Correspondence Officer

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

- 223278**Salary**:

- £23,850 - £30,168- National Salary £23,850- £26,570 London Salary £27,500 - £30,168**Grade**:

- Executive Officer**Contract type**:

- Fixed Term
- Loan**Length of employment**:

- 2 years**Business area**:

- UK Covid-19 Inquiry**Type of role**:

- Investigation
- Policy
- Other**Working pattern**:

- Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time**Number of posts**:

- 2Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Manchester, YorkAbout the job

**Summary**:

- In May 2021, the Prime Minister announced that the Government would establish an independent public inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic, with full powers under the Inquiries Act 2005.
- In December 2021 Baroness Heather Hallett, a retired Appeal Court judge, was appointed as Chair of the Inquiry. Following an initial set up phase we are now looking for exceptional staff to join the Inquiry team. The Inquiry sits independently of the Government with the Cabinet Office acting as the sponsoring department.
- We are recruiting for a number of roles managing a high volume of correspondence in the Covid Inquiry. These important posts will support the team in responding to correspondence that is expected following the publication of the updated terms of reference for the Inquiry. The roles will be part of a small, friendly correspondence team and will be essential in providing timely, high quality responses to correspondents.
- The correspondence team is integral to our engagement with the Inquiry’s stakeholders. Our focus will be on:
- Ensuring all correspondence is effectively logged, and responded to within the Inquiry’s set timelines, using the Inquiry correspondence system to do so
- Using existing resources available to draft high quality responses, and using judgement to actively research and collate bespoke responses where needed
- Proofreading and cross checking responses for consistency, and ensuring that relevant correspondence is shared with others across the Inquiry team as appropriate
- Assisting with ad hoc work in the wider team, as needed to contribute to Inquiry priorities as a whole.

The Inquiry sits independent of Government with the Cabinet Office acting as the sponsoring department.
- The Inquiry will be high-profile and will be important in identifying the lessons to be learned from the UK’s response to the Covid pandemic. This is an exciting opportunity to join an inclusive, innovative team where you will be supported to challenge yourself in often ambiguous circumstances. The team encourages working in a flexible, collaborative manner to learn and support each other as we look to undertake one of the broadest, most publicly anticipated inquiries in UK history.- Conflicts of Interest_**Job description**:

- The work of the Inquiry team is diverse and as such you will need to be a great team player with a can-do attitude, who is prepared to jump in and assist with a range of challenging tasks.
- As an EO in the Inquiry’s correspondence, you will primarily be responsible for:
- Contributing to Inquiry processes relating to correspondence to ensure best practice and consistency across the team, and ensuring these are maintained in your day to day work.
- Working collaboratively across the Inquiry team, ensuring that correspondence is shared where relevant and that advice is sought where further input is needed.
- Assisting with ad hoc work in the wider team, as needed to contribute to Inquiry priorities as a whole.

This list is not exhaustive and you may be asked to take forward other duties consistent with the grading of the role.**Responsibilities**:

- Person Specification_

Essential criteria:
- Excellent written and oral communication, with strong attention to detail.
- Empathetic, with good interpersonal skills.
- Experienced and skilled in translating complex and detailed information into engaging and easy-to-understand language.
- Experience of working in a fast-paced role and exercising judgement when doing so.

Desirable criteria:
- Previous experience of working in a correspondence role
- Previous experience of working on an independent inquiry, investigation or review.

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

- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Working Together
- Communicating and Influencing

**Benefits**:

- Learning and development tailored to your role.
- An environment with flexible working options.
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
- A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and average employer contributions of 27%.
- A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.

Things you need to know

**Security**:
- See our vetting charter.- People working with government