Agency Workforce Planning Advisor

Details
Reference number

436389

Salary

£34,765 - £41,375

National: £ £37,080

London: £38,795 - £41,375

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

Job grade

Higher Executive Officer

Contract type

Fixed term

Loan

Secondment

Length of employment

12 months

Business area

Resourcing & Deployment Team

Type of role

Human Resources

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Location

Bristol, Cardiff, Carlisle, Carmarthen, Crewe, Exeter, Leicester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Nottingham, Perth, Preston, Weybridge, Winchester, York

About the job
Job summary

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is a Government agency that sits within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

As a Higher Executive Officer (HEO) within the Resourcing and Deployment Team the postholder will play a key role in supporting the implementation and embedding of the APHA Sustainable Futures Strategy, which outlines the organisation's vision for the future. A core element of this vision is ensuring that APHA becomes a data-driven organisation, enhancing its ability to identify and respond to emerging threats, manage risk effectively, and deploy resources sustainably.

The role provides an opportunity within the central workforce planning team working across APHA with direction from the Senior Executive Officer (SEO) Agency Workforce Planning Manager to ensure that workforce strategies are executed and that recruitment needs are understood to enable the development and delivery of a recruitment plan meeting current and future business needs. The post holder will be supporting the analysis of workforce data and capabilities, forecasting future workforce needs, and utilising talent strategies to ensure that the organisation has the right skills, in the right place at the right time.

The role will provide support for the delivery of services and projects within Agency Workforce Planning Team areas of responsibility, by supporting the implementation of policies and operational procedures. This role will support and complement APHA Directorates for workforce planning activity to develop a community of practice approach.

This role presents an exciting opportunity to shape APHA's Workforce Planning approach, driving improvements that support the organisation's long-term goals.

Job description

Leadership and Management

• Support and co-ordinate work across a number of sections, functions or geographic locations, as required, ensuring alignment with the Agency's strategic priorities and goals.
• Contribute to driving the professional and skills development of team members, as required.
• Provide support to the team of workforce planning specialists in the delivery of workforce planning solutions, translating business requirements into workable solutions for the team. Act as required to keep work on track and maintain high standards of performance.
• Monitor the governance of Civil Service Commission recruitment principles to ensure compliance is maintained and support central audit.
• Provide support to embed the necessary cultural changes required for the Agency to thrive, implement new ways of working making the most effective use of technology across the agency.
• Promote diversity, inclusion, and equality of opportunity by promoting a respectful and inclusive environment that values external experience and differences.

Service Delivery

• Contribute to policy development within area of responsibility/remit.
• Support the smooth delivery of processes within your area of responsibility/ remit.
• Support the efficient and sustainable ways of working and procedures that enhance operational efficiency.
• Develop a holistic understanding of the current and future recruitment and capability needs across APHA supporting the SEO Manager and Grade 7 Lead to inform, create, and monitor a workforce plan which includes a breakdown of the skills, knowledge, and competencies required for specialist roles across the directorates, collaborating with the APHA Capability & Experience Team as needed.
• Provide support on governance and audit of FTA, STA, Contingent Labour, Loans & Secondments to balance directorate autonomy with workforce planning compliance to HR Policies and Civil Service Recruitment Principles.
• Assist in Approval Apps recruitment requests for GRS audit trail, along with Post number allocation and control.
• Support the assessment of current workforce gaps, identifying key skills, capabilities, and competencies to forecast future needs and prioritise recruitment.
• Assist in supporting the progress of Business Cases and monitor criteria.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Develop and maintain working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring clear communication and alignment with APHA's priorities.
• Collaborate with Directorate operational workforce planning teams to support consistent communities of practice and governance across the agency.
• Collaborate with the Capability & Experience team and Directorate workforce planning teams to assist in assessing current workforce gaps, identifying key skills, capabilities, and competencies to forecast future needs and prioritise recruitment.
• Work collaboratively with team members and other departments to achieve common goals.
• Assist with the development and implementation of engagement and communication plans, as required.

Data Analysis and Reporting

• Support in the collection of data to enable assessment of trends, attrition rates, recruitment activity and EDI and employee demographics, interpreting complex data sets to identify patterns, trends, and potential areas for improvement, and use these to inform recruitment requirements.
• Assist in the development, production and analysis of high quality, accurate and timely data, intelligence, and management information that informs decision making and drives great outcomes, as required.
• Follow processes and standards to enable accurate tracking and analysis of data to enable the production of reports, highlighting to SEO Manager associated risks, issues or opportunities.
• Assist in the design, development and production of high-quality, visually immersive dashboards, reports and MI products to the agreed timetable and accuracy standards, to support insight and decision making at senior levels through adding in depth analysis and intelligence.

Continuous Improvement

• Embrace / promote new systems, processes and ways of working, ensuring harmonisation across APHA and the wider Defra group, where appropriate.
• Identify opportunities for process improvements.
• Utilise continuous improvement working practices.
• Work alongside peers and managers to ensure consistency and effectiveness, promote the sharing of best practices and lessons learned to drive continuous improvement.
• Support initiatives to implement changes based on feedback and lessons learned, ensuring the candidate experience process evolves and improves continuously.

Person specification

Experience

• Experience of working in a workforce planning role or environment.
• Up-to-date knowledge of workforce planning and experience of using this knowledge to provide advice and guidance to those in your team.
• Experience of developing, producing and analysing data, intelligence, and management information to inform decision making and drive great outcomes.
• Experience in knowledge and information management.
• Experience of working in a fast-paced and complex environment with evolving and competing requirements and priorities.

Skills and Ability

• Ability to motivate, manage and develop self and others.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively with a wide range of colleagues and stakeholders.
• Sound judgment and / or analytical skills to inform decision making or when providing opinions or advice to others.
• Strong planning and organisational skills, with a good attention to detail.
• Good problem-solving skills with the ability to address and resolve issues proactively if required.
• Adaptable with ability / willingness to embrace change.

Technical / Other Knowledge

• Good working knowledge of workforce planning principles.
• Knowledge / understanding of continuous improvement practices.
• Knowledge of data ethics, information governance and management, including data protection and security and of applying related legal and regulatory frameworks.
• Working knowledge of using Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Knowledge and experience of Power BI tools.
• Knowledge of SharePoint Online/MS Teams/Excel and other O365 tools.
• Knowledge of HR software and tools for recruitment and candidate management, with an ability to generate and interpret reports from HR information systems (HRIS) and recruitment platforms.

Qualifications / Memberships

• Evidence of working in a similar professional environment.
• Evidence of continuous professional development.
• Level 3 Chartered Institute of Personal Management (CIPD) / or equivalent or willing to work towards.

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

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

• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,765, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £10,071 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 employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know
Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a CV and complete a 750 word Personal Statement detailing your suitability for the role based on the 'Experience' bullet points within the Person Specification section of the advertisement above.

You will also be asked to provide a 250 word statement demonstrating how you meet the following Behaviour: Working Together.

Further details around what this will entail can be found on the application form.

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, there will be an initial sift assessing the Personal Statement and CV. Those who pass the initial sift will be progressed either to a full sift or straight to interview.

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 Behaviour, Experience and Strength questions. The Behaviours are as follows:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

During the interview, Experience will be assessed through a question.

Your interview will be virtual via MS Teams.

Contract

This role is a fixed term Agency Workforce Planning Advisor position advertised in various locations as listed in the advert.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs offered a fixed term role will be considered on a loan opportunity (civil servants) or secondment opportunity (accredited NDPBs) for the length of the role. Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Responsibilities will include those listed within the advert. The post is not permanent. It is time limited due to a fixed funding period or as part of a specific project. The fixed term will end when the funding or the project expires. This will be 12 months from commencement of the role.

The terms and conditions on which you will join can be discussed with the vacancy manager at the point you are matched to a role.

Further Information

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate, and based on your own personal experience. Submitting content that has been generated by AI or copied from others and presented as your own may be considered plagiarism. Applications found to contain such content may be withdrawn, and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please refer to our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Location

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).

Where the location is 'National' the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra Group's location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

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.

Defra Group includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Out of hours work will be required in the event of an incident. This can include travel to support outbreak response.

Travel will be required to attend a variety of APHA locations including some overnight stays. Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

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.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Near Miss

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions within Defra Group which may be at a lower grade but have a potential skills match.

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.

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 /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- 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 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email

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 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 you're 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.

NSV

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page

Higher Security Clearance

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to Weybridge may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.

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 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.

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.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to DEFRA 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

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)
• 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

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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 .

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 and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans 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 : HR Resourcing Delivery
• Email :

Recruitment team

• Email :

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email:

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: here

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