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 

We are looking for a high performing policy official to join the team setting higher education provider funding policy, focusing on the delivery of Ministerial priorities for Higher Education grant funding.

We can promise varied work across strategy, policy and delivery issues that will give you the opportunity to develop your skills and competencies to a high level. You will play a key part in briefing ministers and senior officials, leading areas of work alongside other members of the team.

This role will require close working with our colleagues in the Office for Students (OfS) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on aspects of funding related to medical, nursing and dental education arising from the recent NHS Long-term Workforce Plan (LTWP). Working alongside colleagues in the Department for Education (DfE), you will play a key role in helping to deliver the ambitious expansion of medical, dentistry and nursing education set out in the plan by ensuring that resources are in place to deliver it.

Our directorate is a friendly and inclusive team working on policy with a strong degree of political and public interest which has a tangible impact on people's lives.

Job description

The successful candidate will:

• Lead on a portfolio of grant funding elements, working closely with policy leads to maintain an excellent knowledge of current higher education policy to inform excellent advice and briefing to Ministers on funding issues.
• Lead and maintain the relationship with DHSC on education funding issues, ensuring that DfE grant funding is in place to support medical, dental and nursing education. You will also be responsible for ensuring that healthcare education is factored in to DfE’s annual business planning, spending review negotiations and longer-term forecasting.
• Working alongside your colleagues in the Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG) funding policy team to manage the annual process of setting out DfE ministers’ priorities for the ~£1.5bn of annual SPG funding to the OfS. You will engage with policy, analytical, legal and finance colleagues, as well as No10 and HM Treasury officials where required, to design, model and deliver changes to SPG funding to ensure that it continues to support Government’s objectives.
• Help develop an evidence base and strategic products on the issues and opportunities in the higher education funding landscape.
• Contribute to wider departmental work and briefing (e.g. select committee briefing, Parliamentary debates), responding to Parliamentary Questions and correspondence, and providing briefing support to Ministers and senior officials as required. 

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Good stakeholder management and negotiator - able to maintain long term relationship and achieve positive outcomes with professionalism.
• Clear and confident communicator – able to explain complex issues clearly to a range of (often senior) stakeholders, including ministers and senior officials.
• Use of evidence – able to analyse and use quantitative and qualitative evidence to support effective decision making.
• Good judgement - able to identify tensions and links between policies, to anticipate where further thinking or analysis will be needed.
• Prioritisation – able to focus on what is important, and organize work effectively to drive results.
• Team working – clearly communicates with and listens to colleagues and adds value by working flexibly and joining up areas of work where needed.

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.

Application 

Candidates should submit an anonymised CV, which includes sufficient information for the reader to understand the roles and responsibilities the candidate had in each position. 

Candidates should also submit an anonymised personal statement of no more than 750 words, which outlines how they have demonstrated the essential criteria described above and why they are suitable for the role. 

Sift

The CV and statement will be assessed against the essential criteria detailed in the advert. We will assess your Experience.

If we receive a high volume of applications, we will sift against the three lead criteria:

• Good stakeholder management and negotiator - able to maintain long term relationship and achieve positive outcomes with professionalism.
• Clear and confident communicator – able to explain complex issues clearly to a range of (often senior) stakeholders, including ministers and senior officials.
• Use of evidence – able to analyse and use quantitative and qualitative evidence to support effective decision making.

Interview

The interview will be held either in person or Microsoft Teams. At the interview stage, candidates will be assessed against the essential criteria listed in this advert using Experience based questions. You will also be asked Strength based questions.

Feedback 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.  

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.