Post-Mortem and Office Manager (SD22/276) Carmarthen, Wales
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About the job
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Location
About the job
Job summary
The post holder will be responsible for multidisciplinary administrative and post-mortem team, which are required to support delivery within the Surveillance and Laboratory Services Department. The role includes leading and managing your team and their work.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 2,500 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice, and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.
SLSD operate a network of laboratories offering different test portfolios at each site. We complete post-mortem examinations and diagnostic testing, as well as advice and support, to veterinary surgeons in practice to diagnose, control and prevent disease in farm animals. The APHA diagnostic service is the cornerstone of the scanning surveillance system in England and Wales.
Job description
To carry out any duties appropriate with the grade and purpose of the post, including the following:
Administrative management
- Supervising the delivery of office administrative duties.
- Act as Local Records Officer.
- Ensuring accurate records are kept and updated accordingly.
- Ensuring actions are carried out in accordance with the procedures and within the necessary timescales.
- Providing support and guidance to others (internally and externally) on procedures and practices.
- Managing the administrative systems and associated set of sample papers, records, and office procedures.
- Overseeing the manning of reception, the handling of telephone enquiries, and general liaison on hospitality, also co-ordinating meetings, and visitors.
Post-mortem room management
- Overseeing the post-mortem room and its staff.
- Oversee quality and safety requirements for the PM room.
- Ensure all equipment in the PM room is serviced and maintained to set requirements.
- Ensure the PM room is effectively resourced, with staff, equipment, and consumables.
- Provide technical guidance to the team, ensuring equipment, disinfectant and PPE/RPE are used correctly.
- Provide cover in the PM room during busy periods and during staff absences.
- Work with VIOs to meet their support requirements.
- Ensure post is dispatched promptly and to the correct packaging and safety standards
Leadership and People Management
- Line manager for administrative and PM Support staff, with responsibility for the team and its output.
- Ensures appropriate training is given and competencies maintained to help team achieve its goals and objectives and ensures training manuals are updated to reflect this.
- Tackles poor performance effectively, also recognises and rewards performance.
- Ensuring that those within the team are kept informed of relevant process changes and the reasons for them.
- Provides support to the senior management team and shows commitment to APHA.
- Ensure work is undertaken efficiently and work with senior management to ensure appropriate staffing levels are maintained.
Safety, Health and Wellbeing: Deputy
- Support the Departmental Safety Advisor in:
- Ensure staff receive appropriate safety training and encourage staff to take a proactive approach to providing a safe working environment in line with APHA policy.
- To bring to the attention of management any equipment or work practice that is thought to be unsafe.
- To assist with safety audits and risk assessments.
- To ensure that the correct procedures regarding visitors, contractors, representatives are adhered to by the office and PM room staff.
Person specification
Experience and skills
- Experience of working in a post-mortem and/or laboratory environment.
- Microsoft Office packages
- Administrative experience
- 4 GCSEs at Grade C and above or equivalent
The successful candidate will need to comply with a number of health protocols and wear protective clothing and Respiratory Personal Protective Equipment (RPPE) as required.
The work of the post can be physically demanding. Due to access requirements to bio secure areas, individuals must be physically able.
Flexibility in working hours is required if called upon to finish a particular urgent task or call upon in an event of an outbreak. Periodic travel within the UK and EU will be required and this could include farm or abattoir visits as part of ongoing research. The successful candidate may have to ensure that no contact is made with farmed animals for a period of 1-2 days or more before visiting livestock farms. This may preclude anyone who lives on a livestock farm.
A valid full driving licence is necessary or access to an alternative means of transport.
Qualifications
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Working Together
- Managing a Quality Service
- Making Effective Decisions
- Delivering at Pace
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Working Together
Benefits
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application Process
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a 500-word personal statement and a tailored CV, covering any employment gaps, along with all your qualifications. We will also refer to your CV at interview stage for experience scoring. You will also be required to complete behaviour statements.
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, Working Together. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Sift and interview dates as well as the interview location to be confirmed.
Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on Behaviours and your experience. A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.
Location
Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. 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.
This role is based at Carmarthen VIC where the team is located and due to the nature of the role and duties required. Travel may be required to different locations around the country for example for training courses and meetings.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Salary
New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.
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 [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.
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 may be 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 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.
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.
Full Time Only
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying. We may consider two part-time staff on a job share basis if continuity can be arranged. We will only consider part-time hours as part of a job share.
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
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
Government Recruitment Services via email: [email protected]
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission
