HR - Head of Employee Offer

The Head of Employee Offer will have a large and complex portfolio to lead. Whilst fundamentally a leadership role, this is one of the more deeply specialist expert service HR functions in Defra group HR where in addition to a broad technical understanding of HR, subject matter expertise of HM Treasury Pay Guidance and Civil Service (and Defra specific) Terms and Conditions, and Employee Relations in both the Civil Service and Public Sector will need to be applied. The role is critical as we navigate the change in government and subsequent impacts on our HR Policy, Systems and Processes, which will include how we modernise our Employee Value Proposition.
You will also lead a high performing high impact team and be a visible leader recognised for your professional expertise of your portfolio across all organisations in Defra group. You will be highly collaborative in your approach and bring expertise, innovation and creativity to ensure delivery is optimised., + Leading a highly effective, forward leaning business focused team of c45 FTE providing direction, motivation and leadership to ensure they reach their maximum potential and deliver high-quality professional support across Defra group.
+ Developing and maintaining trust between Defra group and its employees by partnering with a range of Trade Unions – ensuring they are kept abreast with transformational change programmes and key business issues.
+ Provide professional remuneration, reward, and employment relations expertise and anticipate future legal and business changes, to identify, assess and manage risks enabling Defra group to implement solutions effectively and efficiently.
+ Enable the translation of pay and reward strategy into delivery - focusing on business priorities and good HR governance which includes leading on the development of the pay and workforce reform agenda for Defra group, drawing from your specialist pay and employment knowledge in both a civil service and public sector context.
+ Develop pay, reward and employee offer policies, practices and services ensuring they are continuously reviewed, improved and implemented, to a high standard, across the group and that the reputation of the HR service is outstanding.
+ Implement, drive & measure performance of team delivery against the HR Priority delivery plan and agreed KPIs to embed a culture of continuous improvement., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Leadership
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Seeing the Big Picture
+ Making Effective Decisions
+ Changing and Improving, If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to take part in psychometric testing.
Assessments
The assessment will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, it is designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.
Full details of the assessment process will be provided to shortlisted candidates at the earliest opportunity. Short listed applicants will be offered an informal discussion with the Vacancy Holder.
Interview
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 essential criteria for the role. The interview which will ideally take place in person however, we can be flexible and carry out virtually if required.
As part of the interview, we will ask you to participate in a desk top practical, scored exercise. If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to attend an interview based on behaviour and strength based questions. You will also be assessed on the following four behaviours at the interview stage: Leadership, Managing a Quality Service, Changing and Improving and Communicating and Influencing.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.
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
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

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
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service
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.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

+ Be a highly effective communicator with strong influencing skills, with the ability to inspire confidence and trust at all levels. They will need to have the ability to engage positively in debate and resolve ambiguities, to drive the best possible outcomes. Can communicate complex issues powerfully, authoritatively, and convincingly.
+ Hold a broad technical understanding of the key disciplines of the HR function and have a high level of personal resilience and an ability to flex to adapt to constantly changing situations.
+ Have a well developed political and environmental radar and know how to get things done within the organisation and beyond.
+ Thrive on working with a close-knit team and is committed to delivering results at pace, whilst being authentic and creating a culture of honesty, transparency, trust and support.
+ Have an ability to motivate and create a sense of pride and passion and an inclusive environment where diversity is valued and there is equality of opportunity for all., Chartered Fellow/fully qualified member (Level 7) of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) or equivalent professional qualification or HR knowledge.

Alongside your salary of £76,000, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £22,017 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
+ 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%