Details
Reference number
426647
Salary
£34,765 - £41,375
National: £34,765- £37,080
London: £38,795 - £41,375
For details of our pay on appointment policy, please see below under the heading 'Salary'.
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP
Job grade
Higher Executive Officer
Contract type
Permanent
Business area
Ministerial, Growth and Resilience
Type of role
Policy
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
Number of jobs available
1
Contents
* Location
* About the job
* Benefits
* Things you need to know
* Apply and further information
Location
Bristol, London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, York
About the job
Job summary
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (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.
Ministerial, Growth and Resilience
Ministerial, Growth and Resilience Directorate. provides support on the Government Growth Mission as well as working on regulation and regulatory reform. It also includes Defra's Briefing, parliamentary and ministerial support functions as Defra's Ministerial and Permanent Secretary Private Offices.
Encouraging diverse applicants
We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups.
Location
This role can be based at any Main Defra Policy Hub. You will be expected work in the office at least 60% of the time.
Job description
This is an exciting time to join the Secondary Legislation Unit (SLU) within Defra's wider Growth, Regulation and Legislation Unit (GRLU). Our 2025 focus is to deliver a high number of Statutory Instruments in line with the priorities of the Government and Ministers.
The Unit has responsibility for the delivery of Defra's secondary legislation programme, which includes laying and making of over eighty Statutory Instruments (SIs) each year, supporting policy teams in briefing Ministers for SI debates, publishing legislation on and engaging with Parliamentary Committees.
Defra's SI programme is usually one of the largest and most complex across government. This will require a keen focus on cross-departmental collaboration, including with Devolved Governments, and understanding ministerial and Defra policy priorities.
Person specification
Responsibilities
This role will support the Devolved Government Engagement Lead (G7) in managing the devolved dependencies within the department's secondary legislation programme. This involves:
* Proactively managing relationships with Devolved Governments (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) to encourage open lines of communication through formal and informal engagement (e.g. a Legislative Issues Working Group, weekly Issues Resolution Calls, and bilateral meetings as required.
* Management of Devolved Government Clearance processes within Defra's secondary legislation programme, preparing and tracking ministerial consent letters.
* Providing advice to Defra policy teams on the engagement and clearance processes needed for secondary legislation being planned.
* Working with colleagues across Defra to take account of the application of the Windsor Framework and the EU Reset Programme, providing input into briefings and submissions.
* Ensuring that guidance and capability materials on working with Devolved Governments are kept up to date, delivering training to Defra teams and others as required.
* Provision of an effective secretariat (logistics, agendas, minutes) for meetings between Defra and the Devolved Governments.
This role enables close working with a variety of policy teams across Defra and working closely with Ministerial offices in the delivery of Ministerial priorities. It also includes excellent Learning & Development opportunities and support which will be available to help build knowledge and capability.
Skills and Experience
* Good interpersonal skills and experience of working with different, complex stakeholders.
* Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
* Project and/or programme management/delivery experience.
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Delivering at Pace
* Communicating and Influencing
* Managing a Quality Service
* Working Together
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
* Delivering at Pace
* Communicating and Influencing
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £34,765, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £10,071 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
A career in the Civil Service is like no other. If you're looking to join a world class team and develop your career with us, then the Civil Service is the place for you You might be wondering, "what's in it for me"? Take a look below at some of the benefits available to you as a civil servant in Defra.
Ministerial, Growth and Resilience Directorate Benefits
Learning and Development
Everyone in Defra is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, Defra, our work and our policies. Your line manager will also work with you to establish your priorities for the year, developing a performance, learning and development plan tailored to you and your role, while also working with you to connect you with a civil service mentor to help empower you in your new role with the opportunity to benefit from paid for coaching.
Most importantly, we're keen to invest in you As a civil servant, you will also have access to Civil Service Learning where you can participate in professional development programmes across a wide spectrum of subjects and professions.
Department Benefits
Technology
We're a firm believer in agile and flexible working. When you join Defra, we'll kit you out with a new Windows 10 Laptop, smartphone and rucksack to make sure that you perform your best wherever you are.
Leave
25 days' paid leave per annum rising to 30 days after five years' service, in addition to eight public holidays and the King's Birthday privilege day. We also offer
* competitive maternity, paternity, parental and adoption leave;
* study leave for the pursuit of academic studies;
* 3 days paid leave for volunteering per annum;
* 15 days paid leave per year for reservist training; and,
* generous paid sick leave.
Cycle to Work Scheme
Defra loans you a bike for your commute as a tax-free benefit. At the end of the loan period, you have the option to buy the bike, saving 30% of the original cost.
Season Ticket and Bicycle Loan
We offer interest-free season ticket loans, to all Defra employees with more than three months' service, for purchasing train and bus season tickets, as well as station car parking. For those unable to take advantage of tax-free benefits, we also offer an interest-free bicycle loan to enable the purchase of a bicycle for commuting.
Gym, Social and Sports Activities
Our offices have a range of different onsite facilities, including gym, fitness facilities, games room, showers and cycle storage. There are also a variety of networks and social groups to join. Ask your line manager for more information.
Restaurant and Café Facilities
A range of our offices offer onsite restaurant and café facilities.
Civil Service Benefits
Pension
Your pension is a valuable part of your total reward package, and you will be given the chance to join one of three different pension plans. You can find more information on the Civil Service Pension on the MyCSP Website at
Civil Service Sports Council
The Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC) organises a wide choice of activities throughout the UK, from art, gliding, abseiling and orienteering to cabaret weekends and quiz and curry nights. Your CSSC membership will provide you with FREE access to hundreds of national and local sites, in addition to savings at many high street stores, cinemas, restaurants and historic houses.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Application Process
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and 2 Behavioural statements. 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 – Delivering at Pace Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Sifting is likely to be occur w/c 29th September, with interviews likely to take place 20th October. These dates are indicative only.
Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on all 4 behaviours.
A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.
Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.
Interviews are expected to last no longer than 60mintues.
Location
As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).
Where the location is 'National' the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra's location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.
Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.
The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.
Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.
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.
Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.
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.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to DEFRA 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.
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 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.
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.
Merit Lists
Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be appointed in merit order for each location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.
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- stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Higher Security Clearance
All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.
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
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.
This is a permanent role as an HEO in the Growth, Regulation and Legislation Unit.
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)
* 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
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code 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 .
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.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
* Name : Strategy Resourcing Team
* Email :
Recruitment team
* Email :
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email:
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: here