Senior Information Rights Adviser
Department for Science, Innovation & Technology
Apply before 11:55 pm on Wednesday 20th November 2024
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Knowledge and Information Management
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About the job
Job summary
At DSIT we’re all about improving people’s lives by maximising the potential of science & technology.
We accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science, research and development.
We use technology for good by ensuring new and existing technologies are safely developed and deployed across the UK, with the benefits more widely shared.
We are driving forward a modern digital government which gives citizens a more satisfying experience and their time back.
We do all this to enable the Government’s 5 national missions: kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clean energy superpower, taking back our streets, breaking down barriers to opportunity and building an NHS fit for the future.
Above all, we focus on improving people’s lives. Whether it’s researching new treatments for disease, developing better batteries, reducing burdens through better public services, keeping children safe online, and much more, outcomes for citizens are at the heart of what we do.
Our inclusive environment
We offer flexible working benefits, employee well-being support and a great pension. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.
Find out more
We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application and interview process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://forms.office.com/e/Jae3B4w7xm |
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You can also follow our LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/dsitcareers/
Job description
The role
In central government our compliance with the Freedom of Information Act is crucial to building trust with the general public on the issues that matter to them; transparency allows our ministers and officials to be held accountable for their actions and decisions which is fundamental to safeguarding the democratic process.
Since May 2024 we have dramatically improved our timeliness in response to requests under the Freedom of Information Act through an extensive improvement programme that saw us procure best-in-class technology, optimise our internal processes and significantly invest in the support and leadership to our casework team.
Our timeliness is now amongst the very best in central government.
We are recruiting a senior information rights adviser to take a leading role in the continued improvement of our information rights services in DSIT, helping us to further refine and improve our processes, our training offer to our people and establish a model service on transparency reporting against our publication scheme.
About the team
The information rights team (the team) are part of the department’s corporate governance in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (‘the department’).
The team is responsible for providing information rights services including casework management of requests made under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) and the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR), and the publication of transparency information under the department’s publication scheme.
Note that some information rights services (such as subject access requests, GDPR advice and transparency reporting under the Central Government Corporate Transparency Commitments) are provided by our shared corporate service provider, Integrated Corporate Services.
The team is led by the Head of Corporate Governance (G6) who leads three grade 7 led sub-teams including: (a) a team managing high-tempo boards and committees, (b) a team supporting our audit, risk and financial governance structures, and (c) an information rights team.
Supporting your personal development
We’re excited to be able to offer prospective candidates the opportunity to shape their role to their interests and development needs. We are determined to demonstrate the outstanding service that can be delivered by a lean, high-performing and agile team.
We recognise that talented and aspirational team members will look to progress onto more challenging roles as they develop; we’re open about this and measure the success of our development offer by the stretching roles which our team members can go onto pursue when the time is right. Your personal development is important to us and we’ll work with you when you join to tailor your work to give you the skills and experiences you need to one day go onto make compelling applications for a role that is even more stretching and impactful.
Person specification
Key Responsibilities
As a senior information rights adviser, you will be responsible for:
• Leading a casework team of 4 team-members to deliver a professional, timely and robust service on FOI and EIR casework.
• Overseeing the team’s relationship with key stakeholders in the department, including the private offices of senior officials and ministers, senior leaders and policy teams.
• Overseeing how the team works with specialist advisers, including our in-house legal and communications teams.
• Working closely with the supplier of our casework management system to optimise how our caseworkers are using the platform to automate processes, improve our record keeping and improve the experience of our stakeholders.
• Building strong and productive relationships across the department and government, including with the Information Commissioner’s Office and Cabinet Office.
• Regularly reviewing feedback to make sure the team is continuously improving and innovating on its service offering.
• Participating as an active member of the Corporate Governance Senior Management Team, working with colleagues to foster a positive and inclusive culture, and to contribute to the wider leadership of the corporate governance function.
• Evaluating the overall performance of the team using effective management information to ensure we comply with the expectations of our regulator, the Information Commissioners Office.
Skills and experience
Experience working in information rights would be desirable but this isn’t essential to be successful in this role. Instead, we are looking for candidates with strong transferrable soft skills who are:
• Brilliant and proactive managers that are comfortable independently leading small sub-teams to deliver at pace on behalf of our senior leaders.
• Excited by change and can role model and embed a constructive culture of continuous improvement in their teams.
• Excellent writers with an eye for detail who can support their teams to synthesise complex issues into written responses, briefings and papers that are accurate, concise and credible.
• Emotionally intelligent colleagues who can leverage strong interpersonal skills to build strong, trusting relationships with senior leaders.
• Well-organised and great at prioritising multiple demands on their time.
• Proactive at identifying and solving problems, exercising judgement when there aren’t clear solutions before escalating to seniors when needed.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Changing and Improving
- Managing a Quality Service
Benefits
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:
- A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
- Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
- 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, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
- Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
- A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40-60% of their time in the office (minimum of 40%) over a month with flex dependent on balancing business and individual need.
Office attendance
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home-based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Verbal Test and Civil Service Work Strengths Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.
Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 20/11/2024. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test.
The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and a number of behavioural statements.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please use your personal statement (in no more than 750 words) to explain why you would like to be a senior information rights adviser in DSIT
and what skills and experiences you would bring to this role.
Please note - the CV incorporated into the application form is for information purposes only and will not be scored.
Applications will be sifted on behavioural statements and personal statement.
In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the personal statement.
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
The interview will consist of behaviour and strength-based questions.
Sift and interview dates
Expected timeline subject to change
Sift dates: w/c 18/11/2024
Interview dates: w/c 02/12/2024
Interview Location: MS Teams.
Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.
Further Information
Reasonable adjustment
We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.
Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DSIT Candidate Guidance. A DSIT Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available.
We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants' section.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
A location-based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e., working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).
DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.
DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.
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.
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.
Vetting
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
Feedback
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 : Corporate Governance Team
- Email : corporategovernance@dsit.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : dsitresourcing.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
