Executive Assistant London, England
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#DESNZ
The responsibilities for the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero for 2023 are as follows:
- Delivering security of energy supply
- Ensuring properly functioning energy markets
- Encouraging greater energy efficiency
- Seizing the opportunities of net zero to lead the world in new green industries
For 2023, our priorities are:
- Ensure security of energy supply this winter, next winter and in the longer-term – bringing down energy bills and reducing inflation.
- Ensure the UK is on track to meet its legally binding Net Zero commitments and support economic growth by significantly speeding up delivery of network infrastructure and domestic energy production.
- Improve the energy efficiency of UK homes, businesses and public sector buildings to meet the 15% demand reduction ambition.
- Deliver current schemes to support energy consumers with their bills and develop options for long-term reform to improve how the electricity market works for families and businesses.
- Seize the economic benefits of Net Zero, including the jobs and growth created through investment in new green industries.
- Pass the Energy Bill to support the emerging CCUS and hydrogen sectors; to update the governance of the energy system; and to reduce the time taken to consent offshore wind.
Our Inclusive Environment
We are building an inclusive culture to make the Department 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.
We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.
We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion. We will fully support candidates with a disability or long-term condition who require adjustments in our recruitment process.
Job description
The role and our team
Would you like to help address one of the most important issues for humanity and the planet? Climate change is a huge challenge for all governments and societies. The UK plays a central role in accelerating progress on climate change internationally, and was focus of the world when hosting COP26 in 2021.
We are looking for three motivated and collaborative Executive Assistants (EA) to join our work. These EAs would be supporting two Deputy Directors, helping them to coordinate their responsibilities, so that they are able to effectively lead large teams to deliver international climate programmes and the outcomes of energy and climate trade negotiations with the EU and beyond.
Your role will be split between directly supporting the deputy directors, and working with the wider teams within the International Climate Finance and Strategy and International Trade, Energy and Analysis Directorates.
The directorates leads on climate and energy issues in the UK’s trade negotiations with other countries, the EU and multilateral fora; and ensure delivery of their outcomes.
We are friendly, inclusive and diverse directorates based in London with the option of being located at one of our Places for Growth office locations. It is a rewarding and dynamic place to work, which supports flexible working and any reasonable working adjustments you need. Your manager will also work with you to create a tailored learning & development plan to suit your career goals.
The directorates have active Diversity & Inclusion Groups and a wide variety of social events. If you would like to find out what it's like to work in the Directorate before applying we would be happy to hear from you. Please use contact details below (under 'Further Information'). We also want to retain people in the team; this benefits individuals and teams, by supporting depth of experience, and minimising team disruption and impact on the important international objectives we deliver.
Person specification
Key responsibilities
The successful candidates will be responsible for:
- Providing administrative support, including diary and inbox management, to ensure the most efficient use of the Deputy Director's time, in-line with their preferred working style. This will require excellent prioritisation, attention to detail and anticipating future diary pressures and advising as appropriate.
- Providing general administrative support to the team, by assisting with contacts, stationery, IT queries and locker allocation. This may involve serving as an information manager, supporting on recruitment logistics, updating team organograms, ensuring that distribution lists are up to date.
- Assisting a positive team identity, working with the Deputy Director and rest of the team, via ways of working etiquette, team meetings, away days, workshops, social events.
- Arranging travel essential to delivery of programmes for the Deputy Director by booking transportation and accommodation, processing expense claims within a timely manner, and ensuring that a process is in place to handle workloads when the Deputy Director is away.
They will also be responsible for the following programme tasks:
- Supporting the team with preparing documentation for sign-off by Deputy Director (for example grant agreements, submissions to Ministers, promissory notes).
- Processing financial payments related to programmes on behalf of the Deputy Director, ensuring all approvals are in place, and ensuring a clear audit trail is recorded on the Sharepoint system. You may also be required to supporting programme teams on wider data collection, reporting and forecasting.
- Arranging meetings related to programme delivery for the Deputy Director(s) and other team members, both in terms of logistics (meeting rooms etc) and supporting team members on other programme tasks.
- Supporting programme teams arrange and deliver high-profile stakeholder engagement events related to achieving programme aims.
Skills and experience
We would love to hear from you if are an organised and a good multi-tasker, with the ability to work independently, keep calm under pressure and to handle more than one set of diary arrangements if needed.
- Personable and able to build positive relationships with colleagues.
- Good written and verbal communication.
- Proficient in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and Teams (with additional training available to further knowledge of these programmes)
- Flexible and adaptable to an evolving work environment. Able to keep daily tasks flowing while quickly adjusting plans.
- Able to collaborate effectively and in a positive manner with colleagues.
- Confident at handling sensitive information with discretion.
- Effective at working at pace and handling a reactive workload.
- Able to provide a high level of service, flagging any concerns and making sure that relevant colleagues are updated on plans and any changes.
We welcome applications from people who bring transferrable skills from other fields or sectors. If you would like to find out what it's like to work in the Directorate before applying, we would be happy to hear from you. Please use contact details below.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Managing a Quality Service
- Working Together
- Making Effective Decisions
Benefits
BEIS 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 average employer contribution of 27%.
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.
A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40-60% of their time in the office (minimum of 40%) over a month with flex dependent on balancing business and individual need (from September 2021, depending on how the public health guidance evolves).
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please align your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to 'How does your experience to date align with the required skills and experience set out in the job advert?'
Please note - the CV incorporated into the application form is for information purposes only and will not be scored.
Applications will be sifted on behavioural statements and personal statement.
In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the lead behaviour 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.
Expected Timeline subject to change
Sift dates: w/c 31st July 2023
Interview dates: w/c 14th August 2023
Interview Location: MS Teams.
Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.
Further Information
Existing BEIS recruitment campaigns are continuing as usual, but candidates should be aware that following the Government’s announcement on the changes to some civil service departments, roles may be subject to the machinery of government moves and will ultimately be located in one of the new departments. We will provide more information if you are selected for a role. This work remains of high importance to the civil service, and we thank you for your continued interest.
Reasonable Adjustment
If a disabled person 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 [email protected] 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.
We are proud to be a disability confident leader, more information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that BEIS offers to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our candidate guidance document. A plain text version of the guidance is also available.
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.
After interview, a single merit list will be created and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order.
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 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 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
BEIS 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).
BEIS cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. BEIS 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected]
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.
BEIS wants to be accessible for all, and this includes offering assistance to attend interviews. The offer is targeted toward those from a lower socio-economic background, or who struggle to cover the cost of attending an interview. Please see the attached guidance document at the bottom of this Civil Service Jobs advert. Embedded in the document on page 5, are 2 documents that must be completed and returned to the email addresses listed on the forms to claim an expenses payment. If you have any issues accessing these documents please contact us at [email protected]
Feedback
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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