Delivery Officer - PackUK

Job summary

About Circular Economy & Scheme Administrator

Reducing waste by moving to a circular economy is one of the Secretary of State’s top five priorities for Defra. The Government has announced plans to develop and publish proposals for a Circular Economy Strategy for England, which will map out the interventions that Government will make during the present Parliament and the next to drive circularity across the economy. A total of six priority sectors will receive a ‘sector roadmap’ within the Strategy, outlining the specific interventions that the Government will make in that sector.

The Scheme Administrator (also known as PackUK) for the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging Scheme are seeking 2 great individuals to fill the Fees & Payments Advisor roles. Reporting to two Senior Delivery Officers they will work with partners from administrations across the four nations of the UK and the recycling and packaging sectors to deliver a governance system for the SA which delivers the strategic priorities of the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging Scheme. This will underpin the delivery of an ambitious set of reforms to embed a Circular Economy.

You will be part of a team at the heart of one of the most important and powerful environmental reforms of our time, shaping and leading an organisation that will make a direct contribution to the achievement of net zero by 2050 while boosting the economy.

Together, we’re shaping a more sustainable future for packaging in the UK and beyond.

Job description

Job Summary

As a Delivery Officer (Fees & Payments Advisor) you will be reporting to the LA (Local Authority) Payments - Senior Delivery Officers, the successful candidates must have experience in working within a fast-paced complex area, whilst delivering work to the highest quality standards. This role offers the opportunity to develop your leadership qualities; delivery and analytical skills, while gaining regular exposure to senior leaders and decision makers.

The applicants will also need to be confident working and communicating with stakeholders, and LA’s; be able to interconnect with positivity the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging requirements and provide support to industry in readiness of the scheme.

Responsibilities

In this role you will

• Collaborate with teams across PackUK and the four nations on cross-cutting issues relating to fees and LA payment calculation, predominantly analysts, policy and relationship management.
• Work closely with analysts responsible for the analytical model used to calculate fees and payments to support its delivery.
• Communicate publicly about the models’ outputs and resulting fees and payments stakeholders can expect, including drafting letters for local authorities and guidance for producers and local authorities.
• Provide support for PackUK project managers by communicating regularly reports, which incorporate the use of project management tools to track progress and the early identification of potential issues.
• Deliver secretariat functions; schedule meetings; set agendas; take notes at internal and external working groups on all points discussed regarding fees and payments.
• Assist in coordinating with regulators across the four nations to maintain producer compliance under the scheme.
• Provide day to day management of research projects related to LA payment calculation, such as coordinating clearance and external communication; ensuring fees and payments calculator (FPC) specialists are involved in a timely manner at key stages.
• Help manage queries and complaints received regarding fees and payment calculations.
• Communicate with senior leaders and external stakeholders, building relationships that will help secure engagement on key decisions on fees and payments, which will provide the opportunity to lead discussions and presentations with senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Collaborate with PackUK communications and engagement teams; consider the benefits of FPC engagement to ensure FPC needs are reflected in the broader plans.

Person specification

Person Specification

As this is a delivery role, to be successful, you must be able to; thrive in fast paced environments; be competent working under pressure and to tight timelines whilst demonstrating flexibility.

You will bring experience of working within a complex and multifaceted delivery environment. You will have a proven ability to work effectively alongside one or more of the following functions: evidence and analysis, policy, digital, legal, commercial, stakeholder engagement/relationship management, finance, project management, or devolved administrations.

Essential Criteria

The essential criteria for this role are:

• Ability to collaborate effectively with professionals across a wide range of disciplines, levels of seniority and expertise, particularly within evidence (modelling, data, research), policy, and digital teams.
• Confidence working in complex environments, including the use of analytical tools, data-driven insights, and structured analysis to support decision‑making.
• Strong communication skills, with the capability to translate technical information for non‑technical audiences, understand stakeholder requirements, and engage directly with customers (including producers and local authorities).
• Competence in supporting the planning and coordination of multiple projects across different phases of the lifecycle; able to assist senior colleagues by identifying key milestones, approvals, and progression points. Able to help facilitate engagement with relevant experts, stakeholders, and approvers at appropriate stages.
• Ability to identify and challenge inefficient or overly complex processes, contributing to the review and refinement of workflows to improve practicality, pace, and overall delivery effectiveness.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

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.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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 and Experience.

Sift, Application & Interview

Application

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• A CV detailing your career history, including any relevant qualifications and experience (this will be used for information only and will not be scored)
• A Personal Statement (max. 500 words) demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the job description, responsibilities, and essential criteria.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Using the STAR process will help achieve a structured document. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift

The sift panel will use the information in your Personal Statement and CV to assess your experience and knowledge.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Sift and Interview dates are to be confirmed.

Interview Process Details

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to a video interview. This vacancy is using Civil Service Success Profiles. During the interview candidates will be asked to deliver a brief 5 minute presentation (topic tbc).

You will also be asked questions based on the following Civil Service Behaviours;

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Interviews to be held via video link. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

Further Information

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.

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 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.

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-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.

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

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.

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.

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 : CE People Team
• Email : cepeopleteam@defra.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