London or East Kilbride (frequent travel, three-four days a week to our London HQ at 2 King Charles Street, Whitehall is required)
About The Job
Job summary
The Chief Scientific Advisor (CSA) is the most senior scientist in the FCDO, and plays a leading role in enabling the FCDO and the Government to harness the power of research, evidence, expertise and science diplomacy to deliver the Integrated Review, International Development
Strategy, International Technology Strategy and support the UK to be a leading science power globally.
The CSA is professionally independent and performs an independent challenge function to FCDO, having lead responsibility for the provision of science advice to the FCDO, and ensuring that policy advice and action is underpinned by science, rigorous evidence and sound technical analysis, and that reliable sources of analysis and technical expertise can be accessed, including at pace, in emergencies.
They have overall leadership and management of over 100 staff, with direct responsibility for research management and delivery of approx.
1.1b R&D in this Spending Review period.
Job Description
Please refer to the candidate pack attached at the bottom of the advert.
Person specification
Please refer to the candidate pack attached at the bottom of this advert.
Benefits
Please see the candidate pack at the bottom of this advert for further details or contact www.saxbam.com/appointments quoting Advert Reference Number: AXWD
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Civil Service external recruitment processes at Director level are regulated by the Civil Service Commission, and we follow clear guidelines to ensure that our recruitment is fair and open. You can find further information here: Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles . We also design our recruitment processes to reflect our values-based approach to HR (using staff engagement panels, for example) and to ensure that shortlisted candidates have the opportunity to meet key stakeholders for the role, before they join us.
Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) on this appointment. For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit www.saxbam.com/appointments using reference AXWD. Alternatively telephone +44 (0)20 7227 0880 (during office hours). Applications should be received by midday, Monday 30 October 2023
Your submission should include:
- A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements.
- A Statement of Suitability (no longer than two pages) explaining your personal skills, qualities, abilities and experience relevant to the requirements of the job in support of your application with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification. It should also describe your vision for the job and how you would propose to approach this if appointed.
- A completed Diversity Questionnaire .The FCDO is committed to equal opportunities. Our officers are recruited on merit, through fair and open competition. We seek our strength through diversity and appoint suitably qualified individuals regardless of ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, social backgrounds, age or disability. To help us ensure that our recruitment activity reflects the diversity of British society, we would be grateful if you could complete the diversity monitoring form. As part of the application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select 'prefer not to say'. All monitoring data will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not be provided to the selection panel. The information you provide when submitting your application will help us monitor our progress towards the Civil Service becoming the most inclusive employer. See the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy for more information.
If you wish to speak to a member of the team before submitting an application, please contact Rhys.Davies@saxbam.com
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
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 developed vetting (opens in a new window) . See our vetting charter (opens in a new window) .
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality Requirements
Open to UK nationals only.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window) .
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.
Apply and further information
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Saxton Bampfylde Ltd on behalf of the FCDO - Advert Reference Number: AXWD
- Email : Rhys.Davies@saxbam.com
- Email : Rhys.Davies@saxbam.com
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact responses@russellreynolds.com in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission.
