Personal Assistant
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 13th October 2024
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Salary
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Type of role
Operational Delivery
Secretarial
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Contents
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About the job
Job summary
Are you an excellent communicator with the ability to liaise with a variety of stakeholders?
Do you work well under pressure responding to conflicting priorities?
Do you have the flexibility to travel frequently?
If so, we would like to hear from you!
Job description
The Personal Assistant to the Traffic Commissioners will deliver a high quality professional secretarial service for two Traffic Commissioners (TCs).
The Traffic Commissioners (TC) have responsibility for the licensing and regulation of GB based operators of heavy and light goods vehicles involved in international transport, buses, and coaches (public service vehicles) and of those who drive them, the registration of local bus services, adjudication of appeals against the impounding of vehicles operated without a valid operator’s license and other functions.
The role involves closely working with Traffic Commissioners and Senior Leaders within DVSA, DfT and its agencies, other Government Departments, and external suppliers.
It is a demanding, varied, and interesting role and requires someone who is flexible and responsive. They must possess integrity and understand the need for, and exercise discretion and confidentiality.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Pro-active management of Traffic Commissioners emails, responding to requests, escalating issues, prioritising work, cascading information, and tracking deadlines. Flagging of urgent and priority items and bringing these to their attention.
- Pro-active management of Traffic Commissioner’s diary engaging with internal and external stakeholders. Ensuring that reminder for actions and responses, to enable management of priorities and clashes are highlighted and diaries are kept up to date.
- Identifying and monitoring actions ensuring updates are sought and documented prior to meetings or as required.
- Arranging regular and ad hoc meetings using relevant IT systems to reduce travel and time commitments.
- File management, setting up and maintaining folders on shared drives, and organising access to files and folders held elsewhere.
- Dealing with post, phone calls and e-mails promptly; sending/giving appropriate replies as needed, identifying what can be delegated and forwarding to relevant member of staff. Track all important correspondence and bring to the attention of the managers where a reply is outstanding and becoming urgent.
- Covering other Personal Assistants within the team as required during periods of absence.
- Preparing agendas, attend meetings and take notes or minutes where required within agreed timescales. Ensure all minutes, papers and correspondence are available for meetings within agreed deadlines.
- Ensuring good relations and communications with all members of the team and responding politely and in a timely fashion to internal and external customers.
Please see the Candidate Pack attached to this job advert for more information about the role and responsibilities.
Person specification
About You
To be successful in this role, you will be an excellent communicator (verbally and in writing) and will have the ability to work with a variety of stakeholders.
You will have the ability to draft documents letters, minutes and reports accurately and concisely.
You will be highly organised and will have the ability to work within restrictive timeframes.
You will be flexible in your work approach and will be able to travel regularly to meet the requirements of the business.
You will be self-motivated and will have the initiative to prioritise and adapt workloads to meet the needs of your stakeholders.
You will be proficient in using MS Office products including Word, Outlook and Excel.
Additional Information
This role can be based in Bristol or Eastbourne, your presence at one of these locations will form part of the working arrangements agreed with you. We operate a hybrid working model giving you greater flexibility about where and when you work. Our expectation is that you will spend a minimum 60% of your time at your base location. Visits to other DVSA sites or work locations count towards this.
Please note, due to the nature of the role candidates must expect travel between Bristol and Eastbourne on a regular basis. This could also include travel to other UK offices with overnight stays, as per business requirements.
Whilst we accept applications for those looking for part time work, please note, that there will be a business requirement for successful candidates to work a minimum of 30 hours per week.
Please take note that DVSA does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
About Us
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) helps keep Britain moving, safely and sustainably.
We do this by helping people through a lifetime of safe and sustainable journeys, helping them keep their vehicles safe to drive, and protecting them from unsafe drivers and vehicles.
We’re working hard to:
- make roads safer.
- improve services for our customers.
- make road transport greener and healthier.
- harness the potential of technology and data.
- grow and level up the economy.
To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace and making DVSA a great place to work visit our Careers website.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Working Together
- Managing a Quality Service
Benefits
- An environment with flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance
- Generous Annual Leave - 25 days holiday, increasing by 1 each year of service, up to 30
- 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday
- Latest IT and Tech devices
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues
- Excellent learning and development tailored to your role including paid apprenticeships up to Masters level
- Wide range of discounts schemes on high street names
- Employee assistance program for health and wellbeing
- Cycle to work scheme and Gym membership offers
- For more information see visit our careers page
Things you need to know
Selection process details
How to Apply
As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a CV and Personal Statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
For your Personal Statement, please provide detailed evidence of the following:
- Demonstrable evidence of where you have communicated effectively (in writing and verbally) and where you have worked with a variety of stakeholders.
- Evidence of where you have worked in a high-pressured environment where you have delivered within restrictive timeframes.
- Demonstrable evidence of your organisational skills and where you have taken steps to prioritise workloads.
Your Personal Statement will be limited to a maximum of 750 words.
The sift is due to take place from 14th October 2024
Interviews/assessments are likely to be held from 28th October 2024
This interview could be conducted via a video interview, details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.
We’ll try to meet the dates we’ve set out in the advert. But there may be occasions when these dates will change. We’ll give you plenty of notice of any important dates.
The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:
- an interview with a written exercise
If you would like to find out more about what it’s like to work for DVSA and how to apply, we will be holding virtual sessions to find out more. Please click here to secure your place at one of our upcoming events.
You’re encouraged to become familiar with the candidate pack attached, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.
The Department for Transport recruits using Success Profiles. For each role, we consider what you need to demonstrate to be successful.
This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
You can read more about Success Profiles here.
Reasonable Adjustments
As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Document 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.
This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.
Further Information
For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.
Pre-employment Checking
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.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
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 : Simon Griffiths
- Email : simon.griffiths@otc.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : dftrecruitment.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: Visit the Civil Service Commission website Here
