Chief of Staff. Candidate Information Pack.

Transcription

1 Chief of Staff Candidate Information Pack Please consider the environment and only print this document if you really need to.

2 Job title: Chief of Staff Job location: Ergon House Date: August 2016 Reference: 2406 Contents 1. Our organisation 2. The role 3. Salary and benefits 4. Further information 5. How to apply 2

3 1. Our organisation Our organisation We are the Environment Agency. We protect and improve the environment. Acting to reduce the impacts of a changing climate on people and wildlife is at the heart of everything we do. We reduce the risks to people, properties and businesses from flooding and coastal erosion. We protect and improve the quality of water, making sure there is enough for people, businesses, agriculture and the environment. Our work helps to ensure people can enjoy the water environment through angling and navigation. We look after land quality, promote sustainable land management and help protect and enhance wildlife habitats. And we work closely with businesses to help them comply with environmental regulations. We can t do this alone. We work with government, local councils, businesses, civil society groups and communities to make our environment a better place for people and wildlife. Of course, none of this will be possible without the professionalism and dedication of our staff. We re committed to helping our people to find new ways of working and to maintain our focus on creating a better place for people and wildlife. For more information on the Environment Agency and what we do, please visit: 3

4 2. The role Role The Chief of Staff is responsible for establishing and maintaining the highest level of corporate governance to ensure the smooth administration of the Environment Agency at an organisational level, enabling the Chief Executive to have capacity to fulfil the broad external and internal engagement aspects of their role. This role will provide strategic leadership to the organisation s corporate services functions, promoting a culture of effective and efficient support services that are focused on creating value for money as well as meeting the needs of customers, both internal and external, and the organisation as a whole. It will lead on the Environment Agency's relationship with government through close co-operation with Defra, government departments/relationships and the governance of the Board and its committees. The role advises the Chairman, Board and Executive Directors on communications, risk and reputation management. Principal accountabilities Influence the strategic direction of Environment Agency and shape the function/s to align appropriately with the achievement of the corporate strategy and environmental outcomes. Control and take accountability for a major function, or number of functions that have significant degree of impact across the whole organisation, in order to lead effective integration across broad and complex business responsibilities. Lead, develop and embed a culture of effective change management to adapt to, optimise and support the changing needs of customers. Originate, champion and lead on initiatives for change to deliver efficient systems and support & improve business delivery. Establish and influence policy /agreements internally and externally to support Environment Agency / DEFRA objectives. 4

5 Identify and manage risks to delivery of the business plan to enable the Environment Agency to operate in a safe, innovative and efficient manner. Lead, develop and motivate operational teams to ensure business plans are delivered and adapted to ensure the achievement of customer and environmental outcomes. Understand and harness the complexities of organisational culture and politics (internal and external), in order to influence and achieve Results. Knowledge/Qualifications Educated to degree level, or equivalent, in any discipline (for example a degree in business, political science, public service) It is desirable to have Chartered or Fellow status of a relevant professional body Skills/Abilities/Experience The post holder would need a wide-ranging knowledge of the Agency s activities and responsibilities, both at national and local level, an ability to engage effectively internally and externally and have a feel for how to handle customers. Demonstrable success in developing and implementing communication and corporate strategies in a complex political environment. A proven track record of providing clear, balanced advice and professional leadership at Board and senior management level on a wide range of strategic, operational, sensitive communications issues. Experience of successful management of internal communications and support of employee engagement in a complex organisation. Experience of effective crisis communications and decision making under pressure and during times of incident response. Excellent interpersonal skills with an ability to lead others, especially during periods of change. An individual with a crucial capacity for judgement, and the ability to decide what to do, how to do it, and how best to communicate to all involved. Able to demonstrate continuous, thoughtful, and consistent communication with all customers and stakeholders. 5

6 Top capabilities Leads the organisation Leads People Delivers results through others 6

7 3. Salary and benefits Join us in this role and you will enjoy the following benefits: Salary Range: 80, ,000 Location: Hours of work: Leave entitlement: Pension: Ergon House 37 hours, Permanent Your leave allowance in this role will be 27 days plus bank holidays. We also offer up to two days paid environmental outcome days each year. These give you the opportunity to take part in community activities with a clear environmental outcome for people and wildlife. We will enrol you into the Environment Agency Pension Fund (EAPF) on commencing employment, if your employment contract is for 3 months or more. The EAPF is part of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). It is a career average scheme, which means you will build up benefits based on your pay each scheme year rather than your final salary. We will base your pension contributions on your actual pay and you will receive tax and national insurance relief on your contributions. The pension contribution rates currently range between 5.5% to 12.5%. Whilst you are in the scheme we will also pay an employer contribution into your pension pot. We currently pay 17.5%, so this is a very generous scheme. Work/life balance: Diversity: We support flexible working hours and practices to help you strike a good balance between your work life and your personal life. We will also encourage you to keep developing your skills and professional knowledge throughout your career. We are committed to diversity and inclusion. We want all our staff to feel valued and respected and to see this as a great place to work. Diversity: it s in our nature. 7

8 4. Further information The grade for this position is EM2U For further information on this role please see attached document and / or contact: James Bevan We are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from candidates seeking flexible working patterns, including job share. Please highlight any information regarding preferred flexible working arrangements on your application. Please note that Environment Agency employees are not civil servants so you may wish to check your eligibility for continuity of employment by contacting your HR department. All eligible bodies are listed in the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc) (Modification) Order Employment agency workers and contractors are considered to be external candidates and should therefore only apply for positions that are being advertised externally. They are also not eligible to claim continuity of employment should they be successful in securing a position with the Environment Agency. To find out more about what it s like to work at the Environment Agency, please visit: Please note all successful applicants must undergo Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks prior to commencement of employment. This includes a basic criminal records check. For the great majority of roles in the Environment Agency this will be sufficient and only certain roles will require a higher level of clearance. Should this be necessary, you will be advised of this during the recruitment process. 8

9 5. How to apply To apply please submit a copy of your CV and covering letter via to lindsay.eade@environment-agency.gov.uk. Your covering letter should be no more than the equivalent of 2 sides of A4, outlining why you are attracted to the role, what you ll bring to it and how you meet the person specification highlighted in the role profile. Equality and Diversity We re committed to reflecting the communities we serve and we d like you to tell us about yourself and your background. 9