Our main Defra DDTS hubs are in York, Warrington, Newcastle, Reading and Bristol. Successful candidates must be based at one of these locations, however, current Defra employees can remain in their current contractual location.
Job Summary
Defra, the UK government department, is responsible for safeguarding the natural environment, supporting the food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy.
The department's broad remit impacts daily life, from the food we eat to the air we breathe and the water we drink. Within Defra DDTS team is the trusted digital partner, comprising around 1000 colleagues. DDTS aims to make interactions with Defra easier and faster, driving innovation and pushing boundaries to create a great place for living and a green, healthy future for all.
Defra DDTS is the trusted team for digital across the entire Defra Group.
ADII (Architecture, Data, Information & Innovation) Provides Technology Leadership That Enables DDTS To Deliver Value To Defra Group At Scale. We Will Do This By
* Providing technology guardrails so that solutions can be delivered efficiently and effectively.
* Identifying the technologies we will need in the future and how to adopt them.
* Being the change agent and advocate for how to exploit AI technologies across Defra.
* Building and operating the key data platforms that help us to be an intelligent, data-driven organisation.
Find Out More About DDTS
Defra digital, data and technology blog
LinkedIn
Defra Jobs
Job Description
The Business Management Office within DDTS is looking for a Personal Assistant to join their team to support and facilitate the work of all teams across Architecture, Data, Information & Innovation (ADII).
The Personal Assistant (PA) role is challenging and interesting. You will provide comprehensive support to one or more Director/Deputy Directors and their functional leadership teams within Architecture, Data, Information & Innovation (ADII). It will give you a great chance to have a fundamental impact on how DDTS delivers its outcomes. The role also provides the opportunity to gain excellent first-hand experience of senior digital and technology leaders in action.
The Business Management Office within DDTS is looking for a Personal Assistant to join their team to support and facilitate the work of all teams across Architecture, Data, Information & Innovation (ADII).
The Personal Assistant (PA) role is challenging and interesting. You will provide comprehensive support to one or more Director/Deputy Directors and their functional leadership teams within Architecture, Data, Information & Innovation (ADII). It will give you a great chance to have a fundamental impact on how DDTS delivers its outcomes. The role also provides the opportunity to gain excellent first-hand experience of senior digital and technology leaders in action.
Person specification
Responsibilities
* Manage Director/Deputy Director's emails, acting where necessary including filing, forwarding to others for action and maintaining an audit trail and support with other specific work as required.
* Manage Director/Deputy Director's calendar, including arranging meetings, room bookings, and teleconferences, coordinating and booking travel.
* Working with Director/Deputy Director to ensure they are adequately prepared for meetings (e.g. preparing briefing packs).
* Take notes of Director/Deputy Director meetings and discussions.
* Act as first point of contact for colleagues and stakeholders, managing enquiries and giving a professional response.
* Ensure effective record keeping, including managing directories of electronic files, archiving and administration of various team sites.
* Working effectively, as a member of the ADII Business Management Office, to maintain a core level of service, help and support other colleagues through the sharing of experience and best practice, and providing cover when required.
Skills And Experience
* Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to form close working relationships with colleagues at all levels to gain their trust and influence them.
* Excellent organisational skills, with an ability to manage conflicting demands, keeping focus and swiftly reprioritising so that sudden changes do not adversely impact the delivery of your work.
* Excellent Microsoft Office skills, including strong proficiency in the use of Outlook, plus other collaborative tools.
* Ability to operate with discretion.
* Proven background in supporting a senior manager / head of a sizeable organisation / delivery of project or service.
* Experience of working in a large and complex organisation.
Selection process
The Civil Service marks each element of the selection process on a merit basis. You can visit the website for further information on the Civil Service rating scale.
Ensure you have tailored your CV and your 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. You may find the STAR method helpful when writing your personal statement.
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. This Will Be Evaluated By Looking At Your CV And Personal Statement, So Please Provide The Following And Ensure Your Experience Is Clearly Demonstrated
* A CV
* A 500-word suitability statement: Referring to the 'skills and experience' sections of the job advert, please demonstrate how you are suitable for the role by providing relevant examples.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
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
Strengths and the Behaviours listed below.
A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.
Interview 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
Strengths
Experience
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Communicating and Influencing
* Delivering at Pace
* Managing a Quality Service
Alongside your salary of £29,715, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £8,608 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
* 25 days' leave (rising to 30 days over 5 years) plus bank holidays.
* A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%.
* A day off per year for the King's birthday.
* Access to a range of retail discounts (these include supermarket, tech, gym, holiday, phone and more).
* Flexible working options such as condensed hours, part-time and flexi time.
* 3 paid volunteering days per year.
* Funding for professional membership of a recognised professional body.
* Learning and development tailored to your role and budget for training or qualifications.
* A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
* Cycle to work scheme.
* Health cash plan to help you manage health costs for a reduced monthly fee.
* Access to the Employee Assistance Programme open 24 hours, 7 days a week, that provides support to you during any times of stress or difficulty.
* Free access to Headspace for wellbeing.
* Season ticket loan for public transport.
Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)
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 D&I Strategy
Check out the video below from Jane McGeagh, Chief Operating Officer on why DDTS is a great place to work:
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
For further information on the selection process for this role, please refer to the person specification section of the job advert.
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.
Our main Defra DDTS hubs are in York, Warrington, Newcastle, Reading and Bristol. Successful candidates must be based at one of these locations, however, current Defra employees can remain in their current contractual location.
Artificial Intelligence
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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
.
NSV
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
All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. 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.
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.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
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.
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.
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.
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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) 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 :
* 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