Client Representative

The HSEQ, Security, and Delivery Infrastructure Function brings together key professions in one place to focus efforts into achieving our Health, Safety, & Wellbeing; Quality; Security, Risk, and Information Management; and Environmental ambitions, and to enable efficient and effective management of our property assets (Lowestoft and East sites; Weymouth and West sites; and RV Cefas Endeavour).

To fully support our Cefas 2030 strategy we are committed to continually improving what we do and how we do it to facilitate the delivery of excellent science by providing and maintaining safe, quality, professional facilities that allow us to deliver safely, efficiently, sustainably, and innovatively.

There is currently an opportunity to join the group in delivering our ambitions in the role of Client Representative at Weymouth. This important role has the responsibility of ensuring the organisation receives a positive, safe, end to end user experience throughout the life cycle of prioritised site/facilities related operations, improvements, and investment works.

The role will report into the HSEQ, Security and Delivery Infrastructure Group, working closely with Science Infrastructure, H&S teams, the Strategic lead for Property, Defra Group Property, and external partners & supply chain to ensure safe and effective delivery of operations and changes to our sites and facilities. The post holder will support Cefas colleagues through improvement works, and facilitate smooth operations into business as usual, ensuring Cefas colleagues have a great experience when working at our sites and using our facilities.

Cefas is proud of a diverse and inclusive work environment, committed to fairness and the promotion of equality of opportunity for all. We know that having a range of experiences, backgrounds, ways of working and thinking, makes us a stronger organisation, better at reflecting the communities we serve. We embrace different views and experiences and value the fresh perspective that people from a variety of circumstances bring to the work we do. We welcome applications from candidates who have not previously worked for the Civil Service, mid- and late-career changers with transferable skills, people from all backgrounds and circumstances regardless of disability, gender, age, ethnicity, LGBT+ identity and socio-economic status., Your main duties and responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

As Weymouth site lead for Health & Safety the post holder will be a key point of operational contact, providing advice and input on all aspects of operations at Weymouth and it's critical, that they understand relevant H&S requirements, sites & facilities procedures, user needs, and the strategic priorities of the HSEQ, Security & DI Group to assure effective organisational support and decision making.

The role has a key responsibility to ensure the organisation receives a positive, safe, quality end to end user experience throughout our laboratory, site and facilities related operations, improvements, and investment works.

This will be delivered by ensuring that suitable management arrangements are in place for all relevant works with a focus on robust health and safety planning and delivery, making sure standards are maintained into business as usual.

An important part of the role will focus on fostering great stakeholder relationships internally and externally through excellent communications, engagement, and information management, for example:

• Interfacing with internal stakeholders, key partners, contractors, and Project Managers (e.g., for any adaptations to our sites and facilities). Providing a primary point of contact for Cefas as 'client rep';


• Understanding delivery risks and opportunities associated with improvement/development works and managing/exploiting to reduce negative and boost positive outcomes;


• Providing critical works information to contractors and ensuring those physically delivering works are equipped with necessary information, instruction, and training;


• Fostering a collaborative culture between all stakeholders to enable others to perform their duties;


• Providing improvement/development SROs and Champions with information that provides assurance that the prioritised work will deliver expected outcomes. Being open to challenge and change when needed;


• Engaging with the HSEQ, Security & DI Group's strategy owners, delivery teams, and wider Cefas colleagues (users) to provide effective communication on progress, issues, risks, impacts, and outcomes;


• Planning and transitioning individual improvements/investments into business as usual; and


• Developing and applying relevant Cefas processes and systems to tasks and deploying effective change management control.


In addition, Cefas reserves the right to ask staff to take on additional duties and responsibilities which are commensurate with their grade. Team Leaders and management will have a discussion with staff to explain the changes that are to be made. A new job description will be issued if required., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership


• Managing a Quality Service


• Working Together, For guidance on Civil Service Success Profiles, this video tells you what you'll need to provide throughout the assessment process with supporting guidance on each step. Link - Success Profiles


• For guidance on how to construct your CV, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Link - CV


• For guidance on how to construct your personal statement, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Link - Statement


• For guidance on how to construct your lead behaviour statement, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Link - Behaviours


Sift

The sift panel will use the information in your CV and Personal Statement to assess your experience and how you meet the essential criteria as stated in the person specification section. The sift panel will also assess the lead behaviour statement - Leadership.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour - Leadership. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or, progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on the three advertised behaviours, your experience (as stated in the person specification section) and strengths. You may also be asked to prepare a presentation or undertake an exercise. If this is the case, you will receive further information with your invitation to interview., Please be aware that this role will be contractually based at Weymouth.

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s)

Where the location is 'National' the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra's location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time., Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.,
• 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
  
  The following are essential criteria required for this role and you must be able to demonstrate your skills and experience in the following areas:


• Excellent interpersonal, communication, planning, and organisational skills;


• Good understanding of our H&S management system, and relevant legislation;


• Understanding and applying the principles of risk management;


• Effective project management capability and understanding of the components of site and facilities related design/build projects;


• Developing and implementing safe systems of work (operating procedures, risk assessments etc.);


• Ability to identify, build and manage strong working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders;


• High attention to detail on a range of information with a focus on strong records management;


• Ability to work under pressure and be able to organise yourself and other relevant delivery colleagues;


• Able to demonstrate the motivation to develop, manage and deliver high quality outcomes, striving for continuous improvement;


• Forward thinking, innovative and understands the wider implications of the task being undertaken;


• Participating in incident investigations and identifying root causes; and


• To hold an NEBOSH general certificate in occupational health and safety, or to hold the IOSH Managing Safely qualification and be prepared to undertake the NEBOSH certification as prioritised developmental learning., Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
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.

Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Alongside your salary of £31,825, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science contributes £10,571 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Generous annual leave entitlement - Cefas offers 25 days' annual leave on entry (rising to 30 days over first 5yrs) for full-time new entrants to the Civil Service. Employees receive 8 public holidays a year, plus an additional day to mark the King's birthday


• Access to learning and development tailored to your role


• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options


• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity


• Eligible to join the Civil Service Pension scheme - more information can be found on the CSP website http://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/


• Staff recognition vouchers


• In-year award scheme


Things you need to know, New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

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.