About the job

Job summary

The Home Office is here to make our country safer. As well as working to protect the most vulnerable, reduce crime and enforce the law, we also work to, and have a proud history of, providing refuge to those who have been displaced or are seeking asylum. Whether it is fighting crime, protecting our borders or combating slavery, the Home Office (HO) is at the cutting edge of public policy in this country and our work is some of the most challenging and rewarding in government.

The role of the Public Safety Group (PSG), which sits within the HO, is to keep the public safe by protecting the vulnerable, cutting crime, disrupting the highest harm criminals, and ensuring that our police, fire and rescue services are as trusted, efficient and effective as they can be in delivering front line public services. 

The people in our Group develop and implement policy, provide funding, and deliver legislation. We make the most of innovation, data, and partnerships to protect the vulnerable, prevent crime, and tackle the highest harm crimes. We work with our partners in other government departments, local government and the voluntary sector.

The Priority Postings Team (PPT) is a dynamic group of about 20 that has earned a strong reputation in PSG for its crucial contribution to delivering critical policy and business outcomes. 

In this team you will work in a variety of short-term assignments, (typically 3-9 months) on key policy priorities while embedded within policy units throughout PSG. These roles, whilst challenging, are incredibly rewarding with the opportunity to make a real difference in many key areas of national life. As a team member of the PPT, you can expect to gain exposure to a broad range of exciting policy areas and further develop skills and experience in a supportive and friendly environment.

Job description

The Senior Policy Advisor role is fast-paced and rewarding, with exceptional long-term career prospects. You will work in a rapidly changing environment, working to develop policy in politically contentious areas, and delivering high quality advice and input to Home Office ministers, senior leaders, and other partners inside and outside Government.

Working in Public Safety Group, you will be dealing with one of many pressing and often public issues that address high-profile areas which are Ministerial priorities. This will include monitoring, implementing, or developing policy and/or legislation.

An ideal candidate should be able to think strategically and consider how your team’s work can deliver the right outcomes. You also need to be comfortable collaborating with a range of people at both, junior and senior levels, and have the ability to learn quickly, think, present and write clearly, and demonstrate understanding of complex information to others. Furthermore, you will need to be able to evaluate complex information quickly, including legislation, using it to develop evidence-based policy. It will be necessary to work flexibly, as priorities can change rapidly.

The successful candidate can expect to undertake a variety of roles across Public Safety Group(PSG) working in a broad range of areas, including:

• Crime Reduction - working across and beyond Government to reduce crime, including tackling international criminality, organised crime and new forms of crime.

• Tackling Exploitation and Abuse - working on the development and implementation of strategies, policies, and legislation to tackle exploitation and abuse of the vulnerable, including child sexual abuse, Violence against Women and Girls, Domestic Abuse, and victims of modern slavery.

• Policing Policy - working to deliver the Government’s continued programme of police reform – structural, culture and capability.

• Fire Policy - working through the ambitious programme of reform for the fire and rescue sector and taking forward the Home Office’s response to the terrible fire at Grenfell Tower.

• Strategy, Capability and Resources - working within the Public Safety Group on the Government’s Spending Review and delivering a police settlement which meets ministerial objectives.

Working with a range of partners including Whitehall departments, Police and Crime Commissioners, policing, fire and rescue services, the security and intelligence agencies, the National Crime Agency, local government, the voluntary sector, and industry, as well as partners in the Home Office you could make that difference.

Examples of work include:

• Supporting programmes and projects to implement policy and reform.

• Supporting the drafting of major publications, including consultations and strategies

• Support policy or strategy development and review policy, including stakeholder engagement.

• Supporting Parliamentary and legislative work.

You will be managing and be managed in a matrix framework, with a Task Manager from the business area overseeing your work on a posting and a Line Manager overseeing your development and performance appraisal. Team members may work remotely from their line manager and other Priority Posting Team members as well as occasionally from their host unit.

As this role involves line management as well, there may be travel required outside your location. The cost associated with this travel will be met by the business area.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estates capacity, by Spring 2024. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details).

Person specification

As a member of the Priority Postings Team, you need to be:

• Resilient to deal with change, ambiguity and the high levels of scrutiny your work may attract;

• Flexible and adaptable approach to the circumstances of a particular role.

• Collaborative, with the ability to build effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders including the team.

• Comfortable working alone or as part of a team, your approach must be organised and methodical, and you should be confident in developing your own plans for how you will deliver the required outputs and outcomes

• Able to build the confidence of colleagues and senior leaders by role modelling behaviour and working with respect and professionalism across different teams.

• A strong communicator, able to explain and translate the complexities of any area the posting is attached to.

• Politically aware to ensure your work is informed by, and aligns to, the wider context. 

As a member of the PPT you may be line managing other members of the PPT who are likely to be working on different projects to you. Your responsibility is to their career development and wellbeing. You may also have to task staff outside your line management to deliver your work.

Essential criteria

You will have a passion for delivery and strong experience with the following demonstrable skills:

• A sound understanding and experience of the policy development cycle.

• The ability to successfully support projects and tasks to deliver required outcomes.

• Excellent communication skills using a variety of media, and the ability to condense complex information into clear, coherent briefing including providing both written and verbal advice to senior leaders and/or Ministers.

• A collaborative approach to your work and the ability to quickly form productive relations with stakeholders and colleagues.

• An evidence based and methodical approach to decision making and problem solving, based on strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.

• Experience of being able to deliver both independently with minimal supervision, and also as part of a team with the resilience to deliver against demanding timescales and senior-level scrutiny of your work

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

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.

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

• A CV (job history / skills)
• Statement of Suitability (Personal statement) (750 words maximum)
• Evidence of the lead behaviour 'Making Effective Decisions' (250 words maximum).

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

The Statement of Suitability must be aligned to demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the job advertisement.

The sift will be based on the Statement of Suitability and the lead behaviour only. CV's will not be scored and they are for information purposes only.

In an event where a high volume of applications are received, an initial sift will take place using the lead behaviour 'Making Effective Decisions'. Candidates who pass the initial sift will be either progressed to a full sift, or straight to interview.

Successful candidates shortlisted for interview will be tested on all behaviours outlined in the job advertisement.

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 and generating of examples/answers from internet sources including Artificial Intelligence. If any is detected the application may be withdrawn from the process. Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving civil servants. Providing false or misleading information would be contrary to the core values of honesty and integrity expected of all Civil Servants.

Sift and interview dates

The sift will take place week commencing 26th February 2024.

Interviews will take place week commencing 18th March 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.

Interviews will take place remotely. Candidates will be required to have access to:

• A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
• Good internet connection
• Microsoft Teams

Further details and instructions will be provided closer to the scheduled interview.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to time constraints we may not be able to offer alternative interview date(s). It is therefore expected that candidates who are successful at sift stage will make themselves available during the above time frame given.

Further information

For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.  A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Please note: The successful candidate will be required to hold or be willing to secure Security Check (SC) clearance.

A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need for them to go through a further selection process.

Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.

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

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.

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.

Any move to the Home 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 

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is 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 HOrecruitment.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

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

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.