About the job

Job summary

Defra is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.

Digital, Data and Technology Services (DDTS) is the trusted team for digital across the entire Defra Group.

We have around 1,200 colleagues across DDTS and our ambition is to make it easier and faster than ever for people to interact with Defra. If you are ready to drive innovation and push boundaries, we want to hear from you. Join us and together we will create a great place for living, and a green and healthy future for all.

Find out more about DDTS:

Defra digital, data and technology blog

LinkedIn 

Defra Jobs 

Job description

Do you want to drive IT change which delivers transformative change to citizens in key areas such as Sustainability, Farming and Key Environmental protection areas?

The Group Infrastructure Operations (GIO) function within Digital, Data & Technology Services (DDTS) is recruiting for ServiceNow Developer.

The ServiceNow Developer will support the Senior Service Tool Manager and the Platform Owner to maintain the integrity of Defra’s investment in ServiceNow® by making sure the platform is developed using best practice standards. Collaborating with others to review specifications and uses the agreed specifications to design, configure, test and document scripts or workflows of medium to high complexity, using standard development approaches and tools competently and guides others in so doing.

You will join a friendly and supportive team of 15 passionate ServiceNow practitioners at an exciting juncture in Defra’s ServiceNow journey with several exciting but challenging projects on the horizon which will enable our staff to work smarter and deliver value across Defra. As well as working on meaningful projects, you can expect some great benefits such as a Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%, flexible working options such as condensed hours, part-time and flexi time. Learning and development tailored to your role and much more.

If you thrive on enabling others work smarter through lean workflows, automation or orchestration, you have an appreciation of information security and access controls then this is the role for you.

Person specification

Responsibilities

• Provide software coding and development including, but not limited to screen tailoring, workflow administration, report setup, data imports, integration, scripting, third party software integrations
• Deliver high-quality solutions that are fit for purpose through analysis and challenging unnecessary customisation, focusing on a development and deployment approach that delivers value to the business whilst retaining flexibility to support changing business needs
• Demonstrable expert knowledge and skills to create capabilities to drive Self-service and automation. (Service Portal, Orchestration, Integration Hub)
• Successfully plan, execute, monitor, control, and close all technical tasks related to configuration and implementation of all aspects of the platforms
• Evaluate emerging ServiceNow technologies and the evolution of current functionality to define roadmaps to meet business needs
• Troubleshoot and resolve defects following agreed procedures and ServiceNow® good practice principles

Skills and experience

• Experience as a key technical resource leading the development of ServiceNow platform specifically around areas such CSM (Customer Service Management), ITSM (IT Service Management), ITOM (IT Operations Management), ITAM (IT Asset Management), Integrations WSD (Workplace Service Delivery), HRSD (Human Resource Service Delivery) etc
• Excellent Knowledge of development of APIs and web services integrations with ServiceNow
• Expert knowledge and skills to create capabilities to drive Self-service and automation. (Service Portal, Orchestration) and excellent technical knowledge of ServiceNow® integration knowledge using web services and other web-based technologies such as XML (Extensible Markup Language), HTML ( HyperText Markup Language), AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML),  HTTP ( Hypertext Transfer Protocol), REST/SOAP (Representational State Transfer /Simple Object Access Protocol)
• Experience in coding and scripting
• Analytical and problem-solving skills, communication, and presentation skills
• Deep understanding of ITIL processes and best practice approaches

Selection process

The Civil Service marks each element of the selection process on a merit basis. You can visit the gov.uk website for further information on the Civil Service rating scale.

Ensure you have tailored your CV and Personal Statement to the 'responsibilities' and 'skills and experience' section of the job advert by providing examples on how you are suitable for the role. We would recommend using the STAR method. 

For further information on STAR, you can check out our hints and tips document.

Application

As part of the application process, you will be assessed on your experience and will be asked to complete:

• A CV
• A 750-word statement on the Technical Skills: Please refer to the Senior infrastructure engineer and demonstrate on your personal statement how you meet the requirements for:

1. Systems Integration - you can define the integration build. You can co-ordinate build activities across systems. You can understand how to undertake and support integration testing activities. (Skill level: practitioner)
2. Technical understanding - you can show a thorough understanding of the technical concepts required for the role, and can explain how these fit into the wider technical landscape. (Skill level: practitioner)

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

Please ensure you demonstrate clearly, within your statements, how you meet these requirements, as, the information you provide will form a key part when the panel is scoring your application.

Sift

Sift will begin shortly after the advert closes.

Should there be a large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted using your personal statement.

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

Interview

If successful at sift stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on the Behaviours and Technical Skills listed below.

As part of the recruitment process you will be required to do a presentation. Full details will be provided later within the process. 

Interviews dates are to be confirmed. Please note that these may be subject to change.

Interviews will be held virtually on Microsoft Teams.

For further information on Success Profiles, please use the links below and watch our videos on Defra Jobs.

Behaviours

Experience

Technical

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,439, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £10,069 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, Experience and Technical skills.

For further information on the selection process for this role, please refer to the person specification section of the job advert.

Reserve list

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

Merit Lists 

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) Supplement

This post offers successful candidates the opportunity to be considered for an additional Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) Skills Supplement. The level of the awarded supplement is determined following a separate skills assessment process, the outcome of which has no impact on the decision to make a job offer. This digital capability supplement ranges from £0 to £12,138 and you may be awarded a pay supplement within this range based on results of your additional skills assessment.

Location

Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. 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.

CORE DEFRA ONLY- (All core Defra vacancies except for group Corporate Services, must be advertised as being located at one or more of 4 hubs) 

Candidates applying for these roles will be based at one of the Defra hubs as advertised.  

For information, our core Defra hub locations are:

• York – the Kings Pool
• Newcastle – Lancaster House
• Bristol – Horizon House (Please note that space at this office is limited and it may not be possible for all Policy roles to be recruited to this location)
• London – 2 Marsham Street

Internal (core Defra) employees can apply for this role and choose to remain in their current location or to be based in one of the advertised locations.

All other applicants will be based in one of the advertised locations.Our current office attendance approach requires 60% attendance in Defra group workplaces or off site meetings with partners and customers. This balance provides thriving workplaces to connect with colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs balanced with personal flexibility and choice. 

Travel and subsistence will not be paid for travel to a base office location.

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 (GRS) 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 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 Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks@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.

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 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.