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About the job
Job summary
The International and Domestic Strategy and Engagement (ISED) directorate sits at the heart of the Home Office International System and acts as the central strategic and coordination function for the departments engagement and partnerships with local and UK domestic partners. ISED champions the systems, steers the department through the recent International Strategy, and comprises of deep country- and region-specific expertise.
ISED is a cross-cutting Directorate, with an overview of all Home Office priorities. The International Engagement Team within ISED delivers ministerial and official-level bilateral and multilateral engagement. This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to develop, connect with a wide range of people and engagement structure within a high performing policy group.
ISED is made up of four units:
1. Europe and Multilateral
2. Africa, Middle East and Asia
3. UK Domestic, Overseas Territories, Americas & 5EYEs
4. International Strategy and Capabilities
This role sits within the newly-formed Directorate Support Team, who support corporate and business administration delivery across the whole of ISED. You will work with a small friendly team, headed by a G7 Chief of Staff. Our team values are proactivity, compassion, transparency and innovation. Our team delivers support to named teams as well as a central function that benefits ISED as a whole.
We actively embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity, to enable us to reflect the communities that we serve. We provide people with the opportunity to work at pace and deliver in stretching roles. You will learn a lot in your day to day work but we also provide excellent wider learning and development opportunities.
Due to business requirements this post is not suitable for part time working.
Job description
This is an exciting opportunity to join the International Engagement team within ISED. The International Engagement team has responsibility for representing the department on the international stage.
Our work is high-profile and can vary significantly day-to-day dependent upon international events and current affairs.
This is a fast-paced and stimulating role within a supportive and friendly team. They provide opportunities to engage at the highest levels and represent the department internationally, including travel to support visits by ministers and senior officials.
This is an excellent entry level roles for both domestic and international policy, diplomacy and wider civil service work.
The post holder will need to build up an understanding of the foreign policy context and stay abreast of Home Office policy developments. They will be in the privileged position of looking across the full breadth of the Home Offices international priorities so will be exposed to a wide range of policy areas. This is demanding but rewarding work and, while the post holder will be stretched at times, they will be supported by the team and wider directorate.
This is an exciting opportunity to join the International Engagement team within ISED. The International Engagement team has responsibility for representing the department on the international stage.
Our work is high-profile and can vary significantly day-to-day dependent upon international events and current affairs.
This is a fast-paced and stimulating role within a supportive and friendly team. They provide opportunities to engage at the highest levels and represent the department internationally, including travel to support visits by ministers and senior officials.
This is an excellent entry level roles for both domestic and international policy, diplomacy and wider civil service work.
The post holder will need to build up an understanding of the foreign policy context and stay abreast of Home Office policy developments. They will be in the privileged position of looking across the full breadth of the Home Offices international priorities so will be exposed to a wide range of policy areas. This is demanding but rewarding work and, while the post holder will be stretched at times, they will be supported by the team and wider directorate.
This role will have the following responsibilities:
PA Support to DD
ISED PAs are the centre point of contact of colleagues needing to access and engage with the SCS. Local priorities and ways of working will be determined by the individual needs of your principal, but you can expect the key responsibilities of this role to be:
Diary and inbox management for your principle
Supporting day to day delivery through day packs or prioritisation
Working with the Unit SMT to support the DD and curate messaging to your principle
Working with other PAs to ensure join up across units, and with the DG PO team to ensure SCS messaging is cascaded
Secretariat Assistant
The Secretariat team lead on the delivery of ISEDs obligations to reply to Parliamentary Questions, Freedom of Information Requests and Ministerial Correspondence. The team proactively drafts and leads on these items to reduce the burden on ISED Policy teams and acts as the centre of excellence in ISED supporting colleagues. Within this role, key tasks would be:
Daily check of PQs, FOIs and Correspondence
Lead initial drafting of anything received
Work with teams to upskill colleagues
Understand and advise on FOIs, PQs and correspondence
Delivery and management of the ISED Public Lines Pack and On Call Rota
Design and maintenance a database of responses for audit purposes
Management of the Home Office Diptels, in tandem with FCDO
Minuting of SLT Meetings and distribution across ISED
Person specification
You communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with the director and You can use appropriate methods of communication over email, telephone, and face-to-face.
You enjoy working with people at all levels, internal and external, to deliver results, as you will be liaising with senior officials and offices across Whitehall.
You build effective partnerships and relationships both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds.
You are adept at influencing and negotiating with others to achieve timely results.
You exercise discretion, tact and diplomacy in managing sensitive, personal and confidential matters.
Your role with involve close working with the deputy director, so you must be able to gain a clear understanding of their needs and expectations. You will need to understand the priorities of the Department and how your work supports its objectives.
You are confident working with senior officials and external stakeholders.
You remain calm whilst working under pressure and to demanding deadlines whilst maintaining a flexible approach.
You can think on your feet and take the initiative. You can make decisions when needed and are accountable for your actions and your performance.
You take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results.
The successful candidate will be motivated, flexible and adaptable in their approach to work, and when required support with other tasks. It is essential that the post holder can work at a fast pace and can prioritise their work effectively.
They will also need to be a good communicator, both verbal and written, and be comfortable engaging with senior management and other Private Offices across government, external and international stakeholders, law enforcement, and the voluntary sector.
Essential criteria:
- Strong interpersonal skills to build good working relationships with both internal and external partners.
- Excellent communication skills (both oral and written), and the ability to juggle competing demands across challenging portfolios.
- Given the often-changing priorities with each country and policy area, the post holder will need to be adaptable and flexible, effectively prioritising work and often working at pace.
- The post holder will have the ability to take the lead on some issues. Autonomy and the ability to work as part of a small team are key requirements.
Desirable criteria:
- The ability to demonstrate interest in international relations. Experience working on International matters is highly desirable.
- Experience of working with senior stakeholders on complex issues.
- Previous PA experience is highly desirable.
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Communicating and Influencing
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:
- A CV detailing job history/skills
- A statement of suitability (personal statement) (maximum 500 words)
- Provide evidence of the behaviour Communicating & Influencing (250 words maximum)
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
The statement of suitability should be aligned to demonstrate your skills and experience for the role and how you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the job advertisement.
For guidance on how to construct your personal statement, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Links Statement
For guidance on how to construct your behaviour examples, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Links Behaviours
The sift will be held on the behaviour Communicating & Influencing and the statement of suitability (personal statement). The CV will not be scored.
However, if a large number of applications are received, the sift will be conducted on the lead behaviour Communicating & Influencing.
If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview which will be behaviour-based questions on the behaviours listed within the advert.
Sift and Interview dates
Sift is expected to take place from the 16th November 2023.
Interviews are expected to take place from the 6th December 2023.
We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert, however on occasions these dates may change.
Interviews will be carried out via video. Candidates will be required to have access to:
- A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
- Good internet connection
- Skype for Business/Microsoft Teams
Further Information
For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV. A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
When completing your application you will have the opportunity to select your preferred location(s). Please ensure you select all locations you are interested in. Candidates who are successful at Interview will be placed in order of merit per location and provisional job offers will be made in strict merit order per location preference. Provisional offers are made, as they are on condition that you successfully pass all pre-employment checks.
Note for Candidates
Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying of examples/answers from internet sources. If any is detected the application will be withdrawn from the process. Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving internal candidates. Providing false or misleading information would be contrary to the core values of honesty and integrity expected of all Civil Servants.
If you are currently an agency member of staff working within the Home Office, a contractor or contingent worker you can only apply for roles that are advertised externally, i.e. outside the civil service. If you are eligible to apply for a role, you are required to select yourself as an external applicant and not internal when submitting your application on Civil Service jobs. This will prevent any delays in pre-employment checks should you become successful in being made an offer of employment after the Interview stage.
Hybrid working is an option
Hybrid working enables employees to work partly in their workplace(s) and partly at home. A hybrid working pattern may be available, where business needs allow. Applicants can discuss what this means with the vacancy holder if they have specific questions.
Visa sponsorship
We are unable to sponsor any individuals via Skilled Worker Sponsorship / Tier 2 (General) work visas as we do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License.
A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role or similar role become available within that period you may be offered this position.
Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.
We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.
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.
For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.
Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidates responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.
Transfer Terms: Voluntary.
If you are invited to an interview you will be required to bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.
Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.
Any move to the Home Office 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
Reasonable Adjustments
If a person with disabilities is 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 HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the Contact point for applicants section.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
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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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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Home Office Resourcing Centre
- Email : horccampaignteamcorporateenablers@homeoffice.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
