JOB DESCRIPTION

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

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 170 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 Northern Ireland Office is recruiting an SEO to support delivery of the Government’s Economic Growth Mission, one of the Department’s top priorities. This is vital to upholding political stability in Northern Ireland, driving growth and investment, and supporting the Government’s reset with the regions and nations.

This role is located in the Fiscal, Economy and Trade Group within the Northern Ireland Office - which aims to drive growth and prosperity in Northern Ireland, focused on driving economic growth in the Northern Ireland economy, working with other Government departments, the NI Executive and wider stakeholders.

The Fiscal, Economy and Trade Group leads the NIO’s work on the Government’s Growth Mission. Our role is to work with other Whitehall departments and the Northern Ireland Executive to strengthen the Northern Ireland economy, boost innovation, drive investment, and to promote Northern Ireland as a great place to do business. We work with HM Treasury and the Northern Ireland Department of Finance to improve the sustainability of Northern Ireland public finances, as well as leading the NIO’s work on trade and Windsor Framework issues.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The postholder will be a member of the Fiscal and UK Government Spending team and will be expected to provide expert advice on fiscal policy, monitoring the NI Executive budget including the Executive’s fiscal policy, implementation of the financial package that supported the Executive’s return, as well as a new fiscal framework. The individual will advise the Secretary of State on the best use of spending levers to ensure good financial management and delivery of the Executive’s Sustainability Plan alongside support to the wider team on transformation of public services, city deals and UKSPF.

The individual will also lead on analytical policy, working closely with the FET Deputy Director to build capability and best practice in data analysis across the department by working across teams (in a range of policy areas) to help them make better use of data, demonstrate the value of robust evidence and enhance capacity in performance management. Providing data and analysis in support of the Growth Mission and evidence in key UKG interventions will form a core part of this role.

The post holder will also work closely with a strong and extensive network of stakeholders in the Cabinet Office, other Offices for the Nations, UK Government departments as well as with colleagues in the NI Civil Service and other external delivery partners.

The holder will also be expected to provide support on key departmental deliverables including PQs, Orals, Correspondence, FOIs, visits, and any other general duties that support and deliver on the work of the Northern Ireland Office.

In short, this is a great opportunity to take on a substantive, varied role, with tangible delivery and policy outcomes, in an area of the Northern Ireland Office’s work that will only get more important in the months and years ahead, as we seek to address the long and short term economic challenges that face the Northern Ireland economy.

A collaborative approach is essential to the role, but you must also be capable of working independently and with initiative, while being able to react confidently to emerging issues.

We welcome candidates wishing to be based in either Belfast or London and offer modern and flexible hybrid working practices. Regular travel between the two sites is not likely to be essential more than once or twice per year, but there are opportunities to travel more frequently than this depending on the role activities and the role-holder’s preferences.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

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

• Excellent written and oral communications skills, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders including ministers.

• Strong analytical skills.

• A track record of delivering complex policy and an ability to adjust to deliver against competing priorities.

• A proven ability to work at pace and under pressure.

• A strong team ethos including the ability to build and maintain effective and responsive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders

• Ability to think strategically and see the bigger picture with strong policy awareness, and capacity to understand the wider implications of both your work and that of others, including working in a political context.

DESIRABLE CRITERIA:

• An understanding of Northern Ireland political and economic issues.

• Experience working on, or understanding of, how devolution operates in Northern Ireland.

BEHAVIOURS:

We will assess you against the following Success Profiles behaviours at SEO level during interview process:

• Delivering at Pace;

• Communicating and influencing;

• Making effective decisions;

• Seeing the Big Picture

EXPERIENCE:

Please provide a CV and statement of suitability no longer than 750 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 requirements 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.

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.

INTERVIEW:

If you are successful at the sift stage and invited to interview, you will be assessed against the aforementioned behaviours at the interview stage and will be asked to provide examples of how you have demonstrated the behaviours. You will be asked to respond to one strength question in the interview.

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?

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

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

Further Information:

Further information about the post may be obtained from Luke Sunerton at luke.sunerton@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.

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