About the job

Job summary

We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates  

At DfE, we are proud of the commitment we make to diversity and inclusion and of the progress we have made. We have active & vibrant staff networks, special leave policies and workplace adjustments put in place for those who need them. We are continuing to build a diverse DfE, in an inclusive environment which nurtures and realises potential in all, at all levels.

Equality and Diversity - Department for Education

In Regions Group we aim to improve outcomes for children, families and learners by accelerating system improvement and reform through active intervention and by better aligning the Department’s operations and users’ needs at a local and regional level.

We will:

• Bring together improvement and intervention work in Children’s Social Care, SEND and Schools as well as area-based programs like Opportunity Areas and Education Investment Areas
• Maintain the stewardship of the school system and, working with ESFA, provide a unified voice to academy trusts and to individual Local Authorities at a local level 
• Set DfE up to deliver for and respond more effectively to local needs and to understand how local contexts impact on children and learners in a place, particularly vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people.

Diversity & Inclusion is our top priority and we embrace uniqueness. We strongly encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds and experiences. We are a welcoming and inclusive workplace where our people are able to bring their whole selves to work.

The East of England Regions Group is led by Jonathan Duff, the Regional Director for the East of England. We cover 11 local authorities: Bedford, Cambridgeshire, Central Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Luton, Norfolk, Peterborough, Southend-on-Sea, Suffolk, and Thurrock. We currently have 7 teams, which includes the Vulnerable Children’s Unit, Programme Management Office (PMO), and 5 sub-regional area teams. The advertised posts will be based in one of these 5 teams.

Job description

You’ll spend the majority of your time on:

Sub-regional delivery:

• Managing an often complex caseload to ensure effective delivery of the ambitions of the Schools White Paper including: timely and effective intervention, the school and trust improvement offer, free schools programme, Education Investment Areas and the academies programme.
• Leading complex and challenging cases with sensitivity and integrity, and producing written reports with clear recommendations to senior officials and ministers. 
• Being accessible to external stakeholders, providing support and challenge in a timely and considered way.
• Proactively assessing and managing high risk or complex cases, tackling risks and issues at an early stage, and providing advice and briefing to senior managers where required.
• Leading as the first point of contact the relationships with key stakeholders in the education sector, including multi-academy trusts, local authorities and maintained schools.
• Maintaining accurate and timely records and management information to support effective governance and delivery.

Depending on delivery priorities, you could also spend some of your time on:

Work across your region and/or with other regions:

• Co-ordinating the effective delivery of work that cuts across regions and / or has national significance, e.g. contributing to a national portfolio work stream or Schools White Paper implementation, liaising with policy teams and central teams where relevant.
• This could include leading on briefing and advice on your work area to colleagues across the region or in other regions, monitoring progress and providing suggestions for continuous improvement.

Person specification

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate the following Essential Criteria:

• You have excellent organisation skills, including the ability to effectively prioritise and manage workload in high pressure situations.
• You have excellent stakeholder management skills, including the ability to build good relationships with a wide variety of different people, including external stakeholders in senior positions.
• You are able to process and analyse information and data, draw conclusions, and weigh up conflicting evidence to make clear recommendations.
• You are a confident communicator, both written and oral. You are able to deliver difficult messages and provide challenge when necessary.
• You understand when it is appropriate to escalate and seek the views of others.

Benefits

Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK, with an average employer contribution of 27%.

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King's Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.

We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.

Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Strengths and Experience.

Applicant Support

Please visit the below webinars for further information and support in completing your application and preparing for an interview:

• How to craft a well written job application in the UK Civil Service
• Crafting a CV that stands out in the UK Civil Service
• Writing a personal statement in the UK Civil Service
• How to ace interviews in the public service

Application Stage

Candidates will be sifted through their CV and a personal statement, and will be assessed against the essential criteria detailed in the advert. Your personal statement (maximum 750 words) should display how your Experience meets the essential criteria of the role, listed in the Responsibilities' section.

The sift will be restricted to just assessing your personal statement in the event of a large volume of applications.

The sift will likely take place during week commencing 15th January 2024.

Interview Stage

The interview will involve Experience and Strength-based questions. 

Interviews dates to be confirmed.

Feedback on your application will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Other Information

We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.

The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.   

DfE cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DfE holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe 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 circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.

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.

Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs

Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.

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 Department of Education via centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk 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.

Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming 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/

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.