Apprentice Project Support Officer/Regional Support Officer - Apprenticeship Sheffield
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About the job
Job summary
We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates
At DfE, we are proud of the commitment we make to diversity and inclusion and of the progress we have made. We have active & vibrant staff networks, special leave policies and workplace adjustments put in place for those who need them. We are continuing to build a diverse DfE, in an inclusive environment which nurtures and realises potential in all, at all levels.
Equality and Diversity - Department for Education
The Free Schools, Further Education and Skills (FSFES) programme is a government flagship policy in Education, and a top Ministerial priority. It is an extremely fast paced, innovative and exciting programme to be part of, differing significantly from previous initiatives in both delivery and timescales. The FSFES Capital team has the crucial role of finding and delivering suitable accommodation for new free schools. We ensure new schools have a safe, secure environment from which to deliver their curriculum and that buildings are delivered to the required timescales, offering the best possible value for money.
Job description
There are 2 Project Support Officer and 2 Regional Support Officer roles being advertised.
Project Support Officer Apprenticeship , Capital Change Team (1 role)
This role is based in an enthusiastic and highly skilled change team shaping the future of the Capital Directorate, improving our approach to delivering hundreds of major projects for the benefit of millions of future learners.
Typical role responsibilities will include:
- Project Planning & Scheduling - Maintain appropriate systems to enable effective planning and scheduling.
- Stakeholder management - Assist with maintaining the stakeholder log for internal and external stakeholders. Act as the focal point for project responses to external requests for information.
- Project Performance & Controls - Gathers information from project teams and stakeholders and produces project performance reports.
- Monitoring & Reporting - Assist in maintaining project controls and in producing project reports.
- Risk & Issues - Manage the risk and issue logs, escalating as appropriate.
- Admin - Responsible for project file management using robust version control. Organise key project meetings and provide secretariat support.
Project Support Officer Apprenticeship (1 role) and Regional Support Officer Apprenticeship (2 roles), Free Schools Building Projects
The role of the Project Support Officer/Regional Support Officer is an exciting opportunity to support a diverse range of project management activities to support the delivery of Free School building projects in FSFES.
The Project Support Officer/Regional Support Officer role enables effective reporting and delivery by supporting through the operation of project management processes, and the co-ordination of business management actions, commissions, assurance, diary management to ensure project milestones are met.
Project Support Officers/Regional Support Officers are proactive, flexible, and have a solution focused approach to tasks. They are good team players and can manage a varied workload, prioritising when required, and are comfortable liaising with a wide range of stakeholders across FSFES and wider Capital.
Project Support Officers/Regional Support Officers working closely with Regional Heads and Project Directors to ensure the smooth running of projects all over the country. They are a key part of the wider FSFES Programme Management Office (PMO), a friendly team with hubs in the DfE Sheffield and Manchester offices. Regular travel to other DfE offices and project site visits in your allocated region(s) is to be expected in this role.
Typical role responsibilities will include:
- Planning and scheduling – Assist with and maintain appropriate systems to enable effective planning and scheduling.
- Monitoring and reporting – Assist in maintaining project controls and in producing project reports.
- Admin – Responsible for project file management using robust version control. Organise key project meetings and provide secretariat support.
- Resources – Management of staff as appropriate, including their development.
- Stakeholder – Assist with maintaining the stakeholder log for internal and external stakeholders. Act as the focal point for project responses to external requests for information.
- Coordinate data and delivery commissions to ensure they are accurately completed in a timely manner by project teams.
- Support and report to Regional Heads (RHs) at weekly and monthly meetings with Project Directors (PDs).
- Develop and provide reports and project progress data to RHs and PDs.
- Be the secretariat, organising and running monthly region and project review meetings.
- Be the first point of contact for delivery team queries and advice.
- Manage the Regional Support Team shared inbox on a rota basis.
- Work closely with the FSFES PMO Systems team to support delivery colleagues to update and maintain project records on IT systems.
- Check and issue funding approval letters.
- Be an active member of the wider FSFES PMO, sharing your skills and expertise and committing to your own learning and development.
As these roles include completion of the Business Administrator Level 3 Apprenticeship(Project Support Officer) or Associate Project Manager Level 4 (Regional Support Officer) please check the eligibility requirements below using the apprenticeship standard:
Business administrator / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
Associate project manager / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
- You must have lived in the UK for 3 years prior to apprenticeship start date and not be undertaking another apprenticeship at the same time.
- You must not already have a substantial amount of the skills and knowledge that is covered in the contents of the apprenticeship standard.
- You must not have already worked in a similar role, or your previous learning, and/or work experience covers the contents (Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours) of the apprenticeship standard.
Please do not apply if:
- You already have all the skills and knowledge that is covered in the contents of the apprenticeship standard.
- You have already worked in a similar role, or your previous learning, and/or work experience covers the contents (Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours) of the apprenticeship standard.
- You have a degree (or equivalent) in Business Management (Project Support Officer) or Project Management (Regional Support Officer).
- Part of this apprenticeship is to complete a level 2 English and maths functional skills qualification. If you have already achieved GCSEs in English and maths at Level 4 (grade C) or equivalent or a higher grade, you will not need to complete the functional skills qualification.
At the enrolment stage, the individual's eligibility will be checked by the training provider.
Person specification
Essential Skills:
- Excellent organisational skills and ability to prioritise effectively to manage a high workload in high pressure situations.
- Proficient user of MS Teams and Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote.
- Ability to establish and maintain relationships with a diverse range of people, including senior stakeholders and use these to influence others.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills and confidence in articulating and delivering complex and sometimes difficult messages.
- Work effectively in a team, being flexible and adaptable to support the wider team goals when needed.
- Ability to process and analyse large amounts of information, draw conclusions and weigh up conflicting evidence to make clear recommendations.
Benefits
Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.
As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.
You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.
We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances, but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.
Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.
As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application
At Sift, you will ask be asked to submit a CV and personal statement (1000 words), which you should use to demonstrate your experience and how you meet the essential criteria for the role listed in the Person Specification. You will also be asked to submit a CV.
The CV and statement will be assessed against the essential criteria detailed in the advert.
If we receive a large number of applications, an initial sift maybe conducted on the first essential criteria ‘excellent organisational skills and ability to prioritise effectively to manage a high workload in high pressure situations’.
Interview
At interview, the interview will involve a discussion around your experience for the role and strengths questions.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.
Sift date to be confirmed.
Interviews will likely take place virtually end of April.
Other Information
We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.
Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.
The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.
For this role the department would not consider sponsoring a Certificate of Sponsorship/visa. Please note we are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.
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 on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
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.
Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs
Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.
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 Department of Education via [email protected] 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.
Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. 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
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
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).
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