About the job

Job summary

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 2,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.

To provide Senior Scientific Project Management (SSPM) of specialised research projects and portfolios, ensuring they are successfully delivered to time, budget and quality.

Leading and managing the day-to-day activities and providing a point of contact for policy colleagues and senior management, specifically managing portfolio strategic priorities and ensuring individual project management decisions and actions align with high level portfolio aims and objectives. 

Cross departmental contract-Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) for strategically important service and maintenance contracts that require coordination activities across multiple science departments.

Senior Scientific Project Management (SSPM) to the National Epidemiology Emergency Group (NEEG) – as required during outbreak

Job description

The Senior Scientific Project Manager is responsible for the day to day leadership and management of projects including management of plans, risks and issues. The post holder will ensure that projects and other change activities are successfully delivered to the business. This will include working and communicating with customers and business leads on the development and delivery of the project/change to full delivery/implementation. They may be responsible for one or more projects, work streams or activities.

Using their scientific understanding and recognised project management methodologies and techniques to manage the day to day running of projects, allowing scientific leads to devote their time to scientific research and to ensure project delivery and control.

Scientific project management of complex projects

The post holder will lead/manage the strategic delivery of the project/change and work with portfolio, project and management teams. Typically they will;

• Build a plan and track and report delivery against milestones
• Lead the project team; co-ordinating the work of the team and delegate tasks where appropriate
• Identify and monitor project risks and issues; developing mitigating actions and escalate as appropriate
• Be alert to emerging trends and make strategic connections to create value for the customer/end user and understand how these are aligned to Departmental priorities
• Provide the project point of contact for policy and lead scientists, leading on issue resolution and problem solving
• Provide key reports and support effective governance and decision making
• Ensuring documentation is maintained to formal quality standards and accessible for the project team 
• Prepare and present projects for internal and external audits
• Incorporate lessons learnt into future work and share knowledge with the team
• Responsible for the management, review and justification of sub-contracts, including the organisation of contractual responsibilities and costings in association with procurement
• Provide portfolio level strategic project management decision making
• Ensure that individual research project management decisions harmonise with high level portfolio aims and objectives
• Budget monitoring

 Small/ medium contract – Senior Responsible Owner (SRO)

• Provide oversight of the management of one or more small to medium value contracts by the APHA contracts team to ensure value for money and continuity of service
• Challenge advice being provided by contracts team for sourcing, contract design and management
• Resourcing forecast and advice for contract management
• Coordination and lead of renewal of contracts in conjunction with contracts management team

 Senior Scientific Project Management (SSPM) to the NEEG

• To provide senior scientific project management to the NEEG during a disease outbreak (as required)
• To deputise for the NEEG Business Manager (as required)

 The post holder will directly line manage up to 2 HEO project managers, and will be responsible for staff learning and development, mentoring and performance management reporting.

Key Relationships:

• National Emergency Epidemiology Group contacts, Head of NEEG, Head of Field Epidemiology, NEEG Team Leaders
• Lead Scientists, Heads of Departments
• Policy Customers (relevant for area)
• Relationship Managers
• Project Teams
• CAPS and finance business partners
• Responsible for strategic delivery of relevant portfolio and project objectives and associated communications with stakeholders and customers
• Responsible for coordinating customer meetings, internal management meetings and local project/task meetings
• Responsible for producing project plans and monthly updates for the contract/centre manager
• Responsible for point of contact with National Emergency Epidemiological Group (NEEG) to cover communications during peace time and preparations for outbreak working
• Line management responsibilities of up to two HSO/EO project managers

Person specification

Qualifications

• Scientific degree in a biology based subject or equivalent scientific experience

Experience

• Line or team management experience
• Experience of managing complex projects with multiple delivery streams
• Experience of working with project finances, resource allocation and co-ordination
• Experience of using MS Office, MS Teams and Sharepoint
• Experience of working within formal quality standards (e.g., ISO, UKAS)

Ability

• Excellent planning and organisational skills, including multitasking across several projects concurrently
• Ability to be customer focused and work with numerous stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,577, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £11,495 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, personal statement and a Behaviour statement.

Please write up to 500 word demonstrating how you meet the experience and skills detailed in the job description including any experience/ qualifications.

Please complete a statement on the specified Behaviour (250 word max).

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

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Lead Behaviour: Leadership.

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

Sift and interview dates as well as the interview location to be confirmed.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on Behaviours.  

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.

Location

Please be aware that this role will be based at the Weybridge site.  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.

Reserve List

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

Salary

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

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.

Loan and Fixed Term Appointments

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.

This is a Fixed-term Appointment as a Senior Scientific Project Manager on the Science, Strategy and Planning  team. Your responsibilities will include providing Senior Scientific Project Management (SSPM) of specialised research projects and portfolios, ensuring they are successfully delivered to time, budget and quality.

This post will therefore begin from 1st March 2024 and end on 28th February 2025.

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.

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. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist 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.