Correspondence Drafters

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 429180

**Salary**:

- £29,715 - £34,435
- National: £29,715-£30,705
London: £33,350-£34,435
For details of our pay on appointment policy, please see below under the heading ‘Salary’.
- A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

**Job grade**:

- Executive Officer

**Contract type**:

- Permanent

**Business area**:

- Ministerial Growth and Resilience Directorate

**Type of role**:

- Policy

**Working pattern**:

- Full-time

**Number of jobs available**:

- 4

**Contents**:

- Location
- About the job
- Benefits
- Things you need to know

**Location**:

- Bristol, London

**About the job**:
**Job summary**:
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.
- Ministerial, Growth and Resilience _

The Ministerial, Growth and Resilience Directorate provides support on the Government Growth Mission as well as working on regulation and regulatory reform. It also includes Defra’s Briefing, parliamentary and ministerial support functions as Defra’s Ministerial and Permanent Secretary Private Offices.

The Ministerial Contact Unit (MCU) is a fast-paced operational unit within Defra’s Ministerial, Growth and Resilience Directorate with responsibility for correspondence, Parliamentary Questions, and Freedom of Information requests. The MCU receives thousands of pieces of correspondence annually and this exciting and challenging post as a correspondence drafter in the MCU provides an excellent opportunity to get an overview of Defra's business and what Defra’s customers care about. The MCU is a flexible and supportive place to work, with a team that wants to keep improving.
- Encouraging diverse applicants_

**Location**

This role can be based in the Bristol or London Defra hubs. You will be expected work in the office at least 60% of the time.

**Job description**:
Our correspondence team is fast paced and works closely with ministerial and policy teams, covering issues across Defra. We are a flexible and supportive team that offers excellent opportunities for career progression and personal development, as well as developing a detailed knowledge of the Department’s work.

As a Correspondence Drafter, you will be given direct responsibility for coordinating responses to correspondence, through engaging with colleagues across the department. As well as drafting correspondence, you may be required to provide business support to the MCU.

**Person specification**:

- Drafting responses to correspondence from the public, MPs and key stakeholders;
- Working with Ministers’ Private Offices to ensure that drafts take account of Ministerial preferences;
- Liaising with policy teams to obtain the latest information in order to respond to customer enquiries on Defra’s business;
- Assisting with the preparation of ministerial packs ahead of oral parliamentary questions;
- Developing a comprehensive case management system to ensure correspondence is processed in a timely and efficient manner;
- Working across teams to develop best practice and set high standards across the unit; and
- Completing correspondence to a high standard and within tight deadlines.
- Demonstrate excellent communication and collaboration skills both verbally and in writing;
- Be willing and able to adapt to changing circumstances;
- Proactively manage and prioritise work to produce high quality and timely drafts;
- Build relationships across a range of stakeholders including policy experts, Ministers’ Private Offices and external agencies;
- Draw key information from a range of sources;
- Review own work and strive to improve on the service being provided to the Department and our customers;
- Work both independently and as part of a team;
- Be flexible and adaptable in supporting others across the unit;
- Embrace new and emerging technologies, including AI, to improve service delivery; and
- Demonstrate excellent judgement and initiative.

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

- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace
- Working Together
- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace

**Technical skills**:
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

- Drafting Skills

**Benefits**:

- Alongside your salary of £29,715, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £8,608 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- A career in the Civil Service is like no other. If you’re looking to join a world class team and develop your career with us, then the Civil