Operational Service Support Officer

Do you want to work with internal and external stakeholders?
Are you someone who can identify problems and improve processes?
If so, we have an exciting opportunity for a Operational Service Support Officer to join our team at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and we'd love to hear from you!
We work on things that make a real difference to people’s lives. Whether it's through the homes we live in, the work of our local councils, or the communities we’re all part of, our work is at the top of the political agenda. We have ambitious and far-reaching outcomes to achieve this year and, if you’re thinking of joining us, there’s never been a more exciting time.
We have over 3,500 staff who are based in 20 offices across the UK. The Digital Electoral Services (DES) are one of the Government’s key digital service portfolios, whose primary objective is to deliver excellent services to citizens and local authority partners. The Digital Electoral Services enable citizens to register to vote online and provides the digital interface to enable the safe and secure processing of new applications. The Register to Vote website continues to evolve to meet the requirements of new legislation and improve the citizens’ user experience., As an Operational Service Support Officer, you will be responsible for:
+ Supporting the day-to-day running of all aspects of the Digital Electoral Services including operational, technical and website support.
+ Ensuring elector and local authority enquiries and other correspondence relevant to the Digital Electoral Services are responded to in a timely manner.
+ Deputising for the Operational Senior Service Support Officer when required.
+ Ensuring appropriate operational documentation is in place and regularly reviewed.
+ Taking ownership of customer issues, seeing problems through to resolution, and demonstrate understanding and empathy to customers.
+ Keeping stakeholders accurately and promptly informed about any service disruptions, updates and events.
+ Prioritising and managing multiple incidents and issues at one time.
+ Providing support to Operational Senior Service Support Officers for resolution of service incidents on any of the Digital Electoral Services, including Register to Vote, Canvass Data Match, Voter Authority Certificate. Online Absent Vote Applications, the Electoral Registration Office Portal or Choose My Police & Crime Commissioner., As part of our pre-employment checking process we will be using your CV to confirm your job history. Please note that by providing us with your CV you are consenting to us using the information enclosed as part of the checking process. Unless stated otherwise in the advert, your CV will not form part of the assessment but will be used for information purposes and only shared with the panel at interview stage.
Our application system is designed to remove as much bias as possible from the recruitment system – this means that a hiring manager does not know your name, your details, see your whole application in one go (or have your CV at review stage unless stated otherwise).
Your answers are randomised and chunked up. This means that each assessor views sets of responses to questions, for example all candidates’ responses to ‘Seeing the Big Picture’ rather than seeing a candidate’s full application. The science behind this is that recruitment can be subject to ordering and fatigue effects and we want to reduce this as much as possible.
Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors.
When writing your application, remember:
+ The assessor won’t be reading your answers sequentially.
+ Do not assume that the same assessors will have read all of your answers.
+ If talking about something in your first answer, make sure that you write the second answer as if you had not written the first (and so on!)
At sift, we will be assessing
Behaviour 1 (lead behaviour): Delivering at Pace
Behaviour 2: Managing A Quality Service
Behaviour 3: Working Together
Behaviour 4: Communicating and Influencing
There is a 250 word limit per question.
In the event that we receive a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift using the lead behaviour listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of the following success profiles elements:
Behaviour - Delivering at Pace, Managing A Quality Service, Working Together, Communicating and Influencing
Strengths - The strength based questions will require natural responses from the candidates.
In the full campaign we will test the below Success Profile Elements:
Behaviours: Delivering at Pace, Managing A Quality Service, Working Together, Communicating and Influencing, There may be opportunities for candidates to work flexibly depending on the business needs. This will be discussed with the vacancy manager on a case-by-case basis if you are successful for the role.
SIFT AND INTERVIEW DATES:
Sifting is envisaged to take place w/c 13/01/2025 with interview dates to be confirmed. All interviews are currently being held remotely via videocall.
SC (Security Check)
Important note
The level of security needed is Security Check and the process can take up to 8 weeks to complete.
Please note that successful candidates will need to pass the Security Check – this requires you to have been resident in the UK for the past 5 years. Please refer to the MHCLG Notes on Security Clearance section of our Candidate Pack for further information on Security Check (SC).
Candidates should also note that with effect from 1st August 2018 the department will also check all applicants who are successful at interview, against the Internal Fraud Database (IFD) held by the Cabinet Office. In accordance with the Civil Service Internal Fraud Policy, any applicant who is included on the IFD will be refused employment by MHCLG. Please see the Candidate Pack for further information on the Internal Fraud Database.
Reserve List
In the event that we identify more appointable candidates than we currently have posts available, we will hold applicant details in a reserve list for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. This may include roles at a lower grade. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact recruitment@communities.gov.uk to be removed from the reserve list.
Candidate Pack Information
Please see attached Candidate pack for further information. The candidate pack contains information about the CS Commissioners appeals and complaints procedure.
Before starting your application it’s very important to make sure that you are eligible to apply and meet the Civil Service nationality requirements. All candidates are expected to read the information provided in the MHCLG candidate pack regarding nationality requirements and rules
Internal Fraud Database
The Internal Fraud function of the Fraud, Error, Debt and Grants Function at the Cabinet Office processes details of civil servants who have been dismissed for committing internal fraud, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned. The Cabinet Office receives the details from participating government organisations of civil servants who have been dismissed, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned, for internal fraud. In instances such as this, civil servants are then banned for 5 years from further employment in the civil service. The Cabinet Office then processes this data and discloses a limited dataset back to MHCLG as a participating government organisations. MHCLG then carry out the pre employment checks so as to detect instances where known fraudsters are attempting to reapply for roles in the civil service. In this way, the policy is ensured and the repetition of internal fraud is prevented.
For more information please see - Internal Fraud Register
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

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 security 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).

We’re looking for people with strong interpersonal skills who enjoy working in a demanding, high profile agile environment. We’re looking for people who are passionate about agile working, who care about technology and who know how to deliver high quality services., You will have the ability to:
+ Build strong relationships with a wide base of stakeholders, such as Local Authorities and suppliers.
+ Identify service improvements and opportunities to make processes simpler and more efficient
+ Analyse and draw conclusions from data
+ Utilise good written and verbal skills to demonstrate a strong customer service ethos
+ Work independently, managing and prioritising tasks effectively

Alongside your salary of £27,788, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £8,050 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 employer contribution of 28.97%, + The salary for this role is £31,176 (London) or £27,788 (National).