be comfortable learning lots of new information;
• Have strong communication skills (both oral and written);
• Have a strong desire to constantly look for better ways of doing things;
• Be comfortable taking the initiative and capable of working autonomously;
• Have strong IT skills;
• Have a flexible approach and ability to adapt to an evolving industry.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £24,750, Cabinet Office contributes £6,682 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 and Ability.

To apply for this role, you will need to complete all application stages via the Civil Service Jobs website by 23:55 on the 7th January 2024.

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Customer Service Skills Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the second stage of the application. Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on the 7th January 2024. If you fail to complete the online test and full application form before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the tests will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Please note: The deadline for the tests and the full application deadline are both 23:55 on 7th January 2024. For your application to be considered, you must fully submit prior to this deadline. Please allow enough time to complete all sections.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete one Behaviour 'Delivering at Pace'

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying of examples/answers from internet sources and if any is detected the applications will be withdrawn from the process.

Please note that we are unable to provide feedback to those candidates who are not shortlisted for interview. Written feedback will be made available (on request) to those candidates who attend interview.

If you are shortlisted, you will then be invited to attend a video interview, where you will be assessed against the Civil Service Behaviours and strengths framework.

Full details of the assessment process will be made available to shortlisted candidates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift Dates: w/c 8th January 2024
Interview dates: w/c 5th February 2024

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Working Arrangements

This role is available for full-time or part-time, Including flexible working arrangements and job share arrangements equating to full time hours but will need to be agreed with the Department to ensure business needs can be met.

Hybrid Working 

The Cabinet Office is currently using a hybrid policy regarding office attendance, this means you would be required to attend the office 60% of your working week. You can work from home the other 40%.

This is only a policy and as such is subject to change and the needs of the business.

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 recruitment.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.

Further Information

Postings will be made on the basis of business need in merit order by location based on your location preference.

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

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.

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

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service and Disclosure Scotland on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance 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-Employment.Checks@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk 

Any move to the Cabinet Office 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

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

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.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

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.