Senior Change Manager
Animal and Plant Health Agency
Apply before 11:55 pm on Thursday 26th September 2024
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About the job
Job summary
APHA is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.
APHA has an established Project Delivery team, delivering change across all parts of the Agency. The team is responsible for scoping, designing, implementing and monitoring change requests made on the Agency, which may come from external (e.g. Policy Customers) or internal (e.g. Operational units) sources.
We are currently recruiting for 3 Senior Business Change Managers to support the business in implementing change and improvements by carrying out Business Change activities.
Job description
As a Senior Executive Officer (SEO) you will play a pivotal role in promoting and supporting the business in implementing change and improvements by carrying out Business Change activities for a range of projects from relatively small changes, continuous improvement initiatives and complex projects, as well as contributing to the progression of the Business Change profession and Continuous Improvement within APHA.
You will proactively prepare the business for the impact of the changes being delivered by the project or change initiative. Alongside providing a bridge between the project and the business users to ensure that activities are planned and completed to enable the business to implement the agreed change and realise the business benefits.
Changes initiatives to be managed will range from complex projects and smaller changes including involvement with continuous improvement (CI). The role will include working across disciplines with colleagues focused on business analysis, project management and project management office.
This will also enable a more holistic view of change across the agency, working with Project Delivery colleagues to consider dependencies between changes the impact (cumulative) and efficiencies or benefits that the change initiative has realised.
The successful candidate will be expected to:
- Leadership & Delivery - Lead on business change activity and work with the project to support delivery of the business case benefits and outcomes. Champion the use of best practice and provide expert advice for team members and project community. Assess and understand the impact on stakeholders to improve the likelihood of their adoption of the change.
- Business Case - Support the Project Manager in preparing and updating the change management elements of the business case.
- Change Products - Support the Project Manager to create the required Business Change products. Leads on engagement with key contacts. Ensures products are fit for purpose.
- Change Planning - Establish and maintain the change plan for a specific area of responsibility.
- Business Readiness - Identify, qualify, and update the business readiness criteria across area of responsibility before implementation. Supports the tracking of these to 'approve/refuse' go-live.
- Benefits Management -Support the Benefits Manager, Project Manager and stakeholders to identify and leverage benefits. Considers Benefits Management in all Business Change activities.
- Change Communication - Work with Stakeholder Manager and Project Manager to create and maintain communications plan as it relates to Business Change messaging. Provides content for communications relating to Business Change across area of responsibility.
- Stakeholder Management - Identify and classify stakeholders, ensures their inclusion in stakeholder engagement plan. Point of contact for larger pool / more senior stakeholders.
- Guidance and Support – Provide direction and guidance to team. Lead Business Change activities across area of responsibility.
Person specification
We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate the following skills and experience:
- Excellent planning and organisational skills.
- Excellent communicator with strong interpersonal and presentation skills to enable effective interaction with a wide range of colleagues and stakeholders.
- Experience in the use of Microsoft Office products & SharePoint.
- Experience in the use of change, continuous improvement and project management tools and techniques.
- Experience of working in a Business Change or project role at practitioner level.
- Proven leadership skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate teams to achieve high performance.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively with a wide range of colleagues and stakeholders.
- Ability to persuade and influence senior grades and stakeholders, and to advise and guide more junior employees on complex or contentious issues.
- Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to address and resolve issues proactively.
- Adaptable with the ability / willingness to embrace change.
- Able to deliver results efficiently in a fast-paced and complex work environment.
- Have a working knowledge of Stakeholder engagement.
- Be a practitioner of Business change and implementation.
- Have an awareness of:
- Requirements management.
- Solutions Development.
- Scheduling & Planning.
- Resource management.
- Budgeting and cost management.
- Risk and issue management.
- Frameworks and methodologies.
- Change control.
- Business case development.
- Benefits management.
Learning and Development
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.
In return for your dedication, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training. Inclusion, support and the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA.
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.
Our Worcester County Hall office is temporarily closed. Candidates based at this location may be asked to work from home until further notice.
Qualifications
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
- Changing and Improving
- Seeing the Big Picture
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Leadership
Benefits
Further benefits offered also include:
- 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 tailored to your role.
- Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
- Staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme.
- Making it work for you - With so many flexible options, most people can find a work schedule to suit their circumstances.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application Process
After submission of the first stage of your application, you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Verbal Test and Civil Service Numerical Test. If you successfully pass the tests, 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 and application is 23:55 on 26th September 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.
Do not leave completing the tests until the last minute in case you experience any access or technical issues. There may not be technical support available after business hours and after 2pm on the closing date of 26th September 2024.
While the tests should work on most operating systems and modern browsers with a good internet connection, we cannot guarantee that every combination will work. At the beginning, the test will check which browser you are using, and alert you if it is likely to be incompatible.
It is highly recommended that you complete the online tests on a desktop computer, not a mobile phone or tablet.
Please note that online tests associated with this vacancy are not subject to time limits. Click https://www.gov.uk/guidance/reasonable-adjustments-for-online-tests-a-candidate-guide for test guidance
Upon successful completion of the tests, you will be required to complete the following as part of your application:
- A full CV, outlining your full job history, previous experience, and qualifications.
- A personal statement of 500 words.
- A behaviour statement of 250 words for the lead behaviour, Leadership.
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 lead behaviour - Leadership. 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 interview where you will be assessed on your behaviours.
A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.
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.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Near miss
Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Defra which may be at a lower grade but have a potential skills match.
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.
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)
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.
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/Disclosure Scotland. 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
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.
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 Marsham Street, 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.
Loan and Fixed Term Appointments
Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.
This is a Fixed-term Appointment as a Senior Change Manager because the post is not permanent. It is time limited due to a fixed funding period or as part of a specific project. The fixed-term will end when the funding or the project expires.
Your responsibilities will include those shown on the Responsibilities section of the advert. This post will therefore begin from the agreed start date and end on 31/12/26.
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
Medical
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 : The Recruitment Hub - Kay Edwards
- Email : recruitment.sdd@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.
