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About the job
Job summary
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Are you a skilled leader with an extensive understanding of criminal intelligence and investigation? Can you build corporate and system capability and develop those around you so that they can better achieve their goals? Are you excited by the opportunity to make positive change that will impact lives across the country? The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is looking for a Head of National Food Crime Unit (NFCU), who can ensure we continue to prevent, disrupt and take action against those committing food crimes across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The unit plays a key role within the FSA, providing a law enforcement capability that works proactively and reactively to minimise the impact of food crime in the UK. The work we do makes a real difference to consumers and keeping the food we eat safe and ranges from producing a compelling, accurate and dynamic intelligence picture of relevant threats to delivering a comprehensive response to them. You will cover significant ground as the Head of NFCU, this will involve ensuring that the unit works effectively with Police Forces, other law enforcement agencies and the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure that intelligence and investigations result in successful prosecutions. As well as leading the delivery of our work in England and collaborating closely with colleagues in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, youll be responsible for over 80 geographically dispersed staff and an annual budget of £5.3m. A key part of your role will be about building resilience and capability in the food system, including helping businesses and consumers to become more aware of crime threats. |
Job description
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Your leadership skills and experience will form a significant part of the role. Your commitment to public safety will be a key feature in how you inspire, motivate and support a diverse, geographically dispersed unit creating an environment where colleagues have access to the development they need personally and professionally. You will also ensure that we have the right people, systems, and knowledge to get the job done, providing strategic direction and personal expertise that will enable us to better deliver our work. This will also involve overseeing a programme of transformation in response to a recent Strategic review that will see us better adapt to the ever-changing food crime landscape. As the public face of the NFCU you will be an excellent communicator, working collaboratively with a wide range of colleagues and stakeholders, and acting as an ambassador for the NFCU, FSA and wider Civil Service both at home and abroad including representing the FSA in court proceedings and during media interviews. Youll have professional and personal credibility as a senior leader, be adept at building effective relationships with senior internal and external stakeholders; and exert influence in a multi-agency working environment that is complex and interconnected. As a Senior Civil Servant, youll also play an important role in the ongoing corporate leadership, management and development of the organisation. Youll work closely with the FSA Board and Executive Management Team, offering expert advice and guidance, and working to empower colleagues across the FSA to deliver. If you are committed to public safety, a resilient professional, keen to bring your expertise to this important area of the FSAs work, and can manage a complex portfolio in a fast-paced and challenging environment, then this role offers a fantastic opportunity. Apply to join us as Head of NFCU today, and help us deliver safe food for consumers everywhere. To find out more: Please follow this link to hear the FSAs Director of Operations share more about the role, the FSA and what were looking for in a successful candidate FSA Director of Operations Junior Johnson on the Head of NFCU position – YouTube Please note: As this is an investigatory / intelligence role we need to be aware if any of our employees have any of the following: any misconduct or gross misconduct findings or where proceedings are not complete. You will be asked to complete a declaration form covering the above if offered a role with the FSA. You must declare to the best of your knowledge: · Any disciplinary finding of guilt / failure to meet the appropriate standard of conduct relating to your employment you have ever had · Any charge of a disciplinary offence / notification of a failure to meet the appropriate standards you have ever had where the case has not yet been concluded The disclosure of this information will not automatically disbar you from this role but we need to be aware of any event or issue which could impinge on your credibility if questioned in court. |
Person specification
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Please read the attached Candidate Pack to discover further details about the role, our organisation, who we are looking for and the criteria we will assess against during the selection process. We look forward to receiving your application and wish you every success.
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Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Benefits
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Selection process details
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Full details of the selection process are detailed in the attached candidate pack. Application and shortlisting You will be asked to provide personal details (not seen by the Panel) and to confirm your eligibility to apply for the role. You will then be asked to complete an application which will be used to assess you against the following essential criteria. Experience 1. Lead criteria: Significant experience of leading criminal intelligence and investigations in an enforcement context, and of the implementation of threat and harm reduction strategies including use of the national intelligence model. 2. An inspiring, confident and empowering leader with the ability to build, lead, manage and develop capability of diverse and high performing teams, encouraging innovation and ensuring an inclusive, high-performance culture. 3. Excellent track record of strategic thinking with experience of translating multiple and complex inputs into clear direction, strategy and operational / business plans, including strategic management of risk. Able to make clear decisions and prioritise to achieve organisational outcomes. 4. The professional and personal credibility to operate as a senior leader and advisor, building effective relationships with senior internal and external stakeholders (e.g. at Board level / with Industry Bodies etc); able to engage and influence multi-agency working to deliver in a complex and interconnected environment. 5. Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage teams to decompose complex technical matters into authoritative briefings and represent the organisation credibly. 6. Experience of leading and delivering change in a complex environment. 7. Familiar with incident management / command structures and processes including Gold, Silver, Bronze approaches. Lead Criteria An initial sift may take place on just the identified Lead Criteria indicated. In the event that we receive a large number of applications, the minimum pass mark for the Lead Criteria may be raised at shortlisting stage. Candidates who apply under the DCS, GPTW or RIS schemes and meet the minimum requirements will be unaffected by the pass mark raise. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to the interview stage. The selection process will consist of a Leadership Psychometric Assessment and Staff Engagement Exercise (SEE) followed by a panel interview on a different date. Assessment at interview stage Leadership Psychometric Assessment (ALA): You will undertake an Alternate Leadership Assessment (ALA) which consists of two psychometric tests (Wave Professional Styles and Hogan Development Survey) followed by a 60 75 minute validation call with a psychologist. Staff Engagement Exercise – Focus Group (SEE): You will be provided with a topic area, and asked to facilitate a discussion with a staff group. The staff group will then provide feedback to a psychologist that is structured around the Civil Service Leadership Statements (Inspiring, Confident and Empowering). Panel Interview: The panel interview will consist of a presentation, which you will be asked to prepare beforehand, Behaviour and Experience questions assessing you against the criteria below. Behaviours (Level 5) · Communicating and Influencing (assessed via Seen Presentation) · Changing and Improving Experience · You will be asked one or more questions relating to the essential Experience criteria assessed at sift. Full details of the ALA, SEE and interview presentation requirements will be provided to candidates if they are invited to the interview stage, along with the topic for the presentation you will need to prepare for interview. Informal discussions with Director of Operations: If invited to interview you will also have the opportunity for an informal discussion with the FSAs Director of Operations, Junior Johnson. This will not form part of the assessment process and is entirely optional. Expected Timeline Advert closes: 20 August 2023 Sift meeting: Expected to take place during week commencing 21 August 2023 Leadership Psychometric Assessment psychologist session (ALA): Dates to be agreed directly with assessment provider to suit candidate Staff Engagement Exercise (SEE): Expected to take place on 4 September 2023 (remotely via MS Teams) Informal discussions with Director of Operations: Expected to take place between 28 August and 10 September 2023 Final panel interview: Expected to take place on 15 September 2023 (in-person at FSA offices in London) Please note that indicated dates may be subject to change. Regrettably we are unable to refund travel costs if candidates attend an interview stage for the vacancy. Security Clearance Requirements Appointment will be subject to the candidate having, or being able to achieve, United Kingdom Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) level and Non-Police Personal Vetting at Level 3 (NPPV3). All security clearances require you to provide evidence of your UK footprint where you have been physically present in the UK. The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years (although there are some exceptions e.g. if you have been serving abroad with HM Armed Forces). Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected. If you require SC clearance you will need to provide evidence of the below requirements. Checks will be made against: · a departmental/company records check which will include, for example personal files, staff reports, sick leave returns and security records · a check of both spent and unspent criminal records · a check of credit and financial history with a credit reference agency · a check of Security Service (MI5) records · exceptionally, if there are any unresolved security concerns about the individual, or if recommended by the Security Service, the individual may also be interviewed · in the event of any unresolved financial concerns, the individual may also be required to complete a separate financial questionnaire so that a full review of personal finances can be carried out · checks may extend to third parties included on the security questionnaire. The FSA is dedicated to a policy of equal opportunity for all. Being truly reflective of our society and building a culture where everyone can perform at their best is critical to the work of the FSA. We are looking to recruit from the widest possible talent pool and encourage candidates to apply from a diverse range of backgrounds. We are proud to be an inclusive, equal opportunities employer and are committed to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment and selection process and beyond. All appointments are made on merit. Please be assured that diversity or socioeconomic information requested during the course of your application plays absolutely no part in our selection processes and is not seen by anyone assessing applications. Any information provided is anonymised and used for statistical purposes only. We actively review the deployment of talent on a periodic basis in the interests of optimising personal development and the achievement of business plans. Childcare Vouchers Any move to the Food Standards Agency 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 Reserve List A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made. Visa Sponsorship Please note that the FSA does not hold a licence to sponsor any visa applications and we are unable to provide any advice about visas. |
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them
to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through
building your depth of expertise.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above.
This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions.
Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and
conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your
personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any
absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you
to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
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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 : Sue Milligan
- Email : sue.milligan@food.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : hr.recruitment.campaigns@food.gov.uk
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