Special Projects Team Policy Advisor
Department of Health and Social Care
Apply before 11:55 pm on Wednesday 20th November 2024
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About the job
Job summary
In the Department of Health and Social Care, we are proud of our purpose - to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you would like to work in, we would love to hear from you.
We are advertising an exciting and challenging policy role within the NHS Workforce Directorate, which is part of the Secondary Care and Integration Group. The NHS workforce is a complex, high profile policy area with considerable interest from ministers and senior officials, the media and the public.
The NHS workforce is a vital part of everything the NHS does; it is currently facing significant challenges in terms of size, make-up, and ensuring it has the right skills to respond to the changing needs of an ageing population with a greater burden of disease and complex healthcare needs.
This is an exciting opportunity to help ensure the NHS workforce is able to meet the long-term strategic challenges it will face in the coming years.
Job description
The NHS Workforce Directorate is establishing a new Special Projects team, which will be a flexible resource focused on high priority, strategic, cross-cutting challenges affecting the NHS workforce. It will work across teams in the NHS Workforce Directorate, working closely with the workforce Senior Management Team, NHS England, NHS Employers and external stakeholders to respond to emerging priorities from ministers, provide strategic input to the development of the 10-Year Health Plan, and on issues identified by teams that are affecting the NHS workforce. The team will lead cross-cutting projects to get to the heart of the challenges identified and develop effective policy solutions, working in partnership with stakeholders.
The role will provide policy and project delivery support to the team to monitor and deliver special projects across the NHS Workforce Directorate, and will include:
- Coordinate work to oversee the portfolio of special projects across the NHS Workforce Directorate, supporting timely delivery and responding to key areas of ministerial focus.
- Support the delivery of individual projects which the special projects team are responsible for delivering, ensuring workable policy solutions are developed to respond to strategic workforce challenges.
- Provide input into clear, concise, evidence-based recommendations and policy solutions for senior officials and ministers, setting out options, costs, risks, and benefits.
- Build and maintain relationships with colleagues across government and with external stakeholders to gather evidence, insight, and ideas to understand specific challenges, and test policy solutions as they develop.
- Provide general administration and secretariat support for the team, including taking notes and actions of key meetings, setting agendas, maintaining a log of actions and keeping track of them.
Person specification
Key skills and experience required for the role.
Essential:
- A good understanding of the policy development process and the wider policy landscape in which we are working, and being alert to new and emerging trends and issues which may impact the NHS workforce in the future.
- Strong written and oral communication skills, with the ability to clearly communicate and present complex ideas in formal submissions, in conversation with stakeholders, and in day-to-day briefing.
- A team player who is able to build and maintain positive relationships with delivery partners and interested stakeholders.
- Good organisational skills, with the ability to monitor work against agreed deadlines, work at pace and re-prioritise work where necessary, and work flexibly to achieve the goals of the team.
Desirable:
- An understanding of the current challenges facing the NHS workforce.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
- Communicating and Influencing
- Seeing the Big Picture
Benefits
- 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%
Your normal place of work will be your contractual primary workplace, usually either London or Leeds. (delete/add as appropriate) Within DHSC we offer non-contractual hybrid working. The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time spent in the office, enabling in person interaction and collaboration, and enhancing team working, learning, and support.
You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas and some travel may be required across the DHSC estate.
Opportunities for some working from home may be available; other flexible working options may be discussed with the hiring manager in line with individual circumstances and business need.
There are a limited number of DHSC colleagues who have existing agreed homeworking contracts resulting from Our Future Estate Programme 2023-2024. Colleagues covered by these arrangements are eligible to apply for this role whilst continuing their agreed existing home working arrangement. Occasional travel to DHSC offices or other locations may still be required according to business need. Travel and subsistence will be provided in line with the pre-agreed homeworker arrangements.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application sift date: Week commencing 18/11/2024
Interview date: Week commencing 09/12/2024
Interview location: Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.
Further details and interview slots will be released to candidates who are successful at sift.
Applications will be sifted on Behaviours, CV, and Personal Statement.
An initial sift based on the Working Together behaviour may be held if a large number of applications are received. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Please use your CV to set out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role. These can be found in the ‘Key skills and experience required for the role’ section of the advert.
Please use your personal statement to (in no more than 500 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert.
At interview, candidates will be assessed on Behaviours and Strengths.
To find out more about working in the department, please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers website: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/departments/working-for-the-department-of-health-social-care/ To find out more information on how to apply, visit the Civil Service Careers website: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/how-to-apply/
Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate.
Please note that applicants will require BPSS clearance.
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 dhscrecruitment.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.
Further Information
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to DHSC 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. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
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.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
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.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
This role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). 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.
Terms and Conditions
Candidates should note that DHSC’s Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful.
New Entrants to the Civil Service
New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions:
- Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
- Privilege Leave: 1 day - for the King’s birthday
- Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
- Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months’ full pay and five months’ half pay
- Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
- Probation: 6 month probation period
Existing Civil Service staff transferring from another Government department, on either level transfer or promotion
All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).
Existing DHSC staff, appointed on promotion
If DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSC’s pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
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Working for the Civil Service
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Rachael Whittaker
- Email : rachael.whittaker@dhsc.gov.uk
- Telephone : 01132545694
Recruitment team
- Email : dhscrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/
