Policy Officer: Constitution (Ref: 15009)

Job summary

Please refer to Job Description

Job description

Job Title: Policy Officer: Constitution

Pay Grade: EO

Salary: £29,303 - £31,061

Location: Ty William Morgan, Cardiff, CF10 1EP

Reports to: SEO – Senior Policy Advisor: Constitution

Contract: Up to 18 Month Fixed Term Contract or Loan with Possibility of Extension or Permanency

Clearance: CTC (See Additional Information)

About the Wales Office

The Wales Office is the face of the UK Government in Wales and the voice of Wales in Westminster. We support the Secretary of State for Wales and the Ministerial team in representing Wales at the heart of Government. We work in partnership with other Government Departments and other stakeholders to deliver a stronger Wales within a strong and prosperous United Kingdom.

Our departmental values are Commitment, Collaboration, and Quality. These shape how we operate in a challenging, demanding, and fast paced environment which requires flexibility, transparency, and professionalism.

The Office is based over two sites, with one base in Cardiff and another in London. As an accredited smarter working organisation, we offer considerable flexibility around ‘the way we work’. We have great technology and an attractive employee benefits package which includes a commitment to investing in the learning & development of our staff.

About the team

The Constitution Team works across Whitehall and with the Welsh Government to ensure the Welsh devolution settlement works effectively. It is responsible for a wide range of devolution issues that relate to Wales, including Welsh issues in the UK Government’s legislative programmes.

It also works on a cross-Whitehall basis on constitutional issues, including inter-governmental relations and common frameworks. Its wider responsibilities also include EU and foreign policy matters, and elections in Wales. The post holder is responsible for delivering key aspects of this work.

Key Responsibilities

As part of the Constitution team, you will be responsible for drafting official and Ministerial level correspondence and providing briefings to the Secretary of State and Ministers on a range of areas within the team’s portfolio.

This role will involve:

• Providing high quality advice and written briefing to the Secretary of State and Ministers on matters relating to the constitution, with a focus on the Welsh aspects of relevant issues.
• Drafting responses to official and Ministerial level correspondence on a range of issues in line with internal procedures and deadlines.
• Monitoring constitutional developments affecting Wales and reporting back to members of the team, including Special Advisers and Ministers.
• Working with Other Government Departments across Whitehall, the Welsh Government, and wider external stakeholders in Wales to ensure that Welsh interests are fully reflected in UK Government policy.
• The post also offers opportunities to work flexibly across the directorate on a wide range of policy areas including domestic affairs and local growth.
• There are no line management responsibilities for this role.

This list is not intended to be exhaustive, and it is likely that duties may be altered from time to time in the light of changing circumstances and after consultation with the postholder.

Person Specification

The successful candidate will be a self-starter, able to work under their own initiative and form strong, productive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders to deliver the Government’s priorities for Wales. This role provides an excellent opportunity to work as part of a small team to develop policy making skills and political awareness in a fast-moving environment.

Please evidence in your Statement of Suitability how closely you match the essential criteria:

Essential:

• Excellent IT skills with specific experience of using the Microsoft Office suite.
• Proven ability to analyse information from a wide range of sources and communicate findings tailored to your audience.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, comfortable working with colleagues at all levels and building rapport with stakeholders.
• Experience of working autonomously in an environment where a multi-tasking approach and the need for prioritisation has been required.

Desirable:

• Written and verbal Welsh language skills are highly desirable, but not essential.

Recruitment Process

This campaign will be undertaken using the Civil Service Success Profile framework. You will need to provide evidence in your application to cover the following behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing (Lead Behaviour) (Application & Interview)
• Working Together (Application & Interview)
• Seeing the Big Picture (Interview Only)
• Delivering at Pace (Interview Only)

In the event of a high volume of applicants, we will sift only on the lead behaviour to create a shortlist for interview.

Additional Information

The Wales Office is not an employer in its own right. Staff recruited to work at the department will be employees of the Ministry of Justice who provide employment services on our behalf.

This role requires CTC level clearance. Applicants for National Security Clearance (CTC) must be resident in the UK for 3 years immediately prior to their application for Security Clearance. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years), you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why.

If you do not meet the above requirement, you may still be considered for the role if, for example:

• You have been serving overseas with HM Armed Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government.
• You were studying abroad.
• You were living overseas with parents.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £29,303, Wales Office contributes £8,489 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist 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.

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.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 : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
• Telephone : 0345 241 5359

Recruitment team

• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

https://jobs.justice.gov.uk/careers/JobDetail/15009?entityId=15009