About the job

Job summary

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) are the public sector’s property valuation experts and advisers. As one of the largest employers of surveyors in the country. Our work is vital to the collection of over £60 billion of revenue which goes back into communities, touching every citizen and every business across England and Wales.

We are committed to providing our people with a work environment which is accommodating and accessible to all, one which values diversity and inclusion in everything we do. We welcome applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds, who bring different perspectives, promote innovation and enable us to be representative of the communities we serve.

Job description

Team Leader - Wales & West – Role Overview

The Regional Valuation Unit Team Leader is a key member of the unit’s management team. The Team Leader will support the Unit Head in leading our highly skilled workforce and have the opportunity to manage a range of professionals including qualified Chartered Valuation Surveyors to deliver targets and objectives in an ever-changing property-based environment.

Team Leader - Wales & West – Key Responsibilities

• To line manage a team within the Regional Casework Unit. The team will consist of Valuation Leads and Team Managers who in turn, have line management responsibility for caseworkers.
• To be pro-active in managing risks, anticipating issues, and understanding underlying causes before providing relevant solutions.
• To apply high levels of analytical skills to resolve the most complex or sensitive cases, advising senior grades on the consequences as applicable.
• To manage the resource of all Valuation Lead teams, identifying where resources can be redeployed to support the meeting of operational objectives.
• To manage team performance and taking proactive action where appropriate.
• To provide regular coaching and development discussions with direct reports, ensuring that development plans are in place and actively managed.
• To create and promote an inclusive working environment that values everyone for their individual contributions.
• To engage and support the team through change by communicating the need for change, identifying, and promoting potential benefits, and ensuring the team feel involved in the development of change plans.
• To identify and communicate business needs and robust workforce plans to maximise efficiency and to manage and mitigate potential risks.
• To encourage innovation within the team to enable continuous improvement suggestions to be captured, evaluated, shared, and implemented.

Person specification

We’re looking for an inspirational leader possessing extensive operational delivery and management experience. You will have a natural affinity for continuous improvement and the ability to build and maintain trusted networks.

You will have well developed empathetic skills with the ability to support individuals through a variety of social and workplace issues encouraging healthy work-life balance and utilising appropriate HR policies where appropriate.

Our ideal candidate will have experience in delivering for customers and be passionate about providing timely, efficient and effective customer service.

Essential Criteria

• Strong leadership skills developed through extensive operational delivery experience, including leading a team to deliver performance in a fast-paced, changing environment.
• The ability to monitor the operational performance of the team against strategic targets and objectives, identifying issues, and making recommendations on action to be taken.
• Up to date knowledge of Non-Domestic Rating – Check, Challenge, Appeal (CCA) and/or NDR Revaluation
• Good horizon scanning skills in the ability to identify potential issues and propose solutions ahead of issues becoming problems.
• Stakeholder management and influencing skills with the ability to use high levels of communication, collaborative and interpersonal skills to achieve solutions.
• The ability to evidence your contribution to the meetings of organisational targets.
• A clear understanding of managing attendance and wider HR policies including the ability to support, coach and empower individuals to improve their performance and providing constructive feedback.
• Willingness to travel.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £54,631, Valuation Office Agency contributes £14,750 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, Strengths and Experience.

If you can meet our person requirements above we are keen to hear from you.

To apply for this post, you must complete an online application with the following:

A CV setting out your Job History and Previous skills and experiences. 

A Personal Statement. In no more than 750 words, please provide evidence of your suitability for the role. Ensure that you refer to the Person Specification and Essential Criteria when providing your answer. 

The behaviour examples as listed above, maximum 250 words per behaviour.

Sift - 29 April 204  Please note this date is provisional and may be subject to change.

We will assess you on your CV and your Personal Statement.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted on the personal statement and the following essential criteria: Strong leadership skills developed through extensive operational delivery experience, including leading a team to deliver performance in a fast-paced, changing environment.

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

Interviews - 20 May 2024 . Please note this date is provisional and may be subject to change. This will be confirmed should you be invited to interview.

Interviews are currently taking place Face to Face in our Birmingham office. We will provide more detail if you are shortlisted for interview.

We will assess you on the Behaviours listed in the job description , Strengths and a Presentation. 

At the interview, the panel can then probe further and ask applicants to provide further specific examples that show how they best demonstrate their skills. 

Presentation 

You will also be required to conduct a 10-minute presentation describing a successful project that you have led.

Please note that no IT will be available on the day.

Application Hints and Tips

For more information on Success Profiles, tips on how to write a successful application and find out more about what’s involved in the application process please visit About the application process , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk)

Further Information

Those candidates who wish to apply for a part time position, please note you will need to work a minimum of 4 days per week. 

Any move to VOA 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

The VOA is an office based organisation that supports flexible working. By default, everyone in the VOA is a hybrid worker with options to work in the office, at home or out and about, depending on the work they’re doing that day and where it’s best done.

VOA employees only:  If you are currently in receipt of DTA as a result of a VOA office closure/restructure and it is agreed for you to take up this role in your current location, you may continue to receive DTA for the remainder of the period you can claim for.  Please check with the Vacancy Holder on preferred locations for this role before you apply.

Pre-employment Checks

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.

If you would require a Certificate of Sponsorship from the VOA to undertake this role, please contact resourcingteam@voa.gov.uk before submitting your application.

Reasonable Adjustment

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition, or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate. 

If you need a reasonable adjustment or a change to be made so that you can make your application please click here for more information. 

Reasonable Adjustments , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk) and contact voarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible.

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.

Terms & Conditions

Voluntary terms apply.

Reserve Lists

If we have more successful candidates than available vacancies, we will hold a 3-month reserve list as standard. 

During that time, we may use the list to fill the same, or similar roles with closely matching essential criteria, without further testing of merit. Any appointments from the Reserve list will be made in strict merit order & location requirements.

Applying

All applications for these vacancies must be made online. There are limited exceptions to this. Paper applications will only be considered if you have a disability that will prevent you from applying online. If this is the case, please email voarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Once you have submitted your application it cannot be amended; only submit your application when you have completely finished and answered all the relevant questions.

Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

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

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

Concerns/Complaints

The Valuation Office Agency’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, you may make a complaint, by contacting the Central Recruitment Team at the following address: resourcingteam@voa.gov.uk

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint you have the right to complain to the Civil Service Commissioners.

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

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission. 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.