Public Bodies Oversight Adviser

The Public Bodies Oversight and Review Team, within the Ministers, Accountability and Strategy Directorate, is looking to recruit a Public Bodies Oversight Adviser.
The remit of the Public Bodies Oversight and Review Team is to provide strategic oversight of the department’s public bodies. We do this by working in partnership with DHSC public bodies, who help to plan, manage and regulate the health and care system across the UK.
The role is an excellent opportunity to work collaboratively across different areas of DHSC and wider government. We work closely with the public bodies sponsorship and policy teams and regularly engage with senior stakeholders within and outside the department.
Within the team, the Oversight Adviser will play a pivotal role in leading both internal and external engagement, providing strategic oversight to public bodies, and briefing DHSC Ministers and senior leaders.
The post holder will also have the opportunity to support additional workstreams within the wider team and directorate.

Person specification
The post-holder will:
+ Help to deliver the team’s engagement with a wide range of stakeholders in the department and across wider government, including Strategy Unit, Private Office, and the Cabinet Office Public Bodies team, maintain positive and effective stakeholder relationships with sponsorship teams and DHSC’s public bodies.
+ Work with DHSC sponsorship teams to ensure central alignment through proactive engagement to improve capability, accountability and policy making, develop a strong awareness of public bodies’ priorities.
+ Support the delivery of the review process and implementation of recommendations for DHSC’s public bodies by liaising with the review team, sponsorship teams, and public bodies to ensure good accountability and governance.
+ Manage the secretariat function for the Senior Sponsorship Board and regular public bodies senior leaders meetings, presenting at sponsor group meetings, identifying links and join-up across teams.
+ Deliver cross-cutting work to ensure the team can work flexibly, supporting on the Public Sector Equality Duty, Better Regulation policy, briefing senior leaders and Ministers and responding to changing priorities.
+ Support the team’s commitment to excellence and identifying areas for continuous improvement., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Managing a Quality Service
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Delivering at Pace
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
+ Managing a Quality Service, This role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.
Terms and Conditions
Candidates should note that DHSC’s Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful.
New Entrants to the Civil Service
New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions:
+ Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
+ Privilege Leave: 1 day - for the King’s birthday
+ Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
+ Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months’ full pay and five months’ half pay
+ Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
+ Probation: 6 month probation period
Existing Civil Service staff transferring from another Government department, on either level transfer or promotion
All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).
Existing DHSC staff, appointed on promotion
If DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSC’s pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).
Further Information
Any move to DHSC from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
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 dhscrecruitment.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.
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.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
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.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
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).

+ Excellent written and oral communication skills.
+ Experience of stakeholder management, with a proven track record of building and maintaining strong working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
+ Experience confidently communicating with senior leaders to provide information and advice which will assist in understanding and decision making.
+ Strong organisational skills, experience of managing competing priorities, and delivering high-quality work in a fast-paced working environment.
+ You are committed to continuous improvement, with the ability to develop new ways of working and implement effective administrative processes.
+ Ability to analyse complex information and data, form evidence-based judgements, and clearly communicate recommendations to senior decision makers.
Desirable
+ Experience of working with public bodies or regulatory policy making is desirable but not essential.

In the Department of Health and Social Care, we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you would like to work in, we would love to hear from you.
The Public Bodies Oversight and Review Team works at the heart of the Department within the Ministers, Accountability and Strategy Directorate. We are the central point of oversight for DHSC’s public bodies which deliver essential and critical services on behalf of the department.
The team plays a crucial role in managing a number of cross-cutting areas spanning departmental policy and sponsorship of DHSC’s public bodies, accountability and governance, sponsorship capability, the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) and the department’s Better Regulation Unit.
This is an exciting and unique opportunity to work directly with DHSC’s public bodies. The role will suit those wishing to develop their written and verbal communication skills, and to engage and build relationships with a variety of stakeholders, including senior stakeholders within and outside the department.
The team has a diverse and interesting portfolio, and no two days are the same. We are a friendly, supportive team who have a relentless focus on staff wellbeing and consistently lead in the department on inclusivity and flexible working.

Alongside your salary of £33,476, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £9,697 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%
Your normal place of work will be your contractual primary workplace, usually either London or Leeds. Within DHSC we offer non-contractual hybrid working. The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time spent in the office, enabling in person interaction and collaboration, and enhancing team working, learning, and support.
You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas and some travel may be required across the DHSC estate.
Opportunities for some working from home may be available; other flexible working options may be discussed with the hiring manager in line with individual circumstances and business need.
There are a limited number of DHSC colleagues who have existing agreed homeworking contracts resulting from Our Future Estate Programme 2023-2024. Colleagues covered by these arrangements are eligible to apply for this role whilst continuing their agreed existing home working arrangement. Occasional travel to DHSC offices or other locations may still be required according to business need. Travel and subsistence will be provided in line with the pre-agreed homeworker arrangements.