Secretary to the Review Body on Senior Salaries (two posts)
Department for Business and Trade
Apply before 11:55 pm on Tuesday 17th September 2024
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About the job
Job summary
The Office for the Pay Review Bodies (OPRB, previously called OME) is part of the Department for Business and Trade. It provides professional support to the eight independent pay review bodies that make recommendations to Ministers on levels of public sector pay – over £100 billion of spending annually.
The Review Body on Senior Salaries (SSRB) advises on the remuneration of senior civil servants, senior armed forces officers, the judiciary, senior health service managers and chief police officers. Its recommendations must be based on an authoritative assessment of a range of issues and evidence bearing on the challenges of recruiting and retaining these senior leaders.
[Post 1.] You will lead the work of the SSRB’s secretariat team, managing the process of evidence-gathering and considering issues, advising the SSRB and drafting much of its annual report and ensuring the SSRB has the evidence and analysis it needs to produce its recommendations. You will gain and develop the confidence of the SSRB chair and members as a source of well-judged advice to them on the policy issues and on their work programme.
[Post 2.] The SSRB is about to undertake the next Major Review of the Judicial Salary Structure for the Lord Chancellor. This fundamental review of the pay structure of the judiciary, the first since 2017-18, is likely to take 18 months or more and report in the spring/summer of 2026.
The Review will be led by the SSRB’s lead member for the judiciary on behalf of the whole SSRB and will require its own secretariat, which you will lead. It will be a stimulating and rewarding task: the judiciary faces significant recruitment shortfalls and there are considerable backlogs in the courts – it is important that the review can develop proposals for future remuneration that respond to these challenges while giving the taxpayer value for money. You will also lead on the SSRB’s advice in its next annual report on a 2025 pay uplift for the judiciary.
Job description
As SSRB secretary (Post 1) you will be the go-to person for all things SSRB, from shaping its programme of work to appointments of members. As Major Review secretary (Post 2) you will, similarly, be the go-to person for the Review. In both these posts the task is to:
- Establish effective relationships with the chair and members.
- Lead a programme of work that engages all the relevant external interests and allows SSRB to make recommendations based in strong evidence and analysis.
- Develop a strong knowledge of the different remit groups/the Judiciary.
- Prepare papers summarising evidence, and developing and presenting options, including project-managing development of the reports, taking overall editorial control and leading personally on the writing of significant sections.
- Coordinate the work of your secretariat team and line-manage an HEO, and work collaboratively with the OME’s analysts and across OME more generally.
- Support SSRB members on visits across the UK to meet the groups and individuals in their workplaces, including attending some visits in person. (Visits are scheduled well in advance.)
- Help colleagues elsewhere in OME to deliver their objectives as part of a culture of helping each other across the work of the eight pay review bodies.
Although the Major Review will finish in 2026 Post 2 is available on a permanent basis since OPRB will have similar roles supporting Pay Review Bodies.
Person specification
Personal Attributes and Skills
We would love to hear from you if you would like the chance to work with, and learn from, senior people and you have an aptitude for clarifying policy issues and expressing them clearly in written form. Skills and previous experience of this sort will be a help to you, whatever the subject matter.
Essential Criteria
Ability to take the initiative, plan and prioritise and lead the team to deliver.
Strong communication and relationship management skills and the self-assurance to lead on advice and briefing to the SSRB chairs and members and to represent the SSRB to its senior leader and judiciary stakeholders.
Experience in producing fluent, clear and well-structured drafting.
Ability to grasp complex and nuanced subject matter, including interpretation and use of data, with strong attention to detail and a problem-solving mindset.
Aptitude for building effective external relationships, including to work with officials in other government departments.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Working Together
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 average employer contribution of 27%
We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.
Please refer to the attached candidate pack for further information on our benefits.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually. We will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception.
Please ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.
To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:
- A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.
- A Personal Statement (500 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential criteria.
It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 3-5 weeks after the closing date, though this is subject to change.
In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift will be conducted on the CV. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a short oral presentation, details will be provided prior to your interview. The interview will also include a short written exercise.
Reasonable Adjustments
We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. In order to request an adjustment:
Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process.
Alternatively contact the Government Recruitment Service at DBTrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Candidate Support
You may want to join a virtual Candidate Support Session. These sessions include helpful tips and advice on the recruitment process, from application to interview.
Please see attached Candidate Pack for further information on: Diversity and Inclusion; Benefits; Learning and Development; Working Patterns and what we deliver as a department.
Further Information:
- A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve Lists will be for each location and appointments made in merit order based on location preferences.
- Any move to the Department for Business and Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.
- The Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.
- 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. Any applicant who has 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.
- Terms and Conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
- Please note – the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.
- This role may be considered as a secondment opportunity. Please reach out to the hiring manager listed at the bottom of this advert to discuss.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland/Access NI 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.
For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk
For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email accessni@ani.x.gsi.gov.uk
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 : Robin Webb
- Email : robin.webb@businessandtrade.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : dbtrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DBT by email: Resourcing@businessandtrade.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.
For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints
