PA to Deputy Directors (Sport & Major Sporting Events) London, England
Job description
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Location
About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information
Location
About the job
Job summary
The Sport Team within DCMS has overall policy responsibility within government for sport and physical activity. We lead on setting Government’s strategic direction for sport, and are the departmental sponsor for four Arm’s Length Bodies with a total annual budget in excess of £450m (UK Sport, Sport England, UK Anti-Doping and the Sports Grounds Safety Authority).
The team has a broad remit that covers elite sport through to the grassroots, and works across government to promote the effectiveness of physical activity as a policy solution to a variety of social issues. We lead Government’s work on the future governance of football and the UK’s international engagement strategy for sport. We own a number of high profile and important relationships across government and with key external bodies, including with National Governing Bodies (such as the FA, RFU, ECB etc.), the Premier League, the British Olympic Association and the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Job description
This is a interesting role joining a high-profile team to support two Deputy Directors in delivering on Sport and Major Sporting Events policy.
The team are responsible for:
- Supporting the sport sector across Government - from elite and professional sport to grassroots and the leisure sector.
- Delivering major events such as through the EURO2028 bid and UCI World Championships;
- Delivering on elite sport policy: from football regulation, to international sport diplomacy and supporting our Olympic and Paralympic athletes
- Delivering on grassroots sport policy: from launching a new Sport Strategy, to ensuring delivery of £300m of investment, all to get the nation more active.
This role will be at the heart of the team:
- Managing the diaries of Deputy Directors - including arranging meetings, supporting visits, proactively addressing issues and supporting the DDs in being prepared for meetings.
- Supporting the Deputy Directors to deliver key objectives - through helping project planning across the team, chasing deadlines and working with the teams to help delivery.
- Engaging with external stakeholders - building relationships with partners across sport to support delivery and provide accurate advice to Deputy Directors on how to prioritise and achieve objectives.
- Playing a corporate role across the Directorate - supporting on corporate activities such as business planning, business continuity and supporting the Deputy Directors on management processes.
Person specification
The ideal candidate will hold the following key skills and experience
Essential Requirements
- Communicating - Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience of successfully engaging with senior stakeholders.
- Managing a quality service - Providing high quality support to meet deadlines and proactively address issues when they arise.
- Stakeholder Management - Ability to engage with a wide range of stakeholders on issues.
- Strategic thinking - Ability to understand how your work contributes to the bigger picture and use that to pre-empt the needs of Deputy Directors.
Desirable Skills
- Experience of diary management and Executive support for senior managers.
- Desire for personal development.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Managing a Quality Service
- Communicating and Influencing
- 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 6th March via the CS Jobs portal:
- A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. Please refer to the essential requirements.
- A Statement of Suitability (max 500 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential requirements highlighted on slide 8 of the attached candidate pack.
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. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Interview
The interview process will assess behaviours and strengths and potentially include a presentation.
The behaviours to be tested at interview are:
Managing a Quality Service
-
Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
You will not be made aware of the strengths being assessed prior to your interview.
As part of your interview, you may be asked to deliver a short oral presentation. Full details of this, including the topic, and whether or not you will need to use visual aids, will be sent to you prior to your interview.
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.
For indicative sift and interview dates please refer to the attached Candidate Information Pack.
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
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Access NI 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 Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email [email protected]
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.
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.
Location
This role can be based in London, Manchester, Darlington, Belfast or Loughborough. 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.
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/
