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Location
About the job
Job summary
In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you’d like to work in, we’d love to hear from you.
The Written Parliamentary Questions (PQ) team sits within the Private Office, Intelligence and Parliamentary division. It is responsible for ensuring the smooth operation of the written PQ process, so that the Department can meet its obligations to Parliament. We are looking for an experienced Parliamentary Officer to join this high-performing team.
This is a friendly and supportive team that works closely with ministerial offices, special advisers, and Parliament.
Job description
We are looking for a Parliamentary Officer to work as part of the Written Parliamentary Questions (PQ) team processing written answers to MPs and Peers in the House of Commons and the House of Lords, respectively.
The successful candidate will work in the PQ team, working alongside another Parliamentary Officer to assist with allocating new incoming PQs from the Table Office to policy officials as well as facilitate possible transfers of PQs between different Government departments.
Prior experience of working in a Parliament-facing role is desirable but not essential. We are looking for people who are enthusiastic and are willing to learn and get up to speed quickly. You will need to be a proactive team-player, with great communication skills (both written and verbal), have excellent attention to detail and be able to work at pace.
The postholder will also play a part in the wider Parliamentary Affairs and Intelligence Team (PAIT), and there are opportunities to gain exposure to other areas; like MP intelligence and engagement, Parliamentary business, and ministerial visits if that would be of interest. It would be an exciting next step for anyone who is looking to challenge themselves and further their Parliamentary knowledge.
Person specification
Key responsibilities will include the allocation of newly-tabled PQs to policy officials across the Department. You will work on a weekly rota system with another Parliamentary Officer in a similar capacity to yourself, switching between a 7am-3pm shift and a 9am-6pm shift. As we are bound by tight external Parliamentary deadlines for answering, it is vital that PQs are allocated in a timely manner, and you will be mainly responsible for ensuring that this occurs.
You will also eventually be trained up across the other functions of the team, including uploading signed-off PQ answers to the Parliament system, along with reviewing and providing quality assurance checks of drafts from policy officials.
Key skills and experiences for this role include the following:
- Ability to build strong and effective relationships quickly with other officials within policy teams as well as Private Office officials on occasion.
- Ability to learn new processes rather quickly.
- Ability to work at pace, both autonomously and as part of a team.
- Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with different areas of the Department including senior leaders.
- Extremely high attention to detail.
- Prior experience with Parliamentary-related functions – this is desirable but not essential.
Full training will be provided for all relevant systems and processes, including the internal workflow system used for processing PQs as well as the external parliament system used for submitting signed-off answers.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace
Benefits
- 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 average employer contribution of 27%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Sift date: W/C 05/02/2024
Interview date: TBC
Interview location: By video. Further details will be released to candidates who are successful at sift.
The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores.
Applications will be sifted on CV, Statement of Suitability and Behaviours.
Please use your CV to set out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role. These can be found in the ‘key skills and experience required for the role’ section of the advert.
Please use your Statement of Suitability to (in no more than 500 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert.
Please complete statements on the specified Behaviours (250 word max per statement).
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
An initial sift based on the lead Behaviour: Managing a Quality Service may be held if a large number of applications are received. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviours and Strengths.
To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here
Further Information
Applicants who are appointable but were not successful in appointment to this vacancy, may be held on a reserve list for up to 12 months, and contacted if similar vacancies become available.
Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate.
Please note that applicants will require BPSS clearance.
Any move to DHSC 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. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
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 dhscrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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.
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 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-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
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.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
This role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). 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.
Terms and Conditions
Candidates should note that DHSC’s Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful.
New Entrants to the Civil Service
New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions:
- Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
- Privilege Leave: 1 day - for the King’s birthday
- Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
- Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months’ full pay and five months’ half pay
- Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
- Probation: 6 month probation period
Existing Civil Service staff transferring from another Government department, on either level transfer or promotion
All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).
Existing DHSC staff, appointed on either level transfer or promotion
If DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSC’s pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
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) (opens in a new window)
- 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
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/
