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Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
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About the job
Job summary
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is an executive agency of the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), delivering over £2 billion in payments to farmers, traders and landowners each year.
We are an Operational Delivery Profession organisation, with the majority of our people delivering day to day services to our customers and stakeholders.
We make excellent delivery happen, empowering agricultural and rural communities to create a better place to live.
We manage over 40 schemes, and also make payments on behalf of Natural England, to ensure we have a healthy rural economy, strong and sustainable rural communities, and to protect and enhance the natural environment.
Our vision is to create a great place for people living in this country. We have developed a set of four strategic objectives covering our policy outcomes and corporate objectives. These objectives help us to deliver our ambitious vision to build our green and healthy future and provide a framework for all of the important work that we carry out.
Further information can be found on the Rural Payments Agency website www.rpa.gov.uk.
Job description
SEO Programme Management Office (PMO)
You will lead, manage and deliver one or more disciplines within PMO to ensure standards are set and adhered to across all portfolios. The Portfolio Management Office (PMO) sits within the Business Transformation directorate within the RPA. The PMO drives successful project delivery by working with senior managers, project managers and stakeholders to support portfolios in a variety of ways, enabling effective decision making and embedding project management standards and ensuring accuracy.
You will undertake a leadership role in PMO for one or more disciplines to ensure standards are developed, maintained and followed for all project/programme/portfolio delivery. A successful candidate could be asked to work in one or more of the following areas within PMO.
Governance
The Governance team is responsible for all secretariat and logistics for programme governance / decision making bodies including assuring the quality of the documentation produced to support meetings. The team set standards and provide templates and guidance for PPM artefacts within the programme and ensure they are stored securely and in line with configuration management standards.
Reporting
The Reporting team is responsible for gathering progress reports / MI from across the portfolio / cross cutting teams, assuring accuracy / currency of content / standards and analysing / collating to provide appropriate information to the Director / SRO, to support decisions
Resources
The Resource team are responsible for forecasting and planning resources across the directorate, recruitment campaigns, learning & development and liaising with other departments to secure resources for the Directorate.
Planning
The Planning team work with Project and Programme Managers to ensure that all aspects of project activity / deliverables are defined, and recorded in the plans. Taking a wider view of interdependencies and creating programme / portfolio and critical path plans to monitor progress against key milestones, flagging risks / issues to overall delivery.
Risks, Issues and Assumptions
The Risks, Issues and Assumptions team work with project managers and stakeholders to ensure potential risks, issues and assumptions are identified, logged, owned and that appropriate actions are taken to mitigate. Producing analysis reports at programme / portfolio level to support various forums and meetings.
Benefits
The Benefits team work with project managers and stakeholders to map benefits and develop strategies for ensuring that benefits are realised where they are cost effective. Producing high level benefit maps for various forums and meetings.
Audit Assurance
Responsible for the organisation / logistics of internal and external audit and assurance reviews; working with key stakeholders to ensure coordination, and tracking updates / responses to recommendations from these reviews
You may be required to flex roles to meet business needs.
Person specification
PMO Key tasks/principal accountabilities:
- Provide visible leadership and management. Role modelling leadership behaviours creating a positive working culture which is inclusive and respectful. Leading successful teams within PMO providing strong direction and stakeholder management across the directorate, agency and wider Defra Groups
- Influence and provide clear direction to key stakeholders from a wide range of sources within their specialist area of work
- Manage and ensure organisational tasks are carried out efficiently. Lead and monitor the organisation of key meetings and manage the provision of secretariat support as required
- Communicate business priorities and other important issues likely to impact team delivery. Lead and manage communication with key Project Management and Stakeholders in an effective way
- Lead, manage and deliver all secretariat and logistics for PMO lead meetings maintaining the quality of documentation produced to support meetings. Maintain standards and ensure that documentation is stored securely. Liaise with key stakeholders and partners
- Lead the assurance activity for area, challenging where appropriate to ensure PMO standards are adhered to
- Lead to continually improve standards, templates and guidance for PPM artefacts
- Challenging where appropriate to assure accuracy in content and inform decision making
- Lead a small team within PMO
- Developing your people using Directorate and Defra objectives, linking to a professional career path
- Supporting successful delivery through clear and effective PMO standards and processes
- Develop and maintain working relationships with Portfolio/project managers as well as internal and external stakeholders
- Ensure Stakeholder responsibilities and needs are understood and addressed
Essential Skills and Experience:
- Delivering high quality outcomes providing a quality service to customers or stakeholders
- Experience of Microsoft Office tools including Microsoft Project, MS PowerPoint and MS Visio, Excel to deliver robust plans and supporting project documentation
- Successful leadership within a fast paced environment
- Experience and knowledge of Programme or Project methodology
- Ability to identify and influence stakeholders and build/maintain stakeholder networks across Departments which include senior stakeholders
- Project Management Qualifications e.g. Prince 2, APMP, P3O or equivalent. A willingness to undertake these qualifications/learning if necessary.
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
Benefits
£10,069 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- 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
Application Process
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and two Behaviours (max word count 250 each).
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 the lead Behaviour Leadership. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. CVs will not be scored.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on Behaviours and Strengths.
A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.
Interviews will be held virtually via MS Teams.
Location
Please be aware that these roles 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. You will be based in one of the listed locations in the advert. Internal candidates will have the option of remaining in their current locations.
Defra continues to support a blended working model and candidates are currently expected to attend their office base for 40-60% of the week.
Travel and subsistence will not be paid for travel to a base office location.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Merit Lists
Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.
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 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 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 Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks@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 offenses. 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).
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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : HRResourcingsupport@defra.gov.uk
- Email : HRResourcingsupport@defra.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : DefraRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.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.
