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Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
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About the job
Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to join a professional HR team, evolving our service to provide continually improving outcomes for our customers.
The purpose of the role is to assist with the timely recruitment of people to posts, from both internal and external recruitment. The successful applicant will provide adept resourcing advice to our stakeholders and customers enabling Cefas to meet its science delivery targets and maintain its reputation.
This post sits within Cefas Resourcing team. We are a small, friendly, busy team with a varied workload, and as well as supporting and educating business colleagues in all things resourcing, we also support each other, and take the wellbeing of our team seriously. As well as providing a responsive and professional service, we also try to have fun, and encourage a team culture of openness, proactivity and approachability.
Cefas is proud of a diverse and inclusive work environment, committed to fairness and the promotion of equality of opportunity for all. We know that having a range of experiences, backgrounds, ways of working and thinking, makes us a stronger organisation, better at reflecting the communities we serve. We embrace different views and experiences and value the fresh perspective that people from a variety of circumstances bring to the work we do. We welcome applications from candidates who have not previously worked for the Civil Service, mid- and late-career changers with transferable skills, people from all backgrounds and circumstances regardless of disability, gender, age, ethnicity, LGBT+ identity and socio-economic status.
Job description
You will contribute to the successful, quality candidate experience throughout the recruitment process from submitting the application to starting with Cefas.
The team manages high volumes of recruitment and works with both candidates and stakeholders across Cefas to deliver a customer focused, professional Resourcing service. In order to manage this appropriately, you will be using different Management Information and Applicant Tracking Systems to enable effective decision making and analysis of resource supply and service level agreements.
Responsibilities (not limited to):
- Contribute to the planning and delivery of recruitment campaigns and other resourcing activity, whilst providing advice to the business and to support on specified aspects of Resourcing
- Coordination of information to/from business areas relating to recruitment activity and the end-to-end recruitment process
- Being responsible for the onboarding recruitment activity and undertaking first day inductions
- Promote best practice customer service and experience through continuous improvement activity using the tools and systems available
- Contribute to the development and implementation of a range of Resourcing and HR initiatives and specific projects within agreed timescales and appropriate standards to support the delivery of Cefas business objectives
- Coordinate and administer recruitment campaigns for apprentice, intern and student programmes, which will include supporting with the development and implementation of the programme (recruitment, onboarding, induction activities etc)
- Ensure pre-employment checks are completed for all new entrants
- Handling sensitive and confidential information ensuring compliance with GDPR legislation
- Regularly review recruitment process to ensure improvements are made where possible and that all forms/administration requirements are up to date
- Administration of sickness absence; logging absences, monitoring return to work interviews and forms, following up on incomplete or missing data from employees and line managers
- Supporting the wider HR team with business as usual and ad hoc activities and tasks
Person specification
We are looking for a resilient, focused and adaptable person who can demonstrate meeting the following essential criteria:
- Excellent IT skills including good working knowledge of Microsoft Office (not limited to but including Excel, PowerPoint Outlook and Word)
- Working well in a team and being a team player
- Proven written and oral communication skills
- Highly organised and efficient with your approach to addressing and solving problems
- Experience of being able to prioritise and effectively balance a varied workload, whilst meeting deadlines and managing the demands from multiple stakeholders and customers; and
- Able to deal with a degree of ambiguity but have the confidence to challenge processes and responses where appropriate
Further to the essential criteria above, Cefas will support you to achieve a recognised qualification in Human Resources, for example CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice.
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Delivering at Pace
Benefits
£6,997 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- Generous annual leave entitlement Cefas offers 25 days’ annual leave on entry (rising to 30 days over first 5yrs) for full-time new entrants to the Civil Service. Employees receive 8 public holidays a year, plus an additional day to mark the late Queen’s birthday
- Access to learning and development tailored to your role
- A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options
- A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
- Eligible to join the Civil Service Pension scheme more information can be found on the CSP website http://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/
- Staff recognition vouchers
- In-year award scheme
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application Process
As part of the application process you are asked to provide a CV (job history, qualifications, past skills and experience), and a 1000-word (maximum) personal statement on how you meet the essential criteria as stated in the person specification section and a 250-word statement on how you meet the advertised lead Behaviour Delivering at Pace.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
- For guidance on Civil Service Success Profiles, this video tells you what youll need to provide throughout the assessment process with supporting guidance on each step. Link Success Profiles
- For guidance on how to construct your CV, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Link – CV
- For guidance on how to construct your personal statement, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Link Statement
- For guidance on how to construct your lead behaviour statement, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Link Behaviours
Sift
The sift panel will use the information in your CV and Personal Statement to assess your experience and how you meet the essential criteria as stated in the person specification section. The sift panel will also assess the lead Behaviour statement Delivering at Pace.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour Delivering at Pace. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or, progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Sift and interview dates are to be confirmed.
Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on your previous experience and behaviours.
You may also be required to give a presentation. If this is the case, you will receive further information with your invitation.
If scores are equal following interview, an assessment of the lead behaviour, Delivering at Pace, will be used by the panel.
The interview will be undertaken in person or remotely.
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.
Please be aware that this role is based at the Lowestoft Laboratory.
Blended Working
Cefas operates a blended working policy subject to business need, giving people the flexibility to choose when and where they work and collaborate with others.
Our staff are expected to work in the office/lab location in Lowestoft, as required by their role and business team needs. There is flexibility to split the working week, spending a minimum of one day in the workplace, unless exceptional circumstances apply.
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.
There is a pay award pending as Cefas is yet to finalise and implement the Civil Service Pay Remit 2023/2024 – Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance, 2023 to 2024 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
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 defrarecruitment.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 youre 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 Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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 applicants 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.
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
Nationality requirements
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
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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Clare Avieson and Alec Wilson
- Email : resourcing@cefas.co.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : defrarecruitment.grs@cabintetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
Government Recruitment Services via email: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
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.
