Details
Reference number
397262
Salary
£29,180 London minimum - £32,987 A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% GBP
Job grade
Executive Officer
Contract type
Permanent
Apprenticeship
Business area
DFE - Regions Group
Type of role
Operational Delivery
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
Number of jobs available
1
Contents
- Location
- About the job
- Benefits
- Things you need to know
- Apply and further information
Location
Cambridge, East of England, CB2 8DR : City of Westminster, London (region), SW1P 3BT
About the job
Job summary
Do you enjoy a challenge and have great people skills? Do you want to help make a real difference to the quality of education for our children and young people?
If the answer is yes, apply to join our team in the East of England. We are the Department’s main interface for academy trusts and local authorities across our region of England.
Our team is led by Jonathan Duff, the Director for East of England.
Regions Group is responsible for the stewardship of the school and children's social care system across the country. We work with stakeholders to ensure that we develop the best educational and social care landscape for the children of our region.
The Regional Director for the East of England leads an exciting and fast-paced team that works to deliver the above aims across the region. The diary manager will help to manage the busy day-to-day activities of the Regional Director to ensure the smooth and efficient functioning of the office, including correspondence, proactively resolving issues and ensuring his priorities are delivered. This role represents a fantastic opportunity to gain exposure to the Department for Education and its strategic priorities for the region.
Job description
Your role is to provide exceptional support to the Regional Director and Deputy Director. You will also work closely with internal teams to achieve positive outcomes for the Regional Director and their team, while collaborating effectively with key external stakeholders.
Job Responsibilities:
- Diary Management - Planning, managing and coordinating the Regional Director’s diary and that of his deputy. Preparing daily diary schedules, resolving any scheduling clashes, negotiating and allocating time to the Regional Director’s short term and long-term priorities. Making sure that practical arrangements are in place for meetings, including booking rooms, booking visitors in, and providing technical support in managing virtual communication platforms such as Teams.
- Inbox Management - Responsible for managing a busy inbox. Actively monitoring and managing inboxes to ensure any urgent and important emails are identified and flagged to the Regional Director and his team, and to see these emails are resolved.
- Preparing documentation – Co-ordinating and collating briefings, meeting papers and preparing a One Note folder in advance of all meetings.
- Building relationships - Building, developing and maintaining relationships across the team, other regional teams and with regional stakeholders.
- Meeting and travel preparations – Co-ordinating and managing the logistics, travel, accommodation and hospitality arrangements for any trips or travel.
We are a friendly and supportive team and put a lot of emphasis on making Regions Group a great place to work. We are supportive of each other professionally and personally. You will benefit from a coaching environment, a strong team commitment to personal development and learning, a focus on wellbeing and a range of social activities.
Apprenticeship
As this role includes completion of the Business Administrator Apprenticeship (Level 3) please check the eligibility requirements below using the apprenticeship standard: Business administrator / 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 Administration.
Person specification
Essential Criteria:
- Is motivated and can manage a varied workload.
- Can work at pace and respond flexibly to emerging priorities or urgent tasks.
- Has the confidence to make recommendations and understand when to escalate and seek the views of others.
- Has great communication skills.
- Is agile in their approach to working
- Enjoys working in a team and establishing good relationships with all around them.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Working Together
- Making Effective Decisions
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £29,180, Department for Education contributes £8,453 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
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
This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
Application
At application, you will be asked to provide your CV and a Statement of Suitability (max word count 750 words).
Your CV should include details of previous roles held and responsibilities/ previous skills and experience.
Your statement of suitability should demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria listed in the person specification section above.
Your CV and statement will be assessed together against the listed essential criteria.
Interview
If successful at sift, candidates will be assessed via interview.
At interview we will ask questions to assess how you meet the behaviours Delivering at Pace, Working Together and Making Effective Decisions.
We will also ask you questions to assess your strengths. Please see Success Profiles: Strengths - GOV.UK for more information about strengths-based questions.
Other Information
In your application, please don’t include personal information that identifies you.
This means we can recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity - it's called name blind recruitment .
Please ensure that you remove from your application, all references to your:
- name/title
- educational institutions
- age
- gender
- email address
- postal address
- phone number
- nationality/immigration status
We understand that you might use AI and other resources for your application; however, please ensure all information you provide is factually accurate, truthful, and original and doesn’t include ideas or work that isn’t your own. This is so that your application is authentically and credibly your own.
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.
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 Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk 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 centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk 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.
Please refer to the attached ‘Reasonable Adjustments Guide 2024 – accessible version’ at the bottom of the advert, for further information.
Childcare Vouchers
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
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission. The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : RG.EOE@education.gov.uk
- Email : RG.EOE@education.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : Centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk
Further information
The Department for Education’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly with the department concerned via CentralRecruitment.Operations@education.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages
