Regional Bee Inspector - HEO
Animal and Plant Health Agency
Apply before 11:55 pm on Tuesday 19th November 2024
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About the job
Job summary
The post holder will lead and manage a regional team of Seasonal Bee Inspectors (SBIs) within the geographically dispersed National Bee Unit (NBU) field delivery service within APHA’s Plant and Bee Health (PBH) across England and Wales, including operational, technical, and administrative matters. The role encompasses both day to day operational responsibility for the assigned NBU region and outbreak roles as required. Direct Line management of assigned EOs. Responsible for delivering operational team leadership within the Region, ensuring the team of SBIs are managed effectively to deliver the NBUs programme for England and Wales at a regional level to safeguard GB from honeybee pests and diseases and threats to GB Apiculture generally.
Regional role but will be required to attend other locations for meetings or detached duty for longer periods based on business need, such as during a disease outbreak.
The post holder plays an important role in managing regional statutory inspections, maintaining regional standards, along with delivery of the NBU’s beekeeper training programme for the Region in support of statutory regulatory activities, delivery of KPIs and other bee health priorities. The post holder is responsible for certain Bee Health Specialisms, supporting projects and technical content throughout the year, bee health communications and dissemination activities, which may include the production of National Bee Unit advisory leaflets, articles for the Bee Press, YouTube Content and other social media.
Job description
The successful candidate will:
Be responsible for providing leadership and management of one of the NBUs regional teams of inspectors.
Ensure effective and efficient deployment of inspectors with reference to priorities and performance targets.
Support continuous improvement initiatives and role model cultural change within the NBU’ Regional team to achieve this.
Ensure all SBIs within the Region operate to the required H&S and quality assurance standards, maintaining the NBU’s ISO Accreditation.
Work to develop staff professionally to ensure capability to meet targets, support succession plans and to respond to outbreaks and changing Policy objectives.
Build effective working relationships with other managers and team leaders within APHA and stakeholders.
Participate in wider Agency engagement activities to provide NBU representation when required.
Person specification
In addition to the below listed criteria we are looking for candidates who are disciplined, organised, able to analyse information with precision. Candidates should be confident even when under pressure and be team players, whilst taking ownership over their work.
The following Experience criteria are essential to this post:
- NBU technical knowledge including practical experience of honeybee management.
- Competent and Experienced Beekeeper and Handler of Honeybees.
- Demonstrable team leadership competencies and ability.
- Experience of operational and technical work related to Bee Health and an understanding of commercial apiculture.
- Operations within a regional team.
- providing a quality service to customers and responding to changing demands and priorities.
- Delivering targets and priorities and balancing competing demands.
- Working with beekeepers and beefarmers.
- Working with Plant and Bee Health professionals.
- A working knowledge of APHA, DEFRA and Devolved Governments.
- Excellent communication and presentation competence.
- Organising, prioritising and completing work on a wide range of activities, to required standard and to tight deadlines.
- Sound written and verbal communication skills.
- Experience of and familiarity with BeeBase and Sharepoint Online.
- Competent with computer and smartphone skills, Office based systems, videoconferencing, Civil Service platforms and BeeBase.
Key skills
- Copes well in pressured environments.
- Inspirational and engaging leadership with the ability to make effective decisions and manage performance.
- Ability to manage change and identify continuous improvement opportunities.
- Ability to deliver value for money solutions.
- Resource management in challenging times.
- Ability to deliver value for money solutions.
- Exceptional organisational skills.
Licences
Full Driving licence (evidence to be provided at interview).
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Making Effective Decisions
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- You will be required to give a 15 minute Presentation to assess your communicating and influencing skills, along with your technical Bee Keeping knowledge. Further details will be provided if selected for interview.
Benefits
Pension and Financial Benefits
Your pension is a valuable part of your total reward package and there are various options including Alpha and Partnership pension schemes in which Defra can invest in providing a contribution to the cost of your pension.
Life Assurance: if you become too ill or die before retirement valuable benefits will be provided to you and your family.
Time off
25 days annual leave (rising up to 30 days over 5 years) for new entrants to the Civil Service and retaining existing arrangements for current Civil Servants.
Special Leave
Additional paid leave for other situations including family-related leave is available for employees volunteering and taking part in public duties, trade union activities, special/trained forces and for health & safety representatives.
Rewards
We have a Staff Recognition Scheme with our in-year awards rewarding exemplary work.
Learning and Development
Access to five days learning and development each year to support professional development through Civil Service Learning. Corporate induction and three days special leave for volunteering.
Performance Management
Individual performance plans, learning and development matched to your agreed career objectives and progression plans.
Examination Leave
Paid leave for exams and revision for approved studies.
Staff Wellbeing
Access to Employee Assistance Programme, available 24/7, providing advice and guidance on both personal and employment issues such as personal wellbeing, career development, legal matters such as landlord / tenant disputes. Access to the Employee Assistance Programme, Occupational Health Service and the Civil Service Sports Council.
Headspace
Free access to Headspace which is a mindfulness, meditation and sleep app.
Work/ Life Balance:
Travel & Transport Benefits
A range of travel and transport benefits. Access to the cycle to work salary sacrifice scheme that enables you to buy a bike up to the value of £6k.
Shopping and Leisure Benefits
A variety of discounts at online stores and leisure experiences available via Mylifestyle.
Interest Free Loans
For season tickets and/or bicycles and safety equipment as well as tenancy deposit scheme.
Other Benefits:
Sick Pay
We have various measures in place to assist with your physical and emotional health. Our focus is on early intervention and proactivity in addressing health issues. However, should you not be well enough to attend work, occupational sick pay, increasing by length of service, is available.
Enhanced Parental Leave
We offer generous maternity leave, paternity leave and shared parental leave.
Making it work for you
With so many flexible options, most people can find a work schedule to suit their circumstances. You will be part of wider Plant & Bee Health team of over 600 inspectors across the country, which will provide you with support and the opportunity to develop throughout your civil service career.
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 Personal Statement of no more than 500 words detailing all of your skills, experience and suitability to this role as per the job description.
Sift
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement. 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 attend a blended panel interview via video. You will be expected to give a 15 minute Presentation assessing your communicating and influencing skills, along with your technical Bee Keeping knowledge. You will also be asked questions to demonstrate behaviours, strengths and experience.
Further Information
Location
Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
NSV
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
Higher Security Clearance
Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.
All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.
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 the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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 here
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 : Andy Wattam
- Email : andy.wattam@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: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/ to visit Civil Service Commission.
