Head of Strategic Estates
Animal and Plant Health Agency
Apply before 11:55 pm on Friday 27th September 2024
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About the job
Job summary
Do you excel at influencing others and providing leadership across business, science, and people management? Are you skilled at driving transformative change, promoting innovation, and achieving excellence while guiding your team towards a common strategy?
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is a pivotal executive agency of the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and is dedicated to safeguarding the UK's animal and plant health. With a team of over 3,000 professionals operating across 85 sites including laboratories, offices, and field depots, we are committed to advancing research and regulatory practices that protect both the environment and economy. Our role is critical in maintaining the UK’s biosecurity standards.
The Sustainable Futures strategy represents a significant transformation for APHA, and your leadership will be essential in achieving its objectives. You will facilitate strategic investments and innovation, contributing to the UK’s environmental and economic resilience. Further details are in the candidate pack.
The priority for this role is to look strategically across the APHA estate to ensure that is fit for purpose for our future business needs for disease surveillance and outbreak readiness. The post holder will be responsible for contributing to reviews of our locations, developing a Place strategy to meet future business needs. This includes reviewing the regional laboratory network and disease outbreak response locations in conjunction with our specialists and delivery directorates.
Job description
Reporting to Yvonne Spencer (the Director of Science Capability) as the Head of Strategic Estates, your role is critical to future proofing our infrastructure. You will be a key leader in advancing APHA’s infrastructure strategy.
You will oversee the development and implementation of our Estates (Place) Strategy, ensuring that our diverse portfolio from scientific laboratories to field depots supports our strategic objectives. Your role will involve close collaboration with senior leaders and strategic partners, including Defra Group Property (DgP) and the Scottish Government, to drive innovation and transformation across APHA.
Key Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
- Developing and refining the Estates (Place) Strategy to align with APHA’s corporate strategy and vision. Conducting a thorough review of APHA’s locations and facilities to support the Agency’s objectives effectively and safely.
- Creating a Strategic Asset Management and Development Plan that meets strategic goals and adheres to Government Strategy requirements, including Places for Growth and decarbonisation targets.
- Overseeing facility performance, ensuring compliance with legal, safety, and security standards while identifying opportunities for optimisation and financial efficiencies.
- Acting as a senior APHA client interface, building and managing effective relationships across all APHA Directorates and work closely with Defra Group Property, Scottish Government Estates, Defra Group Security and APHA Security to implement the Estates (Place) Strategy and annual business plans.
- Engaging with business end-users and property professionals to ensure operational demands are clearly articulated and met with strategic investment, business continuity, and site incident response plans.
- Developing an operating model and process maps to enhance operational efficiency and business resilience/incident response plans across facilities.
- Leading a small APHA Place team (1 x G7, 2 x SEO, 1 x HEO and 1 x EO), managing property initiatives, lease events, refurbishments, and redevelopments.
Person specification
Candidates should demonstrate the following Skills, Experience and Technical Knowledge:
- A dynamic leader, with experience in giving clear direction, building and inspiring high-performing, cross-functional teams through strong visible leadership and coaching.
- Extensive experience managing complex property portfolios and high-impact projects in secure, regulated environments, you ensure success across a diverse estate.
- Proven ability to assess and address the operational requirements of various facility types, including scientific, highly regulated, secure facilities, and Critical National Infrastructure.
- Experience in delivering complex, multi-disciplinary programmes.
- Experience in developing and delivering estates function strategy and business plans.
- Strategic thinking allowing you to spot trends and identify opportunities that support and advance organisational goals.
- Strong interpersonal skills enabling you to influence senior leaders, manage relationships, and encourage collaboration across boundaries, enhancing consistency and optimising outcomes.
- Highly organised, with expertise in business planning, prioritisation, and delivering projects on time and to high-quality standards.
- Hold a relevant degree level or equivalent considerable experience in estates, property, or facilities management, underpinned by programme and project management qualifications.
- Expertise in risk management, governance, control and audit processes, confidently navigating complex environments, ensuring effective supplier performance.
- Develop effective portfolio management indicators that can be rolled up and down all levels of organisation.
- Adept at analysing data, developing evidence-based solutions and clearly communicating complex ideas to diverse audiences.
- Strong financial and sound commercial acumen with proven ability to forecast, prepare and budget awareness.
- Strong performance management skills, enabling you to make effective decisions, even in challenging situations.
- An understanding of Health and Safety in complex property operating structures.
- Excellent change management and leadership skills. Experience of steering teams or departments through substantial change. In particular, strong communication and staff engagement skills.
Qualifications
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
- Managing a Quality Service
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Leadership
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Property Professional Expertise
- Customer and Client Service
- Stakeholder Engagement
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%.
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.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application Process
As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a CV and complete a 750 word Personal Statement detailing your suitability for the role based on the Person Specification detailed within the advertisement.
You will also be asked to provide a 250-word statement demonstrating how you meet the following Behaviour: Leadership.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Sift
Should a large number of successful applications be received, there will be an initial sift assessing the Personal Statement. Those who pass the initial sift will either be progressed to a full sift or straight to 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 Behaviours, Experience, Technical and Strengths. The Behaviours are as follows:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Managing a Quality Service
In the interview, Experience and the Behaviour 'Communicating & Influencing' will be assessed through a 10 minute presentation. Details of the presentation topic will be sent to you 5 days prior to your interview.
You will also be asked Technical and Strength questions.
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.
Location
The preferred location for this role is APHA Weybridge. Alternative locations including Sand Hutton - York, Worcester, Cardiff or a key Regional Laboratory or Office hub such as Boulevard Heathrow may be considered subject to agreement.
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).
Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring organisation for this post may be required 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.
The role will require regular travel to the Weybridge site and to attend a variety of APHA locations (85 locations in UK) including some overnight stays throughout the year. Allowances will be paid subject to meeting eligibility criteria. A driving licence valid in the UK is required for the role or suitable alternative means of transport to travel between sites.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Salary
New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.
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.
Visa Sponsorship Statement
Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and is unable to sponsor any individuals requiring 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 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.
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.
National Security Vetting
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
Security clearance
For this role you will hold or be required to obtain SC clearance. Therefore, applicants must be currently resident in the UK & have at least five years continuous UK residency as this is a requirement for this role.
Full Time Only
This role is full time only and is not available part time. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying. We may consider two part-time staff on a job share basis if continuity can be arranged.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to APHA 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.
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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 : Resourcing Delivery Team
- Email : HRResourcingSupport@defra.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.
