Business Manager (NSCAH Team)(ID5106)

Job summary

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.

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.

The National Science Centre for Animal Health (NSCAH) Department represents APHA on National Biosecurity Centre (NBC) projects at its Weybridge headquarters. NSCAH has business obligations to ensure its smooth running, and strong integration into corporate workstreams and initiatives. This role is the engine that drives those business operations, with responsibility for autonomously refining and running the function with oversight and support from the NSCAH Business Lead and Office Manager. There is also opportunity to lead on areas within the Project and Programme Support Office.

Job description

Relationship Building

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with the:
• NSCAH Head of Department (HoD), to assist them in their HoD obligations to APHA
• NSCAH Business Lead and Office Manager, to develop and follow a strong vision, and ways-of-working, for the NSCAH Business area
• NSCAH Departmental colleagues to ensure that NSCAH fulfils its Departmental business obligations to APHA
• NBC Finance Team
• Science Business & Admin Team Lead
• Science Business Manager network
• APHA Quality Network

Finance and Procurement

• Lead engagement with Finance to control information, and co-ordinate queries/requests-for-information between NSCAH, APHA Finance, and NBC.
• Work closely with Finance to ensure that Defra/corporate policies are understood and implemented efficiently to avoid duplication.
• Ensure preparedness of the Department, and the HoD, for regular APHA Finance meetings, such as Star Chamber.
• Establish an annual Departmental budget and monitor/update spend and forecasts as necessary.
• Manage the governance process around procurement requests of the NSCAH budget.
• Manage monthly Financial Forecast Tool (FFT) Return
• Manage and communicate the correct use of work-recording codes for NBC projects to ensure accurate time recording by NSCAH colleagues.
• Lead on NSCAH procurement, including developing and managing an end-to-end process for, and managing, procurement activities of the Department, and providing support and advice on procurement processes.

Quality and Audit

• Represent NSCAH as the Local Quality Manager, and ensure that the Department fulfils all quality obligations, for example, completing the ICQA, or leading the Department though all quality audits, including preparing the team through holding surveillance and mock audits.
• Line manage the NSCAH Quality Rep

Recruitment& Workforce Planning

• Manage NSCAH’s end-to-end recruitment process, working with APHA and Defra recruitment teams.
• Forecast the NSCAH recruitment profile and report progress to central APHA and NBC.
• Manage the Establishment List

Governance and Reporting

• Administer the required NSCAH business Departmental meetings, such as the monthly Senior Management Team meeting, the monthly Team Brief, and grade check-ins. This includes developing agendas with the chair, preparing slides where necessary in conjunction with the chair and wider team, taking minutes, actions, and decisions, and managing actions and decisions logs.

Information Management

• Manage the flow of information within NSCAH, including controlling information storage in repositories i.e., SharePoint Online, Content Cloud, Personal OneDrives etc.

Science Transformation Project and Programme Support

• Deputy Secretariat for NSCAH Decision Panel
• Secretariat for NSCAH Quality Check Group

Corporate Duties and other responsibilities

• Line or functional management of one EO post for Business Support. This includes management through setting goals and reviewing performance, mentoring, and supporting development and learning.
• Lead the end-to-end annual NSCAH People Survey process, from ensuring team population of survey, to analysis of results, communication of key points, generation of action plan for improvements, and follow-through of actions.

Person specification

Experience and skills:

You will need to demonstrate the following:

• Proactive and self-motivated, with ability to own and drive areas of responsibility autonomously
• Strong relationship builder, with ability to use those relationships to advance work and overcome issues
• Effective planning and organisational skills, with ability to switch between and manage multiple workstreams concurrently
• Basic understanding of fundamental financial practises, such as budgeting, forecasting, and resource-allocation
• Excellent written and oral skills to be able to communicate plainly and succinctly
• Experience of management of budgets and preparation of reports, forecasting etc.
• Experience of organisation of workshops and minute-taking

Education

• A-levels/BTec Level 3 or higher, or several years relevant experience from the above experience section.

Workplace arrangements

The post holder must work from the location listed in the Location section of the advert. This role is based at Weybridge and requires you to spend at least 60% of your working week on-site. The post will require Health clearance. You will be expected to complete a questionnaire on your general health (applicable for all roles) and have any necessary vaccinations or health surveillance, including skin sensitizers. This will be arranged by the Health Team, Weybridge.

Security clearance
The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Government’s response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason, all postholders based at the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance or above. For this role, the postholder is required to hold a valid Security Check (SC). It is up to each person applying for a post at APHA Weybridge to ensure they meet the residency criteria. Applicantsmust be currently resident in the UK& have at least five years continuous UK residency as this is a requirement to work at the Weybridge site where the team and work is situated.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Changing and Improving

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• IT knowledge & skills will be assessed through a structured set of questions that will based on the requirement to meet the person specification.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,056, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £11,604 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

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.
• Three days special leave with pay, per year, for volunteering (pro-rata for part time employees).
• Making it work for you - With so many flexible options, most people can find a work schedule to suit their circumstances.
• We also have a social committee who run team building and fun events at the Weybridge site

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.

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. This can include a variety of courses, Apprenticeships, paid Masters and PhD and on-the-job training specific to 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.

Things you need to know

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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Application Process

You will be required to complete the following as part of your application:

• A 500-word Personal Statement of how you match the details in the Person Specification – the written evidence you provide must relate to your own experiences. We encourage you to use the full word allowance of the Personal Statement but not to exceed it
• A 250-word Behaviour Statement for the following Behaviours: Managing a Quality Service and Communicating and Influencing. Please use the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to provide evidence of the Behaviours in your application.

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.

Scoring for all criteria of the application is from 1 to 7 – A score of 4 and above will progress to interview unless there is a large number of applications. In this instance, an initial sift will be conducted using the behaviour Manging a Quality Service. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The panel may agree a benchmark score higher than 4 with a rationale for the decision. Any candidates applying under the Disability Confident Scheme who scores 4 or above on all of the criteria will be offered an interview.

For further guidance and information on how to construct your application (Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit the Civil Service Careers website. How to write your CV , Civil Service Careers

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 Science.DirectorateHR@apha.gov.uk with the vacancy reference number, your applicant reference number, and the closing date.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you may be invited to interview where you will be assessed on

• Experience as detailed in the Person Specification section - Success Profiles: Experience - GOV.UK framework.
• Behaviours (Managing a Quality Service, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together, Changing and Improving). The Behaviour criteria outlined in theSuccess Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UKframework for HEO positions. Please use the STAR technique (Situation Task, Action, Result) to provide evidence of the Behaviours in your interview.
• Technical skills outlined in the advert following theSuccess Profiles: Technical - GOV.UK These will be assessed through a structured set of questions. The questions will explore your IT literacy required to meet the person specification. IT literate - particularly Microsoft Office (particularly Excel and PowerPoint) and SharePoint Online

Your interview will be conducted face to face at APHA, Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 3NB.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

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.

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Defra which may be at a lower grade but have a potential skills match.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

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.

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.

Please be aware that this role will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location (excluding Northern Ireland) and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

This role is only based at APHA Weybridge due to the nature of the role and the duties required.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Salary

New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the Pay Band.

Ways of Working

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. For most candidates your hours of work will be a blend of working from an APHA workplace (specific to the team location) with working at home.

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.

Periodic travel within the UK and EU may occasionally be required and this could include visits to regional laboratories.

Out of hours work may be required. When overtime or out-of-hours work is required, APHA Management reserves the right to change overtime patterns to meet requirements. You may be eligible for overtime payments and where overtime is approved you will receive appropriate payment.

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 defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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.

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-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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.

Working Pattern

This role is available on a full-time basis. We may consider two part-time staff on a job share basis, where continuity can be arranged.
We welcome applications from individuals seeking alternative working patterns; however, preferred arrangements may not always be possible. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their preferences with the vacancy holder at interview or offer stage.

NSV

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to Weybridge 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.

Higher Security Clearance

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

The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Governments response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason, all staff based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance. For this role, the postholder is required to hold a valid Security Check (SC).

Applicants must be currently resident in the UK and have at least five years continuous UK residency in order to start the mandatory Counter Terrorist Check security checks that are required to work at APHA Weybridge. If you cannot meet this criterion, CTC clearance will not be possible as this is part of pre-employment checks before taking up the post.

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: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).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) (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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

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 : Rachel Baker-O'Neill
• Email : Rachel.Baker@apha.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

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: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: here

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