Estates Administration Officer

Defra Group Property is responsible for providing accommodation to the Defra Group, including the Department, its Executive Agencies (Animal & Plant Health Agency; Rural Payments Agency) and bodies such as the Environment Agency, Marine Management Organisation and Natural England. Defra Group Property is broken down into functional teams including property strategy; corporate property; facilities management; build project management; and workplace management. These services are combined to provide a fit for purpose workplace for approx. 23,000 engaged in providing a healthy, safe and protected natural environment; and a thriving productive farming economy and food chain.

The Corporate Property Team manage the commercial property which is used and occupied by Defra Group to accommodate its’ staff and deliver services to the public. This property ranges from small coastal offices for fisheries work to large complex laboratories untaken internationally recognised research. Our primary function is to manage the interests of the Group as an owner and occupier of property ensuring compliance and building relationships with our supplier partners, landlord’s and occupiers. Defra Group is both landlord and tenant and so works in a commercial environment whilst supporting common key objectives aligned to the Government Property Strategy. The team uses its professional skills combined with outsourced service partners to effect transactions and managing property and property occupations

The Estates Administration Officer provides comprehensive administrative and business support to the Corporate Property Team, helping to ensure the effective management of the Defra Group estate. While based within a specialist property team, no previous property experience is required, as full training and support will be provided.

This role offers an excellent opportunity for a motivated individual with strong administrative and organisational skills to contribute to a busy professional team while developing knowledge of corporate property management.

Travel to other sites occasionally for meetings or training may be required.

The post does not include line management responsibilities.

Responsibilities of this role include (but are not limited to):

• Provide high-quality administrative support across the Corporate Property Team.
• Manage and respond to enquiries received through shared mailboxes, ensuring timely and professional responses.
• Gather, collate and maintain information from a variety of sources, ensuring data accuracy and integrity.
• Input, manage and update data within property management systems and electronic databases.
• Maintain and develop spreadsheets, trackers and management information reports to support business activities.
• Generate, update and distribute management reports, ensuring information is accurate, current and fit for purpose.
• Support the commissioning of external service providers, including raising purchase orders and receipting invoices in line with agreed financial processes.
• Organise, maintain and monitor electronic records and document management systems, including SharePoint Online.
• Provide administrative support to Surveyors and other team members across a range of estate management activities.
• Assist in the development and improvement of administrative processes, systems and management tools to enhance team efficiency and service delivery

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)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement, & behaviour statements

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted on the personal statement.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Sifting will take place 24th /25th September

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on behaviours and strengths.

Interviews are currently scheduled to take place w/c 5th October but may be subject to change.

Further information

Location & Travel

As part of the pre-employment process, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).

Where the location is 'National' the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

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.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to DEFRA 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

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.

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.

Near Miss

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Defra which may be at a lower grade, but have a potential skills match.

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.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.