4942 - Multiple B1 roles - PBT Office Manager / FOI Clearing House Adviser

The role in the Public Bodies Team is a rewarding one which will give you ample opportunity to develop your skills. The work of the team and the Deputy Director is busy and varied. You will need to be resourceful and self-directing, able to work with minimal supervision and make reasoned decisions. You will be keen to always make sure your work is the best it can be, while checking understanding where necessary. The ability to work collaboratively with others, particularly within the team and the wider Cabinet Office, asking for support and offering assistance when needed, is essential.

The primary responsibilities of the post-holder will be to support the Deputy Directors and to facilitate the smooth and efficient running of the team.

Specific responsibilities for post-holder:

• Assisting with management of the Deputy Directors’ joint diary and emails inbox;
• Assisting with management of the team mailbox, including responding to or delegating incoming emails;
• Implementation and oversight of interventions and tools that facilitate the smooth running of the team (e.g. forward look, project management etc.);
• General administrative support (room bookings, arranging meetings, drafting presentations etc.); and
• Working with other members of the team to ensure that core team materials (such as induction packs and central guidance) are kept regularly updated.

The role in the FOI & Transparency Team will provide an excellent opportunity to support and contribute to the work of the Cabinet Office FOI team and FOI Clearing House.  You will need to advise other government departments on their FOI queries through the round robin and Clearing House inboxes.

Specific responsibilities for post-holder:

• Monitoring the Round Robin inbox and adding referrals to the case list;
• Identifying appropriate departments to offer guidance and commission that guidance, disseminating via the RR list;
• Providing ad hoc guidance to departments on cases;
• Creating a weekly FOI tracker of new cases and releases;
• Forwarding drafts for clearance, reverting to departments with advice and negotiating redrafted responses;
• Assisting with the organisation of quarterly engagement meetings; and
• Assisting with the organisation of the biannual Information Rights Forum, including developing and agreeing an agenda with Head of Policy and Head of Clearing House.

Both post-holders should have the following essential skills:

• Proven organisational skills to plan, organise and manage their own time;
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build productive working relationships and to use those relationships to achieve desired outcomes;
• Evidenced ability to take responsibility for making effective and timely decisions, and explain the rationale for those;
• An ability to work with focus and pace to get jobs done on time and to a high standard.

Desirable skills and experience:

• Previous experience of business or project management – particularly in a busy and complex context;
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office, including the use of Excel and PowerPoint and/or the Google suite of applications (Gmail, Google sheets, Google Docs, etc.).

Please note that this role requires CTC clearance, which would normally require 3 years’ UK residency in the past 3 years. This is not an absolute requirement but supplementary checks may be required where individuals have not lived in the UK for the required period. This may mean that your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

The teams both sit within the Private Office Group, which is led by Helen MacNamara, the Director General for Propriety & Ethics and Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet.  The Public Bodies Team works to the Director for Public Bodies, Public Appointments and Propriety & Ethics, Tristan Pedelty while the FOI & Transparency Team works to the Director, Honours and Information. The Group provides support and guidance to the Prime Minister, Cabinet Secretary, Cabinet Office Ministers and across Whitehall for the operation of good government. Other teams in the Group include the Public Appointments Policy Team, Propriety & Ethics Team, Knowledge and Information Management, and the Honours Secretariat.

The Public Bodies Team is responsible for providing advice on arm’s length bodies (ALBs) policy, and ensuring good governance across the Government’s portfolio of ALBs. ALBs play a vital role in the delivery of public services for all citizens, covering a wide range of functions, which comprises around 300 organisations responsible for over £200 billion of public expenditure.  The position of the Public Bodies Team at the heart of government will give the post holder a high level of exposure to Government’s strategic priorities and an insight into the role ALBs play in delivering those. The team’s work on issues relating to ALB governance, accountability, and transparency, will allow the post holder to develop a deeper understanding of the management of public body policy from the centre.

The FOI Clearing House as a whole works with other Government departments to ensure that sensitive information which is requested under the Freedom of Information Act is protected appropriately and consistently across Whitehall. The team provides cross-Whitehall guidance and assistance for FOI requests, and has a significant litigation caseload in the Tribunal. The team also works to deliver the Cabinet Office's statutory responsibilities under FOI legislation, liaising with policy teams to identify the information in scope of requests and whether or not it is releasable. The team ensures that responses go out in a timely fashion and provides FOI training across the Cabinet Office.

Public Bodies Team:

Nigel Patrick

nigel.patrick@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

020 7271 1357

FOI & Transparency Team:

Rebecca Milner

rebecca.milner@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

020 7276 1465

Due to the high volume of applications received for Cabinet Office vacancies, we regret that feedback is only available - at the discretion of the vacancy manager - following the interview stage. Vacancy managers may sift on one lead behaviour at the application stage.

Terms, Conditions and Benefits

This is a Permanent appointment.

This role is based within the Cabinet Office at Band B1 £25,997 - £30,168. Annual salary increases will depend upon individual performance and contribution to the organisation’s success. In addition there will be the opportunity to earn performance related bonuses. There is an expectation that successful applicants new to the Civil Service will join on the pay band minimum.

Existing civil servants can take up the post on loan from their parent department for the duration advertised. Those joining on level transfer will retain their current salary. Staff joining on promotion terms will receive up to a 10% increase of their current basic salary or the pay band minimum whichever is the greater. Staff joining on promotion will adopt the modernised terms and conditions of employment which came into force in 2013.

There is a choice of excellent pension schemes. More information about pension provisions can be found at www.civilservice.gov.uk/pensions

Flexible Working

Flexible working including job-share arrangements may be considered for this role.

Leave allowances

25 days' paid leave per annum rising to 30 days after five years service. In addition, full-time staff receive eight public holidays and the Queen’s Birthday privilege day as well as competitive maternity, paternity, parental and adoption leave.

Probation

Staff new to the Civil Service will be required to serve a six month probationary period.

Location

The post will be based in 1 Horse Guards Road / 70 Whitehall, London.

Relocation Costs No relocation costs will be available.

Equality and Diversity

The Cabinet Office is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all staff. We will not discriminate on grounds of gender, gender identity, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, those with caring responsibilities, part time workers or any other factor irrelevant to a person’s work.

We encourage a diverse workforce and aim to provide a working environment where all staff at all levels are valued and respected, and where discrimination, bullying, promotion of negative stereotyping and harassment are not tolerated.

Assessment for recruitment, selection, appraisal, training and career progression purposes is based both on the individual’s ability and suitability for the work. We are committed to providing all staff with opportunities to maximise their skills and achieve their potential, offering flexible working arrangements wherever possible.

As public authorities departments have statutory duties placed on them that require them to promote equality of opportunity and eliminate unlawful discrimination. We expect all staff to assist the department in meeting these obligations. All staff should have due regard for the need to promote good relations between individuals from different groups and work towards achieving equality of opportunity for all.

Civil Service Code

All civil servants are subject to the provisions of the Civil Service Code (see Annex A) which details Civil Service values, standards of behaviour, rights and responsibilities. Go to http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk for more information.

Childcare

We offer support with childcare and holiday play schemes costs by providing childcare vouchers for staff who meet the eligibility criteria. Current civil servants applying for Cabinet Office vacancies on or after 06 April 2018, may experience implications in continuing to claim childcare vouchers.

HMRC now offer a tax free childcare scheme for new entrants into the Cabinet Office. We also offer a holiday play scheme and the Cabinet Office contribute to the costs for staff who meet the eligibility criteria. Current civil servants applying for Cabinet Office vacancies on or September 2018 who are currently in receipt of childcare vouchers and not transferring on a TUPE or COSOP move will be unable to continue to claim childcare vouchers but may be eligible for the HMRC tax free childcare scheme.

Recruitment and Selection Process

Nationality

You must be a British Citizen, citizen of the British Commonwealth* an EC national or a national of specified Member States of the European Free Trade Area, together with certain members of their families. Certain Turkish nationals are also eligible to apply. In the first instance it is advisable to refer to the Civil Service Nationality Rules which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules If you have any further questions about nationality requirements, please contact the Recruitment Team at: corecruitment@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. (*Commonwealth citizens not yet in the UK, who have no right of abode in the UK and who do not have leave to enter the UK are ineligible to apply.)

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

The Cabinet Office is committed to the employment and career development of disabled people and will guarantee to interview anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Pre-appointment Checks

The successful candidate’s appointment will be subject to a series of checks including security, nationality, health and references before a formal offer of appointment is made. Subject to satisfactory completion of the pre-appointment checks, you will be invited to take up the post as soon as possible. The National Insurance numbers of successful applicants will be shared with the Ministry of Defence to aid the tracking of Armed Forces Reservist levels across government.

The Selection Process

Assessment at sift and interviews will be based on meeting any defined skill/qualification requirements along with a Success Profile element assessment, as detailed in the job advert. The Success Profile elements to be assessed will be outlined within the job advert. The Civil Service Success Profile Framework is publically available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles

We would generally expect answers to follow the STAR or CAR structure and encourage candidates to use this throughout their application.

Application/Interview Scoring System

The Cabinet Office adopts a scoring system of 1-7 for Behaviours, Ability, Technical and Experience.

7- The evidence provided wholly exceeds expectation at this level

6 - Substantial positive evidence; includes some evidence of exceeding expectations at this level

5 - Substantial positive evidence of the competency or behaviour

4 - Adequate positive evidence and any negative evidence would not cause concern

3 - Moderate positive evidence but some negative evidence demonstrated

2 - Limited positive evidence and/or mainly negative evidence demonstrated

1 - No positive evidence and/or substantial negative evidence demonstrated

Strengths will be assessed at interview on a 1-4 scale.

Civil Service Commission

Recruitment into the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission which has two key functions.

● To maintain the principle of selection for appointment to the Civil Service on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.

● To promote an understanding of the Civil Service Code which sets out the constitutional framework in which all civil servants work and the values they are expected to uphold, and to hear and determine appeals made under it. More detailed information can be found at on the Civil Service Commission website: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

Complaints

The Department’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment based on merit, open and fair competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles, details of which can be found at http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact the Cabinet Office Recruitment Team, Human Resources, 4th Floor, 1 Horse Guards Road, London SW1A 2HQ or email corecruitment@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can further contact the Civil Service Commission at:

Email: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk or in writing to:

Civil Service Commission

Room G/8

1 Horse Guards Road

London SW1A 2HQ