Business Support PA
Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 13th October 2024
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About the job
Job summary
Do you want a career where you can make a real difference? Do you want to work at the forefront of current policy making decisions? Do you want to have an impact on the UK and beyond? If yes, then a career at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) could be for you.
Here at DESNZ we are delivering our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower, with clean electricity by 2030 and accelerating the UK’s journey to net zero.
Our work is helping ensure clean energy for all, keep bills down and seize the opportunities to lead the world in new green industries, taking back control of our energy with Great British Energy and encouraging greater energy efficiency across the UK. The work of the department has never been more timely or relevant, and by joining us you will be part of making that difference.
Our work is varied, interesting and most importantly it's impactful. Our DESNZ Values are interwoven into everything we do; we are bold, we are collaborative, we are inclusive, and we learn. As a department we are committed to these values to build a culture where everyone can thrive.
We offer great working benefits including a world-class pension, flexible working options and a career where your learning and development is taken seriously. 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/pqUhdr3L72
You can also follow our LinkedIn Careers Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/desnz-careers/
Job description
This position is within Corporate Services in the private office of the Chief People Officer (CPO) and involves working closely with the CPO’s Chief of Staff, Private Secretary, and Assistant Private Secretary to ensure that key tasks are identified and priorities are met.
The CPO office is responsible for delivering corporate support to the CPO and HR Senior Management team, enabling them to effectively deliver their people objectives and priorities. The team is also responsible for coordinating Business Support activities across HR, enabling the directorate to run efficiently.
This is a fast-paced role at the heart of a busy directorate with a wide range of deliverables. This role offers variety, responsibility, and the opportunity to develop key skills and knowledge. The successful candidate will be working closely with senior leaders, gaining a valuable and unique insight into how the senior team operates and how policy decisions are made, as well as understanding how the Department and wider Government operates.
Our directorate believes in investing in the potential of our people and there are many chances to get involved in the valuable work of the directorate and our department.
Person specification
The successful candidate will be providing a full range of executive personal assistant, administrative and secretarial support to several Deputy Directors, ensuring an appropriate balance of support is provided.
Main duties will include:
• Proactively running the Deputy Directors diary and inbox management, arrange meetings and requests from internal and external colleagues and stakeholders. This includes checking availability of attendees; booking rooms; providing conference call details; issuing appointments; rescheduling if necessary; arranging deputies and ordering refreshments and collecting visitors if needed.
• Preparing meeting papers, obtaining background papers, briefing notes and liaising with meeting organisers or others to ensure your Deputy Directors has everything they require.
• Coordinating away-days and events for the team.
• Booking travel arrangements for the Deputy Directors and occasionally the wider team.
• Building strong working relationships with other Deputy Directors in the directorate, their PAs and the wider team.
• Communicating and engaging effectively with internal and external stakeholders, dealing with enquiries promptly and courteously, referring to the relevant lead where appropriate.
• Leading on the allocation of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests and Parliamentary Questions (PQs).
•Carrying out Business Support activities, such as updating organisational charts and office locker and stationery management.
There is scope to broaden out these responsibilities within the Business Support team, by leading on areas of work to support the delivery of departmental priorities.
Skills and experience
The successful candidate will be responsible for organising and controlling their own workload, ensuring deadlines are observed and duties are performed efficiently.
We are looking for someone who:
• Works with an energy and enthusiasm to get things done, showing flexibility when needed and an ability to act at pace to respond to changing priorities.
• Has excellent organisational skills and the ability to balance multiple priorities, making the biggest impact in the time available for a task.
• Has a positive approach when interacting with others and the ability to communicate clearly and effectively orally and in writing.
• Enjoys working as part of a team, establishing and maintaining strong working relationships by building a reputation for producing high-quality work.
• Engages confidently with high-profile partners, including SCS, Ministers' offices and external partners.
• Acts appropriately and independently, managing people-sensitive information with discretion and confidentiality.
• Is proficient in Outlook, Word & Excel.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace
- Working Together
- Making Effective Decisions
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Managing a Quality Service
Benefits
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero 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.
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 Judgement 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 13/10/2024. 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 behavioural statement.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please note - the CV incorporated into the application form is for information purposes only and will not be scored.
Applications will be sifted on the behavioural statement and personal statement.
In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the lead behavioural statement - Managing a Quality Service.
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 14/10/2024
Interview dates: w/c 28/10/2024
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 DESNZ Candidate Guidance. A DESNZ 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 Energy, Security and Net Zero 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
DESNZ 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).
DESNZ cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.
DESNZ 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 /Disclosure Scotland 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
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.
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 : Jordan Povey
- Email : jordan.povey3@energysecurity.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : desnzresourcing.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Online test instructions
Further information
