Head of Office: Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector
Job description
- Job grade: Grade 7
- Contract type: Permanent
- Business area: DEFRA - FBT - Farming Countryside
- Type of role: Investigation
- Working pattern: Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
- Number of jobs available: 1
Location
About the job
Job summary
The Farming Partnership and Growth Division is a brand new division in the Farming Directorate that has been created specifically to deliver the fundamental transformation in farming, including the tenanted sector envisaged by the independent Farming Profitability Review, the Farming Roadmap, Land Use Framework and Rock Review.
The Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector (CTFS) provides an essential service to strengthen relationships and collaboration between tenant farmers, landlords and advisers. The Office raises awareness of the standards of conduct and expected behaviours set out in the Agricultural Landlord and Tenant Code of Practice; the Commissioner’s role, remit and values; works with stakeholders to resolve issues informally where appropriate; and handles casework in a timely, impartial and professional way.
This is an opportunity to join a high-profile outward-facing team and contribute directly to the Commissioner’s strategic objectives, delivery priorities and public profile. You will work with colleagues across Defra and government, alongside tenant farming stakeholders, and will work collaboratively with the Commissioner in support of their formal remit and responsibilities.
The role offers varied, hands-on experience across casework, stakeholder engagement (including senior and Executive level engagement), evidence gathering (including to inform policy development), communications and delivery engagement. You may speak directly with people seeking support, manage cases, lead the design of research or surveys, accompany the Commissioner on visits and at speaking engagements, and represent the Commissioner at sector events. This role will provide significant opportunities to develop your profile within Defra and the farming sector.
You will join at an exciting time, to help forge and embed the identity and culture of the new Farming Growth and Partnership division.
Job description
- Leadership of the CTFS Office: working closely with the Commissioner to ensure the Office is delivering on its priorities. Includes line management of an SEO Case Manager, but the role also requires working confidently with related teams across Defra to deliver the Commissioners work programme. May also require the postholder to deputise for the Commissioner at meetings and events.
- Case management: Overseeing the core aspect of the Commissioners function - manage informal and formal inquiries from the tenant farming sector from first contact through to completion, gathering and assessing evidence, engaging constructively and sensitively with parties, using the Tenancy Code of Practice and relevant guidance as the underpinning framework. This will include formally reporting on the Commissioners activities via the Farm Tenancy Forum which is co-chaired by the Defra Food and Farming Minister.
- Stakeholder and sector engagement: lead activity that makes the Commissioner visible, accessible and well understood across the tenant farming sector. This will include engagement at executive and very senior level across tenancy stakeholders (for example the Farm Tenancy Forum) and on occasion deputising for the Commissioner at events and meetings.
- Visits and representation: organise and take part in farm visits, agricultural shows, roundtables and other events, and represent the Office confidently and professionally both internally across relevant Defra teams and externally;
- Communications: lead work with communications colleagues on a proactive programme of activity, including visits, blogs, podcasts and other suitable products.
- Research and insight: commission and lead research to understand awareness and impact, interpret findings and summarise evidence clearly for internal and external audiences.
- Policy connections: build strong working relationships with policy teams, share operational insight and help inform Defra advice and future policy development.
- Service improvement: review processes and systems, identify practical improvements and help maintain a responsive, high-quality service.
- Work closely with the Tenancy Policy Team and related Defra policy and delivery team, sharing insights, risks, gaps and opportunities to strengthen ways of working.
- This list is not exhaustive. The postholder will be expected to respond flexibly to changing priorities and the evolving needs of the Commissioner’s Office.
Person specification
- Leadership: Experience of building high-performing teams while providing clear direction and support.
- Management: experience of staff management and/or developing the skills and capability of others.
- Clear and sensitive communication: excellent written and verbal communication, including the ability to tailor advice and correspondence for different audiences and handle complex or sensitive issues with discretion, tact and emotional intelligence.
- Evidence and judgement: the ability to gather, assess and interpret evidence, exercise sound judgement and make clear, well-reasoned recommendations or decisions.
- Stakeholder management: a proven ability to build credible relationships, collaborate and influence across a broad range of internal and external stakeholders, including where perspectives or priorities differ.
- Planning and delivery: strong organisational skills, with experience of prioritising competing demands, meeting deadlines and maintaining quality while working at pace.
- Adaptability and teamwork: a flexible, proactive approach and the confidence to respond to changing demands, work across team priorities and contribute to a supportive working culture.
- Experience of casework management, complaints handling or dispute resolution.
- Experience of working in government or a similarly accountable organisation.
- Knowledge of the agricultural or tenant farming sector.
- Experience of working with regulations, guidance or codes of practice.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making Effective Decisions
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Leadership
- Working Together
- Managing a Quality Service
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making Effective Decisions
- Leadership
- Working Together
- Managing a Quality Service
Benefits
- 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%
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
Selection process details
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, a Personal Statement (no more than 750 words) and 250-word Behaviour statements for the following five behaviours:
- Leadership
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Managing a Quality Service
- Working Together
Further details around what this will entail are detailed on the application form.
Sift
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the CV and Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Interview
If successful at the application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on the five Civil Service behaviours Leadership, Seeing the Big Picture, Communicating and Influencing, Managing a Quality Service, Working Together.
Your interview will be conducted by video using MS Teams.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Further Information
Location
As part of the pre-employment process for this post, 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.
Merit Lists
Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be appointed in merit order for each location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.
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.
All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.
Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter
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.
Security
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
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Farming Directorate Business Management Team
- Email : FD_BusinessManagement@defra.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: here
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