Details
Reference number
423328
Salary
£26,025 - £26,025
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP
Job grade
Administrative Officer
Contract type
Permanent
Fixed term
Loan
Secondment
Length of employment
2x Permanent
1x FTA/Loan/Secondment until 31/03/26
Business area
APHA – Operational Delivery
Type of role
Operational Delivery
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
Number of jobs available
3
Contents
* Location
* About the job
* Benefits
* Things you need to know
* Apply and further information
Location
Carmarthen, Caernarfon.
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.
About the job
Job summary
Do you want to apply your communication and problem-solving skills in a role that provides variety and flexibility?
Are you highly organised?
Can you work on your own initiative as well as working within a team?
If so, we would love to hear from you.
APHA is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, because it helps us be more innovative and make better decisions.
We are dedicated to being an inclusive employer, offering equitable opportunities for all individuals. Our goal is to build a diverse workforce, and we hope to attract applications from all backgrounds and underrepresented groups.
Job description
We currently have the following 3 vacancies available:
* 2 permanent posts.
* 1 FTA/Loan/Secondment post until 31/03/26.
All posts will be offered in merit order by role with the permanent posts going to the highest scorers.
As an Administrative officer within the Wales Field Operations Team, you will be expected to provide support to managers and frontline staff by undertaking transactional work in a particular area.
The main duties within your role will include the following:
Delivery
* Work collaboratively with remote teams across GB to support the delivery of the core function of the Business Unit in accordance with established time scales and performance targets.
* Ensure accurate records are kept and updated accordingly, data input using various IT systems in accordance with APHA Data.
* Identify efficiencies that could be utilised within your own team or wider business unit.
* Understand and identify issues that may affect delivery that require escalation to your Line Manager.
* Flexibility to adapt to changing situations within the office and respond with energy and commitment to take on additional tasks that may be outside the normal day to day duties.
Administration procedure
* You will take on responsibility for a set of administrative procedures; ensuring actions are carried out in accordance with the procedures and within the necessary timescales.
* Provide a range of office administrative and business support duties to the immediate team, and where required, the wider team. This includes organising meetings, taking notes, updating distribution lists, coordinating training courses, and monitoring shared mailboxes.
* Respond to telephone queries, following up enquiries which cannot be immediately resolved. There is some processing and procedural work associated with the calls generated, including accurately noting the details of the call on a customer's record, updating databases, producing paperwork, and following general administration processes and procedures.
* Provide support and guidance to others (internally and externally) on procedures, answering queries and following up enquires that cannot be immediately solved.
* Continually review procedures in your work area and identifying any efficiencies that could be utilised in your work area
Customer Service
* Liaise with, and provide excellent customer service to Stakeholders, Delivery Partners and Customers, both internal and external, understanding and appreciate their needs and requirements, for example, liaising with farmers and local veterinary practices to arrange tests. Some roles will involve arranging removal of diseased animals to an abattoir, liaising with farmers and their agents over compensation valuations and payments (TB operational Delivery roles only).
* Liaise with laboratories over test results (TB Operational Delivery role only).
* Respond to requests from the public for information and guidance and providing accurate and timely information to our customers.
* Update information held on our information systems by liaising with the public to ensure the data we capture about (or for) our customers is accurate.
* Ensure customer expectations are met.
Person specification
We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate the following essential experience and skills;
* Confident in using Microsoft Office packages (Outlook, Excel, Word) with a good level of overall IT literacy.
* Well-organised, with the ability to manage tasks and priorities effectively.
* Adaptable and able to respond positively to change.
* Focused on delivering excellent customer service.
* Accurate when inputting data and maintaining records, both digital and paper-based.
* Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to convey information clearly.
* Proactive approach to work, showing initiative and reliability.
Learning and Development
Everyone in APHA 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, 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.
In return for your dedication, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training. Inclusion, support and the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA.
The post holder must work from one of the locations listed in the Location section of the advert.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Managing a Quality Service
* Delivering at Pace
* Working Together
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
* Managing a Quality Service
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £26,025, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £7,539 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Further benefits offered also include:
* A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
* An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities tailored to your role.
* Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
* Staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme.
* Making it work for you - With so many flexible options, most people can find a work schedule to suit their circumstances.
These are just a few of our benefits we offer. To find out the full range of what we offer refer to the Information Pack attached for more detail.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Stage 1
Application Process
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:
* A CV submitted through an on-line tool accessed through the Civil Service Jobsite; there is no requirement to upload your personal CV.
* A 500-word Personal Statement.
* A Behaviour statement of 250-words for the lead behaviour, Managing a Quality Service, following the Behaviour criteria outlined in the Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK framework for AO positions.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
CV Guidance
Your CV should consist of your career history, including any key achievements and your main responsibilities in each role and be no longer than 2 pages. Your CV will be used to provide further context on your Personal Statement and scored against the essential criteria.
Personal Statement Guidance
When completing your Personal Statement, please read and understand the Person Specification thoroughly, as this is what your written evidence will be assessed against. Please ensure you evidence the key personal qualities and experiences that align with the criteria. Consider the Job Description and look to demonstrate how your previous experience may align with the expectations and be applicable to the role. The written evidence you provide must relate to your own experiences. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc.
We encourage you to use the full 500-word allowance of the Personal Statement but not to exceed.
You may choose to address each criteria separately, however, one narrative example may cover and evidence several essential criteria.
Should a high volume of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement only. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift and/or progressed straight to interview.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
For further guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit the Civil Service Careers website. How to write your CV, Civil Service Careers
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Recruitment
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Stage 2
Preparing for the interview
During the interview you will be assessed based on:
* the Behaviours specified in the Job Advert, following the Behaviour criteria outlined in the Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK framework for AO positions.
* Your previous experiences relevant to the role requirements outlined in the advert following the Success Profiles: Experience - GOV.UK framework.
A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.
If you are selected for interview, you will receive an electronic notification to your Civil Service Jobs account.
Upon receiving the interview invitation, please log into the system to schedule your interview slot in advance.
Interviews will be conducted via MS Teams, and a link will be provided in your interview invitation.
The interview
The interview will follow a blended approach and will last approximately 45 minutes.
After the interview
Once all the interviews have been conducted, candidates will be notified of the outcome by email. If you are successful at the interview stage, we will be in touch to offer you a role. Offers will be made in merit order by contract length.
Eligibility
Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake, please contact us via: using the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – 'Please re-open my application – [insert vacancy ref] & vacancy closing date [insert date]'
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 contract type is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by contract duration.
The FTA contract is until 31/03/26. The permanent posts will be offered to the highest scoring candidates.
Salary
New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 an Administrative Officer on the Wales Field Operations Team because the post is not permanent. It is time limited due to a fixed funding period or as part of a specific project. The fixed-term will end when the funding or the project expires.
Your responsibilities will include those shown on the Responsibilities section of the advert. This post will therefore begin from the agreed start date and end on31/03/26.
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.
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.
Feedback
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.
Medical
Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.
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 : Recruitment Hub Team - Kay Edwards
* 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