Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive and Chair

Are you proactive and detail-oriented?

Would you thrive working alongside senior leaders and supporting them to enable an organisation to work well and succeed?

Do you want to play a role in helping the OEP achieve its mission to protect and improve the environment?

We are excited to be looking for an Executive Assistant to our Chief Executive and Chair to come and join our organisation.

The Office for Environmental Protection (the OEP) mission is to protect and improve the environment. Created by the Environment Act 2021, our role is to hold Government and public bodies to account. The OEP do this in several ways including reporting on progress against environmental targets, advising on changes to environmental laws and receiving complaints from the public which can lead to us taking enforcement action.

The role sits within our Business Strategy and Planning team at the heart of the OEP. Our role is to ensure that the OEP works well, and that our work is well defined, understood and strategically aligned. In doing this, we support planning, strategy, governance and risk management services and provide the executive office of the organisation.

As Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive and Chair, you'll be a critical member of our executive office. We are a small, friendly and supportive team and pride ourselves on providing first class services to our executive leaders and board. We are looking for a motivated and professional individual to fulfil a key role in our team, and the organisation as a whole.

With a total staff of just over 90, we are a dynamic, friendly and flexible organisation covering both England, Northern Ireland, and environmental matters reserved to the UK government. We offer flexible working arrangements, high profile, dynamic work and the chance to have an impact on improving the state of the environment.

To find out more about the OEP, what we do, who we are and our current work, visit the OEP website .

The OEP is a non-departmental public body sponsored by Defra in England and DAERA in Northern Ireland which means it operates independently from Defra. Our employees are public servants and as part of the benefits package, employees have the opportunity to enrol in the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

The Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive and Chair is a central role in a team at the heart of the OEP.

The role holder will support the Chief Executive and the Chair succeed, ensuring their time is well planned, and that they have the information and resources they need. They will work independently, developing trusting relationships with these senior leaders, and being responsive to their needs.

The role holder will;

• Proactively manage the Chief Executive and Chair diary based on their priorities, as well as strategically managing the diary “forward look” for the upcoming weeks and months to ensure it aligns with the organisation’s needs.
• Organise meetings on behalf of the Chief Executive, the Chair (and wider Executive on occasion) including logistics, agenda planning, note-taking, action log and follow up.
• Proactively ensure the Chief Executive and Chair are prepared for engagements including commissioning/co-ordinating papers/briefings, working with others to ensure the right information is available in good time. Summaries of documents or short presentations may also be required.
• Administer the weekly Executive Committee on behalf of the Chief Executive, coordinating with teams across the business to ensure agendas are well planned, and papers circulated on time.
• Manage and prioritise the Chief Executive and Chair email inbox, identifying items for action or information escalating items that are urgent.
• Provide administrative support for the Chief Executive, Chair (and wider Executive on occasion), including booking hotels and travel.
• Support management of information requests, including under the freedom of information act and environmental information regulations, by gathering information, and preparing responses for approval by decision makers.
• Act as sustainability champion for the OEP, collecting data and information about sustainability and completing data returns.

The above list of job duties is not exclusive or exhaustive and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

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 and Experience.

Application Process

The OEP uses the Civil Service Success Profile framework which is made up of five elements: Behaviours, Strengths, Ability, Experience and Technical. It is strongly recommend you have a look at the Success Profiles to enable you to make the best application possible.

When writing or presenting behaviours, the OEP recommends you use the STAR format to present your answers (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

For application, you will be asked to complete a CV detailing qualifications and work history; a 500 word statement of suitability on how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification in the advert; and one behaviour statement on the Lead behaviour, Delivering at Pace.

The personal statement is a very important part of your application. Review the person specification and essential experience and skills criteria on the job description and outline how you meet it providing specific and relevant examples. These could be from work, volunteering, training or education.

Further details are provided on the application form.

Sift

After the closing date, your application will be reviewed against the essential sift criteria outlined for the role.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Delivering at Pace.

Once the sift has concluded, applicants will be notified of the outcome shortly after the closing date. Please note that feedback will not be given to applications at sift stage.

Interview and ID Verification

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on the experience and behaviours outlined in the job description. At interview, you may be required to deliver a presentation or complete an additional exercise. If this is required, details will be sent alongside your invite to interview.

Interviews will be held In-person at the Worcester Office and are currently planned for 9th and 10th December. Dates may be subject to change.

Travel and subsistence costs will not be reimbursed for candidates travelling to interview.

Appointments

All appointments will be made in merit order.

Identification

Candidates will need to bring ID to interview for verification in person. Human Resources will contact you to advise what ID you need to bring.

Following interview, ID will need to be checked for Right to Work and BPSS security clearance. This will be done by secure online platforms via the Government Recruitment Service.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. All appointments will be made in merit order.

Near Miss Appointments

On occasion candidates may attend interview for the advertised post but will narrowly miss the standard required at interview. The OEP may, where appropriate, consider such candidates for alternative, similar posts at a lower grade.

Salary

New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.

Location and Office Attendance

All OEP roles are based in Worcester and/ or Northern Ireland. This role is based in Worcester.

All GB employees will be contractually based at the Worcester office. The OEP embraces a blended working model and supports a combination of office and home working which will be dependent on business need and individual circumstances. Our current office attendance approach requires 40% attendance in one of the OEP offices or on official OEP business at offsite meetings with partners and customers. This approach enables thriving workplaces to connect with colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs balanced with personal flexibility and choice.

If GB based, travel and subsistence will not be paid for travel to the Worcester office.

Employees based in Northern Ireland will be contractually home based. There will be an expectation of travel to Worcester but this will be dependent on business need and individual circumstances. As a guideline, it’s envisaged that travel to Worcester would be between 4 and 6 times a year, fully funded by the OEP. However, travel will be a 2-way commitment, with other OEP staff members being expected to travel to NI at a similar frequency. Northern Ireland based staff currently have access to a touch down space in Belfast to enable collaborative working.

If the candidate is an internal candidate, they will be applying for the role at the advertised location. TUPE restrictions may apply.

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 the OEP at recruitment@theoep.org.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.

Criminal Record Check

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service or Access NI 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.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please note that the OEP is not a UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License Sponsor and is unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to the OEP from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

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