Operational Resilience Manager
Animal and Plant Health Agency
Apply before 11:55 pm on Thursday 3rd October 2024
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About the job
Job summary
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, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.
Are you a dynamic leader with a passion for delivering results and innovating?
Do you want to apply your planning, communication, and problem-solving skills to a role at the frontline of our incident and emergency response?
If so, we would love to hear from you!
Job description
We are looking for a high calibre Operation Resilience Manager (ORM) who will perform a critical role in planning for outbreaks of exotic notifiable diseases of animals, business continuity incidents and other emergencies. You will have a strong background in contingency planning, delivering training and exercises, managing lessons identified and in incident recovery.
You will support APHA delivering animal health and welfare statutory requirements across Wales on behalf of Welsh Ministers. In ensuring Wales remains free from Exotic Notifiable Disease you will maintain strong working relationships with Welsh Government Policy Teams, Operational Partners, and Stakeholders.
Your excellent leadership, communicating and influencing skills will come to the fore executing well-rehearsed plans in the transition from business as usual to incident and emergency response.
You will provide assurance to the Head of Field Delivery that our delivery teams are suitably ready and prepared for dealing with an incident of exotic notifiable animal disease, business continuity or another emergency.
You will build strong relationships within Wales Field Delivery (WFD) and our wider Service Delivery Directorate and evidence our level of preparedness through co-ordination of internal audit schemes, whilst sharing best practice to ensure a consistent approach across GB.
Working with Veterinary leads (VLs), Veterinary Advisors (VAs), Resilience and Technical Advisors (R&TAs) and team leaders from across our Veterinary, Technical and Administrative Teams, you will review, identify, and coordinate our resilience training requirements and oversee the delivery of an annual programme of exotic animal disease, stakeholder, and business continuity exercises.
For a full list of responsibilities and duties, please see the supporting document.
Person specification
We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate the following skills and experience:
- Knowledge of contingency planning, business continuity management and incident response.
- Organising and coordinating training, workshops, and exercise programmes.
- Communicating with colleagues, external stakeholders, and customers.
- Working in a dynamic environment and managing conflicting priorities.
- Building and maintaining internal and external networks to achieve a common outcome.
- Implementing change and encouraging innovation.
- Knowledge of IT systems and confident in the use of digital resources.
Periodic travel within Wales and GB will be required to attend training courses and attend visits. Whilst working with exotic animal disease you will be required to comply with biosecurity and quarantine requirements. Participation in an out of hours On Call rota will be required. Out of hours work will be required in the event of a disease outbreak or incident.
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.
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.
Licences
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Changing and Improving
Benefits
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.
- Making it work for you - With so many flexible options, most people can find a work schedule to suit their circumstances.
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.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application Process
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and a 500-word Personal Statement.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Sift
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement only. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on your behaviours and strengths.
A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.
For the purposes of the selection process, the Lead Behaviour will be Leadership.
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.
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.
Near miss
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.
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.
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.
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.
Criminal Record Check
If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check maybe 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.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Medical
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Recruitment Hub Team - Kay Edwards
- Email : recruitment.sdd@apha.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
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 https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/ to visit Civil Service Commission.
