Culture, Sport & Civil Society - Policy Advisers x6 Manchester, England
Job description
Details
Reference number
Salary
Job grade
Senior Executive Officer
Contract type
Loan
Secondment
Length of employment
Business area
Type of role
Working pattern
Number of jobs available
Contents
Location
About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information
Location
About the job
Job summary
DCMS is helping to make Britain the world’s most creative and engaged nation - an exciting place to live, visit and do business. Our work supports strong and resilient communities. It is about promoting the UK’s cultural, sporting and artistic heritage and building a bigger, stronger civil society. Wherever people live and whatever their background, we want their life to be enriched by what we (and the sectors we support) do.
Our sectors are important not only for their economic contribution and growth; they are critical to creating a global UK, an essential partner for trade and investment. And they enrich lives and connect us. We are there in the big moments of national life that bring us together – cheering on our athletes to gold, the silent reflection of Remembrance Sunday - and in the community spirit of local charity volunteers. From the Arts Council to UK Sport, the DCMS family reaches across the country and into every community.
Our people are not your stereotypical civil servant. They are inspired by and drawn from the creative, cultural and technology sectors. We are diverse and welcoming. We embrace fresh-thinking and ideas. And we hope you will make your career with us.
Job description
We are recruiting for Policy Advisers who will sit across the Culture, Sport and Civil Society group, specifically in the the Civil Society Strategy team, the Museum Policy Team, the Sport team and the Gambling team.
The specific responsibilities for each role are detailed in the attached Candidate Information Pack.
Person specification
The ideal candidate will have the following key skills and experience.
Essential Requirements
- Strong analytical skills, with the ability to research and analyse information and data to make sound recommendations and decisions
- Effective stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate with and build influential relationships with internal and external partners
- Great written and verbal communication and engagement skills, with the confidence to deliver complex and difficult messages to a variety of audiences, including senior officials and ministers.
- Experience in leading and managing projects, with an ability to keep focus on deliverables and objectives. A formal qualification is not required.
Desirable Skills
- Understanding of how Government works and its relationship with Arms Length Bodies
- An interest in all areas of CSCS.
- Calmness under pressure, with the ability to juggle competing priorities and deadlines to deliver results at speed.
- Strong IT skills, particularly spreadsheets
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Making Effective Decisions
- Delivering at Pace
Benefits
DCMS values its staff and offers a wide range of benefits to everyone who works here. We’re committed to developing talent, and supporting colleagues to have great careers in our department. To support with that, some of the benefits we offer include:
- Flexible working arrangements and hybrid working - DCMS staff work on a flexible basis with time spent in offices, and time spent working from home.
- 26.5 days annual leave on entry, increasing to 31.5 days after 5 years’ service.
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
- 3 days of paid volunteering leave.
- Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave.
- Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year.
- Occupational sick pay.
- Active and engaged staff networks to join including the LGBT+, Ethnic Diversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing and Gender Equality Networks.
- Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day to day work.
- Season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme and much more!
Terms and conditions at SCS grades will vary. Those applying for SCS roles should refer to the candidate information pack for more information on terms and conditions.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
To apply for this post, please send us the following documents no later than 23:55 Monday March 20th via the CS Jobs portal:
- A CV setting out your career history. Please only include key responsibilities and achievements. Refer to the Essential Requirements to guide you on what to include and highlight. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
- A Statement of Suitability (max 750 words) please refer to the Essential Requirements and prepare a statement on how you meet each of these. This is not a cover letter, it is an opportunity to show how you have the experience or have the ability to meet the requirements for these roles.
For the shortlist, we will assess your experience and select applicants demonstrating the best fit for the role by considering the evidence provided in your application.
In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial sift will be conducted on the statement of suitability. Those who are successful in the initial sift will then be scored on all elements of the application.
The interview process will assess behaviours and strengths.
The behaviours to be tested at interview are:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Making Effective Decisions
- Delivering at Pace
Prior to the interview you will be sent the behaviour questions in advance. Please note that this is not a DCMS practice, this is exclusively for this campaign.
For indicative sift and interview dates please refer to the attached Candidate Information Pack.
Interviews
In most cases interviews will take place remotely via Google Meet video call. However please refer to the Candidate Information Pack to confirm the interview approach.
Location
This role can be based in Manchester.The hub locations are displayed on the job advert. Not all hub locations have confirmed office space yet - successful applicants will be expected to work remotely until this becomes available.
Further Information
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to DCMS 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 at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
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 [email protected] 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.
DCMS has a London and a National pay scale. For more information on this, including the circumstances in which each pay scale will apply, please see the ‘Information for Applicants’ document.
If you choose to join on a loan basis, prior agreement to be released on loan 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.
Reasonable Adjustment
We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process.
In order to request an adjustment, please:
Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on 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 a verbal test rather than a written one.
Alternatively, contact the Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Accessibility
If you are experiencing accessibility difficulties with any of the attachments, please contact us. Contact details can be found in the 'contact point for applicants' section of the job advert.
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).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team :
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact ([email protected]) in the first instance.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/civilservicerecruitmentcomplaints/
