Director of Strategy and Delivery
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 27th May 2024
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Senior leadership
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About the job
Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to lead our organisational strategy and future direction, helping us to maximise our impact and influence. You will be responsible for the implementation of our new strategy, Cefas 2030 and for overseeing the delivery of a £75m portfolio of projects and programmes on behalf of a range of government and commercial partner as well as leading a team of around 55 staff. The role also includes providing visible external leadership of our work, engaging with a wide range of colleagues across government and with industry, academia and wider society.
The Director of Strategy and Delivery is a member of the Senior Leadership Team and the Cefas Management Board. They report to the Chief Executive. The role is responsible for setting a forward-looking strategy for the organisation and ensuring Cefas science provides our partners and customers with the high quality evidence and advice needed to address the challenges facing our marine and freshwater environments, now and in the future. The role also oversees our sponsor relationship with Defra, with the need to work closely with colleagues in core Defra as well as with its other Arm’s Length Bodies working across the full breadth of marine and freshwater issues.
We need someone with creative vision to guide the future direction of the organisation, the ability to spot new opportunities and the drive to design and lead change. The successful candidate will need to be a highly effective collaborator and consensus builder, able to understand the varied needs of teams from across all parts of the organisation. You will achieve this through living and promoting our Values so that we always make a difference to the world in the right manner; professionally, apply excellence and with respect and kindness.
Please consider this role if you want to apply your passion for our work, your professionalism and your optimism for the future to really make a difference in securing a sustainable future for rivers, seas and the ocean.
Job description
- Lead the development and implementation of the Cefas’ organisational strategy, Cefas 2030, growing our reputation for high quality science and ensuring our work has impact and influence.
- Champion the Cefas Change programme which is coordinating a number of changes to culture, systems, processes and facilities to support the delivery of the organisational strategy.
- Oversee the delivery of our major science delivery projects and programmes, ensuring that they collectively deliver their objectives to quality, to time and to budget on behalf of commissioning partners.
- Build the strength and breadth of our partnerships, maintaining strong relationships across government, industry and academia to manage risks and explore opportunities for collaboration.
- Increase organisational capability, through promoting a more inclusive and diverse workforce and strengthening the professional development of our programme and project managers.
- Represent and champion Cefas externally, acting as an ambassador for Cefas work with stakeholders and key partners.
- Ensure Cefas has a strong sponsorship relationship with Defra, including effective governance arrangements and strong alignment with departmental objectives.
Person specification
You must be able to demonstrate your skills and experience in the following areas:
- Excellent strategic leadership skills and the energy and enthusiasm to inspire staff at all levels of the organisation and convey a persuasive future vision.
- Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams to deliver high quality science on time and to budget on behalf of funding partners.
- Able to demonstrate a good understanding of the UK environmental policy landscape, including the role of marine and freshwater science in tackling the global challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and the need for safe and sustainable supplies of seafood.
- Strong communication and influencing skills, with the personal credibility to gain the trust of partners and stakeholders. This includes the ability to communicate complex information in a clear non-technical manner.
- A track record of working collaboratively to drive change and improve performance, with a good understanding of how to evaluate organisational performance, including setting and measuring progress against key indicators.
- Ability to work effectively with Ministers, senior officials and other government agencies, with a good understanding of UK government objectives and relevant national and international policies.
- Experience of building organisational capability and high performing, diverse and inclusive teams that are able to thrive under pressure and cope with uncertainty, including the continued professional development of project delivery colleagues.
Cefas is committed to fairness and the promotion of equity of opportunity for all. We know that having a range of experiences, backgrounds, and ways of working and thinking makes us a stronger organisation, better at reflecting the communities we serve. We embrace different views 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.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Changing and Improving
- Delivering at Pace
- Communicating and Influencing
Benefits
- 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
Selection process details
Application Process
As part of the application process you are asked to provide a CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements, ensuring you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years and a maximum 1000-word Personal Statement using examples to explain how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the criteria in the person specification.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
- 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.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be asked to attend a panel interview in order to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification. Full details of the assessment process, including potential request for a presentation or exercise to be completed will be made available to shortlisted candidates. You can expect to be assessed against the following behaviours at the interview stage:
- Leadership (lead behaviour)
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Changing and Improving
- Delivering at Pace
- Communicating and Influencing
Please be aware that at this time, interviews will be held remotely via Microsoft Teams or in-person at our site in Lowestoft.
If scores are equal following interview, an assessment of the lead behaviour – Leadership, will be used by the panel.
Location
Please be aware that this role will be contractually based at Lowestoft. 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.
Travel and subsistence will not be paid for travel to a base office location.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Merit Lists
Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.
Salary
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.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
- Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.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
Accessibility
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Criminal Record Check
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.
Internal Fraud Database Check
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.
Childcare Vouchers
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.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
Security
Nationality requirements
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : SCS Candidate
- Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
