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Location
About the job
Job summary
Do you enjoy juggling a varied workload?
Do you pride yourself on delivering fantastic customer service using your excellent communication skills?
Would you like to work for an organisation making a difference to everyone?
If the answer is yes – we have an exciting opportunity for you as a Transactions and Helpline Officer in the Corporate Support Unit (CSU) at the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
The FSA is a non-ministerial department of over 1300 people. We play a critical role in protecting public health and consumers’ wider interests in food across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Our vision is an important one - to drive change, delivering “food we can trust” and working towards a healthier and more sustainable food system.
The FSA’s remit is huge, and for a relatively small department, we deal with an extremely wide variety of important areas relating to food and feed within the UK. From the safety of food produced in the UK to the impact of new and developing technologies, by way of pet food, wine production, and almost anything else the food industry touches - the FSA has a presence.
This extensive body of work and responsibilities is carried out smoothly in no small part thanks to the work of CSU, which offers important functional support to every corner of the FSA. Transactions Officers play an important part in this team, supporting the business by dealing with incoming correspondence, booking travel and accommodation and providing secretariat services.
Job description
A Transactions and Helpline Officer’s work is varied and will offer you the opportunity to understand and interact with large swathes of the wider FSA, giving valuable insight into the organisation’s inner workings. From providing secretariat support to a number of high-profile committees to offering support to the Operations teams and supporting the Transactions Lead in their efforts to drive workflow and offer continuous improvement within the team.
You will need to be an organised and dedicated individual who is capable of working diligently and at pace to ensure the smooth running of our operations, prioritising and making effective decisions accordingly in order to support the wider team. This is a fascinating role that will offer insight into the inner workings of the FSA and offer opportunities to further develop your career. Apply today to become a part of this vital team.
Please read before applying
This post is a temporary Fixed Term/Loan appointment until 25/03/2025 with the possibility, but no guarantee, of extension or permanency.
Candidates that are already established Civil Servants or from non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will come to the FSA on a Loan basis and will need to request permission from their Home Department for the Loan prior to applying for this vacancy.
Note for FSA employees
You must seek approval from your substantive manager before applying for any non-permanent vacancy, this includes applying for a new post during an existing temporary posting. Please note that if applying for a temporary post within the FSA or elsewhere on promotion, successful appointment will not automatically result in a permanent promotion - you will revert to your current substantive grade at the end of the Fixed Term or Loan period (unless funding has been approved to make the post permanent).
Person specification
Please read the attached Candidate Pack to discover further details about the role, our organisation, who we are looking for and the criteria we will assess against during the selection process.
We look forward to receiving your application and wish you every success.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
Benefits
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Full details of the selection process are detailed in the attached candidate pack.
Application and shortlisting
You will be asked to provide personal details (not seen by the Panel) and to confirm your eligibility to apply for the role.
You will then be asked to complete an application which will be used to assess you against the following essential criteria.
Essential criteria
Experience
- Lead criteria: Experience of coordination of multiple tasks to time and to a high standard while managing a demanding workload.
- Excellent communications skills- both written and verbal – with proven ability to understand customer needs and respond appropriately.
- Good delivery skills with the ability to work at pace and to deadlines with minimal supervision.
- Strong IT skills – with demonstrable use of utilising Microsoft Office in daily work (including Outlook and Excel or equivalent software packages).
Lead Criteria An initial sift may take place on just the identified Lead Criteria indicated.
In the event that we receive a large number of applications, the minimum pass mark for the Lead Criteria may be raised at shortlisting stage. Candidates who apply under the DCS, GPTW or RIS schemes and meet the minimum requirements will be unaffected by the pass mark raise.
Interview
If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to a final interview in which we will assess you against the following Civil Service Behaviours Level 2.
Behaviours
- Making Effective Decisions
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
Full details of the positive indicators being assessed for each Behaviour can be found in the Candidate Pack.
Expected Timeline
Advert closes: 17 March 2024 (23:55)
Sift: Expected to take place during week commencing 18 March 2024
Final panel interview: Expected to take place 4 – 5 April 2024
Interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams. (If you do not have the Microsoft Teams application installed on your computer, you can join on the web without installing the application.)
Please note that indicated dates may be subject to change.
The FSA is dedicated to a policy of equal opportunity for all.
Being truly reflective of our society and building a culture where everyone can perform at their best is critical to the work of the FSA. We are looking to recruit from the widest possible talent pool and encourage candidates to apply from a diverse range of backgrounds. We are proud to be an inclusive, equal opportunities employer and are committed to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment and selection process and beyond. All appointments are made on merit.
Please be assured that diversity or socio–economic information requested during the course of your application plays absolutely no part in our selection processes and is not seen by anyone assessing applications. Any information provided is anonymised and used for statistical purposes only.
We actively review the deployment of talent on a periodic basis in the interests of optimising personal development and the achievement of business plans.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to the Food Standards Agency 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
Reserve List
A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.
Visa Sponsorship
Please note that the FSA does not hold a licence to sponsor any visa applications and we are unable to provide any advice about visas.
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
