JOB DESCRIPTION

New entrants to the Civil Service will be expected to join on the minimum of the pay range.

Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Department’s pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules.

The national starting salary is £71,381 . The London starting salary is £75,674 . Your salary will be dependent on your base location.

BACKGROUND

The Northern Ireland Office supports the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in promoting the best interests of Northern Ireland. We make sure that Northern Ireland interests are represented within the UK Government and that UK government responsibilities are fully and effectively represented in Northern Ireland. We are the centre of expertise on Northern Ireland issues across Government.

The Northern Ireland Office employs around 160 staff, with offices in Belfast and London. As a small Department, we adopt a flexible project-based approach to ensure that we have the right people, with the right skills, in the right place to support the delivery of our key objectives.

Due to our structure and size, we are able to offer extensive exposure to Ministers and the opportunity to work on a far wider portfolio of policy and responsibilities than might be the case in a larger department. This creates an interesting and stimulating work environment.

Our key priorities are set out in our Operational Delivery plan and include:

• Supporting greater inclusion, tolerance and openness in Northern Ireland

• Contributing to a safer Northern Ireland, where terrorist and paramilitary groups are less able to cause harm to communities

• Ensuring that governance in Northern Ireland is responsive, transparent and able to deliver effective public service.

• Addressing the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland

For more information about what we do:

Visit:https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/northern-ireland-office https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The NIO has a number of vacancies it is looking to fill at Grade 6 level including the following:

• Legacy Implementation & Sponsorship

• Deputy Head of Fiscal, Economy & Trade

• Head of National Security Policy and Strategy

These are challenging, rewarding, and impactful Grade 6 roles which offer a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in managing and developing the delivery of our departmental objectives. Working alongside a Deputy Director and Director, you will manage a core policy area, ensuring a high standard of support for Ministers across a range of competing priorities and demands.

These roles sit at the heart of the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), requiring you to support a range of business priorities, engaging with various internal and external stakeholders, including officials across Whitehall and a variety of Northern Ireland based stakeholders. These roles will provide an unrivalled insight into the workings of the wider Department, Whitehall, and the operation of devolved government in Northern Ireland.

The successful candidates will need to deliver effectively in a fast-paced and demanding area while also driving forward the wider departmental strategy. You will be responsible for leading a team of mixed grades, including direct line management of Grade 7s, with a key focus on building team capability and culture, and supporting the Deputy Director in managing team resources.

We are looking for a proven, effective, and inclusive leader who is passionate about the work of the NIO. You will champion diversity, motivate your high-performing team to be curious, innovative, and impactful, and generate a shared culture and vision.

Candidates must have experience working in fast-paced environments, coordinating across multiple teams, and demonstrate excellent judgement, strong communication and influencing skills, a good sense of the wider political context, and excellent stakeholder management.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The main responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:

• Strategic Leadership and Policy Delivery: Provide effective leadership of the policy team, taking a strategic approach to policy commitments and implementation to deliver the NIO’s departmental aims and the Secretary of State’s priorities.

• Ministerial Support and Advice: Ensure the team provides a first-class service to Ministers, enabling collaboration and the provision of accurate, timely advice.

• Corporate Leadership and Culture: Play an active role as a grade 6 in terms of role modeling leadership and management behaviours, championing diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing across the department.

• Stakeholder Engagement and Partnership: Build strong partnerships with key stakeholders, including other Whitehall and NI departments, and credibly represent the views of Ministers and senior officials.

• Team Management and Development: Working alongside the DD develop and maintain a high-performing and busy team, focusing on the management and development of staff to ensure everyone reaches their full potential.

• Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Work with a range of stakeholders to progress government priorities, including leading strategic projects, by maintaining a strong, trusted network across the NIO, Northern Ireland, and other departments.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

The post holder will need to demonstrate the following in their application and at interview:

• Excellent leadership skills with experience of delivering challenging objectives under intense scrutiny whilst managing your own and teams resilience/wellbeing ;

• Excellent judgement and analytical skills, the ability to make evidence based recommendations and decisions;

• Excellent communication and influencing skills to influence a wide variety of stakeholders at different levels;

• The ability to present and communicate complex information and recommendations to senior decision makers in a clearly and impactful manner, including through high-quality drafting under pressure;

• Strong partnering and collaborating skills, and the ability to build strong relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders to support effective delivery of strategic outcomes; and

DESIRABLE CRITERIA:

• Understanding of the political and security environment in Northern Ireland;

• Experience working on legislation, policy, projects or programmes in Northern Ireland or Whitehall;

• Existing security clearance [Some of the roles will require Developed Vetting clearance. Applicants should already hold DV clearance or be willing to acquire it]

BEHAVIOURS:

We will assess you against the following Success Profiles behaviours at the Grade 6 level during the application sift:

• Leadership

• Making Effective Decisions

In addition we will assess against the following behaviours at interview stage:

• Leadership

• Making Effective Decisions

• Communicating and Influencing

• Delivering at Pace

EXPERIENCE:

Please provide a CV or work history and statement of suitability no longer than 1000 words outlining how you meet the essential and desirable criteria. Both will be used in order to assess any demonstrable experience, career history and achievements that are relevant to the role.

Your statement of suitability needs to set out evidence of how your experience meets the essential and desirable criteria set out above. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. One narrative example may cover the requirements needed. You don’t have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used. Share with us what makes you suited to this role and why. What you can do, the skills you have that are transferable and the life experience or passion you have that are linked to this role.

If you don’t have work-based examples then give examples from school/college, clubs, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in.

You will also be asked to complete a CV with details of your education, professional qualifications, previous skills and full employment history. Your CV will not be formally assessed so please put the main evidence of your skills into your personal statement. Your CV will be used to add context to your personal statement.

More information on behaviours and success profiles can be found here.

Please note that in the event of a large number of applications being received we may run the initial sift on the lead of Leadership.

Expected sift date - 25th May

Expected interview date/s - week commencing 8th June

Interview location - Your interview is expected to be conducted face to face, however there may be occasions where this will change. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for an interview.

INTERVIEW:

You will be assessed against the same behaviours at the interview stage and will be asked to provide examples of how you have demonstrated the behaviours. In addition, you will also be asked strength based questions.

It may help to use one or more examples of a piece of work you have completed or a situation you have been in and use the WHO or STAR model to explain:

• WHO- What it was? How you approached the work/situation? What the Outcomes were, what did you achieve? or

• STAR- What was the Situation? What were the Tasks? What Action did you take?  What were the Results of your actions?

Strengths

It is difficult to prepare for strength type questions. However, you can think through your answers, focus on your achievements and aspects you enjoy and decide how these can be applied in the organisation and role. While strengths questions are shorter and we do not expect a full STAR response, the panel is interested in your first reaction to the question and information or reasoning to support this. Further information on Civil Service Strengths can be found here.

If you do not have work-based examples then please give examples from school/college, clubs, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in.

All applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit.

OFFER

Once all interviews have been completed, you will be notified of the outcome by email. Offers will be made in strict merit order to the highest scoring candidate first.

The successful candidate will be notified of a start date following successful security checks.

Additional information received after the closing date will not be considered. Failure to provide sufficient information in support of an application prior to the closing date will not be considered as grounds for an appeal if an applicant is not shortlisted for interview.

SECURITY CLEARANCE:

This role requires National Security Vetting given the access to sensitive information afforded by the job role. You can find more information by reviewing the information held in the following links:

United Kingdom Security Vetting: Applicant - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The vetting charter - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

In addition, there is a minimum UK residency requirement set by the Cabinet Office which is dependent on the security level required for the role.

This role requires SC and to be eligible to apply for this role you should have been present in the UK continuously for the past 5 years. Depending on the role you are placed into you may also be required to undertake the DV process.

Neither Detached Duty terms nor relocation costs will apply to this post.

Further Information:

Further information about the post may be obtained from Clare Sloan via email to Clare.Sloan@nio.gov.uk.

All applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit.

This job description should not be taken as constituting conditions of employment.

Please note that due to the high interest in NIO opportunities, feedback cannot be given if you are unsuccessful at the sift stage. Feedback is available on request if unsuccessful following the interview.

COMPLAINTS:

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles.

Please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@sscl.gse.gov.uk) in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages:

http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/complaints/

https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/code/

RESERVE LISTS:

In the event that the advertised post following interview, identifies more appointable applicants than available posts, we may hold applicant details on a merit/reserve list for a period of 12 months from which further future appointments can be made. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact

MoJ-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com to be removed from the reserve list.

Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The NIO offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different NIO sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

Flexible working hours

The NIO offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. NIO welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the NIO’s Flexible Working policy.

Benefits:

• Access to learning and development

• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance

• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity

• A Civil Service pension

• 25 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days after five years service.

• Public Holidays

• Season Ticket Advance

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Support

• A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.

• Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.

• For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.

• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

• To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);

• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);

• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. We are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please see our Disability Confident Scheme Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.

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 & 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.

Interview dates

Dates week commencing 8th June

Closing Date:

18th May, 23:55 hours.

Contact information

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com