Plant Health Surveillance and Action Technical Lead ID:2728
Animal and Plant Health Agency
Apply before 11:55 pm on Wednesday 20th November 2024
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About the job
Job summary
The Animal Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an arm’s length body, government agency that sits within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
We have one mission, which is to safeguard plant and animal health, for the benefit of everyone in society, the environment, and the economy. - Every one of our employees is passionate about achieving this mission.
The Surveillance and Action Technical Lead - within Plant and Bee Health Services (P&BH), will be APHA’s Technical Plant Health lead for inland surveillance and action responsible for providing technical advice, guidance and direction to colleagues within APHA, Defra, other UK government departments and devolved administrations.
The role will help set and apply risk-based enforcement regimes to deliver legislative bio-security and consumer protection. The post will cover Plant Health inland detection surveillance as well as outbreak, incursion or interception preparedness and response.
You will work across P&BH and policy teams day to day, whilst contributing to the wider management of APHA and Plant and Bee Health.
The role advertised will involve regular travel to APHA locations and across wider GB. Out of hours and detached duty work maybe required in the event of an outbreak or incident. The post-holder will support an on-call rota for incident management.
Job description
The key focus of this role is to:
- Set the direction and manage all activities of the APHA’s Technical Advice Panel (TAP) for surveillance & action including maintenance of technical instructions, provision of training and adherence to ISO.
- Fulfil an Incident Management Team role during a major outbreak and oversight of the technical aspects of APHA response to minor outbreaks including track and trace.
- Oversight of detection surveillance design and planning.
- Work with APHA Contingency Planning Division, contracts, SHAW and other teams across APHA to improve incident response including exercising, auditing, process and harmonisation.
- Work with operational teams to monitor quality, delivery and targets.
- Work with APHA and Defra Policy colleagues to develop policies and procedures to deliver Plant Health legislation including published contingency plans.
- Provide technical representation to Defra through quarterly meetings and at wider stakeholder meetings. When appropriate this may also extend to some aspects of in-field delivery too.
- Maintain comprehensive overview of industry matters through effective collaboration, communication, working visits with inspectors and meetings.
- Work with other official bodies to ensure effective cross-sector enforcement.
- Role model and promote proactive leadership, embedding the necessary performance improvements and culture change across teams to ensure that all staff operate to the required policies and procedures, H&S standards and quality assurance levels.
- Work closely with the Head of Plant and Bee Health and the Chief Plant Health & Seeds inspector to set delivery strategy and direction for the teams and work with the field to ensure all customer targets are met.
- To manage a small team of staff ensuring the performance, behaviours and attendance of assigned teams is proactively managed, reviewing performance on a regular basis and establishing an environment in which everyone can, and does, contribute effectively and that different perspectives are heard and channelled towards achieving the Agency’s objectives.
Key tasks: - Demonstrate key leadership behaviour and promote continuous improvement initiatives to deliver an improved inspector and client experience.
- Lead and line manage Surveillance and Action’s technical team.
- Deputise for other G7 and G6 posts as required. Contribute to the maintenance of APHA’s effectiveness to respond to Plant Health incidentsMaintain ISO 17025 accreditation and any other quality assurance processes.
- Develop instructions and training material to ensure skills are maintained and enhanced.
- Be a subject matter expert for development of relevant IT systems, incident response and detection surveillance.
- Play a leading role in the design, development and implementation of business reforms and policy initiatives, undertaking a key role in project teams and cultural change.
- Use data to review and manage issues identified.
- Out of hours work may be required in the event incidents, this may not relate directly to this post.
- To provide advice to policy development, central projects, and activities to represent operational experience and expertise.
Person specification
Essential Criteria:
- The post holder must have expert working knowledge of Defra’s Plant Health regulations.
- Experienced in Plant Health incident response including participation in an Incident Management Team.
- Experienced in the strategic management of regulatory inspection and enforcement activities.
- Excellent knowledge of and the ability to interpret UK legislation and implement this within business requirements and processes.
- Strong inter-personal and communication skills (written and verbal).
- Proven ability to deal with clients and stakeholders at all levels including face to face and be able to promote APHA and Defra positively even under pressure.
- Ability to display excellent decision-making skills under high pressure situations even under the absence of all information.
Key Skills:
- Awareness of PH IT systems to deliver front line service.
- Technical competence and experience of plant and crop production.
- Technical competence and experience in field inspection, sampling and incident response.
- Technical competence and experience of Plant Health pests and diseases.
Licences
Qualifications
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Leadership
- Making Effective Decisions
- Managing a Quality Service
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
You will be part of a wider Plant & Bee Health team of over 600 Inspectors across the country, which will provide you with support and the opportunity to develop through out 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 & Personal Statement. Your personal statement should be no more than 500 words, and detail all your skills, experience and your suitability to this role as per the job description.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
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 interview.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to a blended panel interview via video where you will be assessed on Strengths, Behaviours (one of which will be delivery of a presentation - title will be advised when invited to interview, a second will be a reactive scenario question) and Experience.
Location
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 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.
Salary
New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 posts require the successful candidate to obtain basic security clearance as a minimum.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to Defra 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.
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 : Alissa Tonkinson
- Email : phsijobs@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: Click https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/ to visit Civil Service Commission.
