Administrator – The King’s Award for Voluntary Service – Department for International Development – Darlington

Job summary

Whilst DCMS is advertising this vacancy, some of our roles and the successful candidate(s) appointed to them may ultimately be moved to the newly created Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

The King’s Award for Voluntary Service Team (3 people) administers the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS).
The award was formerly known as the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. The award recognises exceptional contributions to the community by groups of volunteers. It is the most prestigious award given to voluntary groups annually (around 250 are awarded each round) and has the equivalent status of an MBE.

The KAVS Team, along with colleagues managing national Honours nominations, is part of the Public Bodies,
Appointments, Honours & Awards (PBAHA) Team (36 people) – led by Deputy Director, Gemma Brough. We are based in the Corporate Strategy Division of DCMS. You would have the opportunity to experience other parts of the wider team’s work – in particularly the Honours nomination process.

You would be joining a small and friendly team delivering The King’s Award on behalf of the Royal Household. 

Job description

We are looking for a highly capable individual with presentational, stakeholder management, project planning, drafting and organisational skills to play a key role in the administration of the award. The award scheme requires the efficient management of a rigorous, time bound and transparent process that involves close working with high-level internal and external stakeholders (Royal Household, His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenants and the Award’s National Assessment Committee – chaired by Sir Martyn Lewis CBE).

This is a good time to join the team as there are a number of developments underway that will provide the successful candidate with exciting and stretching opportunities. These include helping to arrange a VIP reception for recipients of our special Jubilee Award, adjusting the award to reflect the change of monarch and much more! The role also offers opportunities to engage with incredible individuals who have dedicated years of their lives to giving their time in service to others and groups of people who have come together to affect change in their community.

Key responsibilities will include: 

first point of contact for members of the public and His Majesty’s Lord- Lieutenants across the UK, via email and phone.

annual KAVS nomination(500+) eligibility sift exercise

KAVS promotional activity including day-to-day creation and management of social media for online channels and website

KAVS awardees’ invitations to the Royal Garden Party, liaising with awardees and the Palace as needed.

good working relationship with our suppliers (including our website developer to further develop our public website and digital app.) and monitoring their delivery and contracts.

Managing contracts and financial transactions with suppliers

essential administrative support, including data management, planning and arranging meetings, analysing figures and providing regular reports.

Person specification

The ideal candidate would have the following key skills and experience:

Essential requirements:

Excellent organisational skills showing the ability to prioritise work in order to meet tight deadlines.

Results focussed with strong planning, coordination and project management skills.

Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills, able to communicate professionally, confidently and effectively with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels

Good stakeholder management skills with the ability to work collaboratively and flexibly

Ability to work both as part of a team and independently in order to get things done

Desirable skills

Familiarity with Google Suite or a similar Cloud based system.

Creating content and using social media in a personal or professional context.

Previous experience working on similar Awards/Departmental Honours is preferable but not essential.

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

Managing a Quality Service

Communicating and Influencing

Working Together

Delivering at Pace

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

DCMS values its staff and offers a wide range of benefits to everyone who works here. We’re committed to developing talent, and supporting colleagues to have great careers in our department. To support with that, some of the benefits we offer include:

Flexible working arrangements and hybrid working – DCMS staff work on a flexible basis with time spent in offices, and time spent working from home. 

26.5 days annual leave on entry, increasing to 31.5 days after 5 years’ service.

A with an average employer contribution of 27%

3 days of paid volunteering leave. 

Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave.

Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year. 

Occupational sick pay.

Active and engaged staff networks to join including the LGBT+, Ethnic Diversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing and Gender Equality Networks.

Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day to day work.

Season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme and much more!

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

To apply for this post, please send us the following documents no later than 23:55 Thursday 23rd March 2023 via the CS Jobs portal:

A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. Please refer to the essential requirements.

A Statement of Suitability (max 750 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential requirements highlighted. You may also choose to reference the desirable skills listed.

A behaviour statement of 250 words on Managing a quality service

For the shortlist, we will assess your experience and select applicants demonstrating the best fit for the role by considering the evidence provided in your application.

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial sift will be conducted on the lead behaviour: Managing a quality service. Those who are successful in the initial sift will then be scored on all elements of the application.

Should you encounter any issues with your online application please get in touch with: [email protected]

The interview process will assess behaviours and strengths and potentially include a presentation. 

You will not be made aware of the strengths being assessed prior to your interview.

As part of your interview, you may be asked to deliver a short oral presentation. Full details of this, including the topic, and whether or not you will need to use visual aids, will be sent to you prior to your interview.

Your interview will take place remotely via GoogleMeets

For indicative sift and interview dates please refer to the attached Candidate Information Pack.

DCMS has a London and a National pay scale. For more information on this, including the circumstances in which each pay scale will apply, please see the ‘Information for Applicants’ document.

Interviews

In most cases interviews will take place remotely via Google Meet video call. However please refer to the Candidate Information Pack to confirm the interview approach. 

Location

This role can be based in London, Manchester, Darlington, Belfast or Loughborough. The hub locations are displayed on the job advert. Not all hub locations have confirmed office space yet – successful applicants will be expected to work remotely until this becomes available.

If you choose to join on a loan basis, prior agreement to be released on loan 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.

Reasonable Adjustment

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process.

In order to request an adjustment, please:

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on 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 a verbal test rather than a written one. 

Alternatively, contact the Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility difficulties with any of the attachments, please contact us. Contact details can be found in the ‘contact point for applicants’ section of the job advert.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to DCMSfrom 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

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/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 stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email

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.

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 .

.People working with government assets must complete checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

UK nationals

nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK

nationals of the Republic of Ireland

nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the

relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service

relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service

certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Working for the Civil Service

The 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 .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.

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