Multi-Location in Belfast, Cardiff, Birmingham, London, York or home based in the UK. Occasional UK travel required with the possibility of overnight stays Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not overseas.

About the job Summary

The FSA is a non-ministerial department of over 1300 people, with a big vision – to drive change in the food system so that it delivers “food we can trust”. Our primary goal is to continue to protect public health and UK consumers’ wider interest in food. As we have now exited the EU the FSA faces a significant period of change and activity.

Job description

Around 90% of UK food law originated in the EU, and our transition out of the Union means our Food Policy team is faced with an opportunity to ensure Britain maintains its high standards for decades to come. Being a non-ministerial department, we are beholden strictly to our mission to protect public health and UK consumers’ wider interest in food.

Change is inescapable in the food industry at the moment. Alongside the inevitable challenges our exit from the EU presents us with, there are non-stop technological developments impacting the way our food is made and consumer habits that are constantly evolving.

Our Food Policy Advisers work to develop legislative and non-legislative approaches to manage a sprawling range of significant food safety risks. We touch upon allergies, contaminants, and foodborne diseases amongst a wealth of other considerations. Our role is to deliver proportionate and evidenced-based solutions to these problems, protecting and informing the consumer without unnecessarily restricting their choices.

Working closely with stakeholders from across the food industry, from consumer groups to individual businesses, other government departments and the local authorities who carry out so much of the food safety and regulatory work on our behalf, we are always seeking the best solution.

We have a number of roles available within our policy team and are looking for forward-thinking, innovative people who are able to help us undertake our work in protecting food in Britain. The successful candidates will be keen to make a difference and will always be looking to improve things wherever possible - be it their work, the work of the team, or the health and safety of the nation. These roles require collaboration and communication with colleagues across the FSA as well as a wide range of stakeholders, so the ability to work with others, communicating and influencing ideas, is vital. If you’re interested in making a difference and think you are a strong fit for this role, don’t hesitate to apply today.
 

Responsibilities

Please read the attached Candidate Pack to discover further details about the role, our organisation, who we are looking for and the criteria we will assess against during the selection process. We look forward to receiving your application and wish you every success.

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Our candidate pack details the benefits that the FSA has to offer. Please also refer to the attached Terms and Conditions statement.

Things you need to know Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Selection process details

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

Full details of the selection process are detailed in the attached candidate pack. This will consist of shortlisting against the essential and desirable person specification criteria stated. If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to the final selection stage consisting of a behaviours based interview.

In the event of receiving a large number of applications an initial sift may take place on just the identified lead criteria indicated below:
• Excellent interpersonal skills, particularly the ability to quickly establish and maintain productive relations with a range of stakeholders inside and outside of government.

We particularly welcome applications from black and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within our organisation at this level. All appointments are made on merit.

We actively review the deployment of talent on a periodic basis in the interests of optimising personal development and the achievement of business plans.

Our candidate pack details the benefits that the FSA has to offer. Please also refer to the attached terms and conditions statement.

A reserve list will be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

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

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 (or eligible for) status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• 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

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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.

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.

Apply and further information

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Contact point for applicants Job contact : Name :   HR Recruitment Team Email :   [email protected]   Recruitment team : Email :   [email protected] Further information

If you wish to raise a complaint then please email [email protected] in the first instance.