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About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
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Location
About the job
Job summary
The EU Trade and the Union Directorate in the Department of Health and Social Care is looking forPolicy Officers based in Leeds or London across several teams. This is a hybrid role with an expectation that the successful candidates will spend at least 60% of their working week in their chosen office location.
In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. The EU, Trade and the Union Directorate plays a crucial role in protecting the health of the UK and its income, as well as leading on negotiating and implementing international agreements, including the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the Windsor Framework.
Our vision is to keep people’s health safe at home and overseas by building strong relationships with our national and international partners. We deliver post-Brexit health and care reforms on reciprocal healthcare, international trade, NHS charging and cost recovery - including supporting vulnerable groups, medicines and medical devices, retained EU law and lead the Department’s relationship with the European Commission.
We also develop health and care policy that benefits people across the UK, working closely with governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Crown Dependencies, and the UK’s Overseas Territories.
Our work is fast paced and wide-ranging, providing the opportunity to lead work across DHSC, with other government departments including HM Treasury, Cabinet Office, Home Office and No 10, DHSC agencies, the NHS, partner organisations and other stakeholders, including charities. You will have regular exposure to Ministers and senior officials.
You will be part of a friendly, supportive and diverse team based across the UK– turning ambiguity into clarity and communicating complex policy issues to senior management, Ministers, Devolved Governments, international partners, frontline NHS staff and other key stakeholders across the health and care system and beyond.
The EU, Trade and the Union Directorate is regularly amongst the highest scorers on staff engagement in the Civil Service People Survey and you will have an opportunity to continue to make DHSC a great place to work in an inclusive, constantly improving, challenging and agile environment.
If this sounds like an environment you’d like to work in, we’d love to hear from you. Successful candidates who are placed on the reserve list may be considered for other, similar roles in the Directorate as and when they arise.
Job description
You will play an important role in supporting protection of NHS income and vulnerable groups, our relationship with the European Union, defining DHSC’s trade strategy, and delivering cross-government work on reciprocal healthcare, including working on complex cases to ensure access to healthcare abroad under our healthcare agreements for citizens in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England.
You will develop an understanding of the international and national political environment, and UK-wide policy and have the opportunity to play a valuable part in shaping the UK’s health and social care policy. You will work to support the NHS and work with operational partners to deliver quality services for patients both in the UK and abroad.
Person specification
Depending on the post you will be:
- Delivering on key elements of EU, Trade and Union policy priorities, such as the Government’s Manifesto commitment that the NHS will be off the table in trade talks, implementing the Windsor Framework and EU/UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, generating maximum efficiency for the NHS from the Cost Recovery Programme, resolving complex cases to ensure access to healthcare abroad under our agreements and policy development on shared health and social care challenges across the UK
- Coordinating and responding to cross-cutting commissions on trade, medicines and medical devices, and EU legislation
- Supporting on the drafting of legislation and other Parliamentary activities
- Leading on high quality written briefings, Parliamentary Questions, correspondence and submissions for a range of audiences, including Ministers and senior officials
- Delivering quality customer services, including responding to patient referrals to the NHS, case work and inquiries from EU Member States, operational partners and customers
- Working closely with colleagues from across the Department and other Government Departments, including building relationships across Government and the NHS to deliver shared priorities
- Developing horizon scanning, capability building and risk assurance products to maintain a strong understanding of relevant issues in the wider social, political and economic environment
Key skills and experience required for the role
- Good communication skills, both written and oral, and the ability to explain complex issues and adapt your communications to meet the needs of different audiences
- An ability to build and maintain strong relationships with a range of stakeholders to achieve desired outcomes
- An ability to think critically, analysing facts and evidence to make recommendations
- An ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Planning and organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise your work effectively
- A record of delivering to deadlines
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Making Effective Decisions
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: expected W/C 30/01/2024
Interview date: expected W/C 19/02/2024
Interview location: By video
The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores.
Applications will be sifted on CV and Statement of Suitability.
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.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviours (Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together and Making Effective Decisions) and Strengths.
To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here and to find out more information on how to apply visit 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/
