Location

Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, London, Salford

About The Job

Job summary

The Government Office for Science works at the heart of Government, ensuring policies and decisions are informed by the best scientific evidence and strategic long-term thinking. It's an exciting time to join the organisation; we have outstanding and high-profile positions providing you an opportunity to inform and influence policy-making and the systems for use of science and engineering across government. If you are highly motivated and looking for your next career challenge we want to hear from you.

Our mission is:

Science advice mechanisms that are efficient, effective, speak truth to power and are embedded irreversibly in Government systems.
Visible impact through both pro-active and demand-led science advice that is relevant, excellent, and delivered fit for purpose.

Further information can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/government-office-for-science

We strongly believe diversity of experience, thought, perspectives, skills, and background makes us a more innovative, welcoming Department, thus making better decisions and better delivering our objectives. We are actively seeking applications from every part of the community and particularly welcome applications from candidates of any age, background, disability, or from an ethnic minority background and any other protected characteristics. This will help us move to a workforce that reflects the people we serve to deliver better policies.

We are a friendly, inclusive team and emphasise personal development. We will ensure individuals with disabilities are provided adjustments to participate in the job application and interview process. We support your wellbeing by putting flexible working at the heart of our offer.; if successful, you will be able to discuss working arrangements with your new manager.

We maintain an internal surge capability of staff who may be called at short notice to support an activation of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE). Training and support will be provided. This is an excellent opportunity to develop crisis management skills.

Job Description

The Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology is the government’s highest-level independent advisory body on science, technology and innovation. CST provides independent advice directly to the Prime Minister and Cabinet on science, technology and innovation policy and strategy that cut across the responsibilities of individual government departments.

The CST Secretariat team ensures the Council’s advice is timely, of excellent quality, and has enduring impact on public policy and decision-making. The role of the Senior Engagement Officer is central to helping to maintain the CST’s reputation and influence.

The Senior Engagement Officer is responsible for delivering CST’s programme of engagement with Ministers, senior officials and policy teams across government. The role is central to maintaining CST’s influence and relationships across government.

Person specification

Key responsibilities:

Lead the organisation of CST meetings with Ministers and senior government representatives. This includes:
Leading planning for CST meetings, including task-managing across the Secretariat to organise logistics, guest attendance and the preparation of background papers and briefing.
Working collaboratively across government and wider stakeholders to scope the agenda for CST meetings and prioritise guest attendance.
Co-ordinating input into briefing to support members and guests.
Building and managing CST’s relationships with key stakeholders across government and the wider science and technology community. This includes:
Leading regular meetings with policy teams to support the development of new projects and evaluate the impact of previous Council recommendations.
Support collaboration with key stakeholders across the science and technology networks on CST advice such as the Chief Scientific Advisers network and the National Academies.
Support engagement with international counterparts to CST, including in the United States and Japan
Develop positive relationships with FCDO and Secretariat teams to identify opportunities to support collaboration.
Support the delivery of regular meetings between CST and other international advisory Councils.

Essential Criteria:

Strong organisational skills.
Good interpersonal skills and the ability to establish networks within and outside government. You will make use of effective, reciprocal working relationships with Number 10, DSIT, HMT and Cabinet Office as well as the national academies and research institutions.
Able to communicate clearly, succinctly and persuasively in writing, in meetings and in presentations. You will often represent the CST and its work and need to be comfortable delivering your message to senior audiences.
Good understanding of the wider policy environment and strong judgement for prioritisation. You will have freedom to identify new opportunities and risks, working closely with the Secretary and co-Chairs of the Council to devise meeting agendas and membership needs.

Highly desirable:

Events planning experience (such as managing the budget, agenda and attendance for conferences or events).
Line management experience.
Proven experience of secretariat support (such as advisory committees or private office) or delivery of services to a senior board.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

Communicating and Influencing
Managing a Quality Service
Seeing the Big Picture

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £38,860, Government Office for Science contributes £11,257 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme , with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.

Office attendance

The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement, and behavioural statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 750 words) to briefly explain your motivation for applying for this role and how you meet the essential and desirable requirements of the role.

Applications will be sifted on CV, personal statement, and behavioural statement.

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the personal statement.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview will consist of behaviour and strength based questions.

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 29/09/2024.

Interview dates: w/c 13/10/2024.

Interview Location: MS Teams.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Further Information

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

I nformation about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our  DSIT Candidate Guidance . A  DSIT Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available.

We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check t o Disclosure and Barring Service / Disclosure Scotland 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.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

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.

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.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window) . See our vetting charter (opens in a new window) .

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) (opens in a new window)
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 (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

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) .

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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window) .

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 : Recruitment support
Email : recruitmentsupport@ics.gov.uk

Recruitment team

Email : dsitresourcing.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance DSITrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk . If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints

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