Principal Analyst x2

Reference number: 360222
Salary: £51,626 – £58,506. A Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
Contract type: Permanent
Working pattern: Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
Location: Northern Ireland, West Midlands (England)
Number of jobs available: 2

Are you passionate about the environment?

Do you enjoy working with scientific evidence, experts, universities and research centres to
understand environmental processes, changes and trends?

Can you analyse and summarise complex evidence and information and prepare clear, accessible
reports for Ministers, Parliament, and the public?

If so, then we want to hear from you.

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

These roles are in the OEP’s Insights Directorate which is the analytical centre of the
organisation. The scope of our work is broad and the OEP’s priority areas over the next three
years are improving nature, clean water, and effective governance; as well as developing our
work on waste, chemicals, the marine environment and soils.

With a total staff of just over 70, 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, including part time and job share
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.

Job description

The Insights Directorate leads on progressing the OEP’s strategic objective of holding
government to account for delivery. Through our monitoring of the Environmental Improvement
Plan, we analyse and comment on government’s progress. We make recommendations on how progress
could be improved across environmental goals, targets and plans.

In addition to reporting on Government’s progress, Insights Directorate supports other OEP
directorates to deliver their specialist functions, including the investigation of failures to
comply with environmental laws, dealing with complaints, and legal actions to hold public
bodies to account.

This is an exciting opportunity to have a leading role and responsibility for a key part of the
OEP’s mission, and to securing the evidence we need to do our job as well as we can.

The successful candidates will be accountable for managing and leading one or two of the
following activities:

• Publish a report to independently assess the Northern Ireland Executive’s progress in
  delivering its environmental improvement plans and making recommendations for improvement.
• Provide and publish advice to the Northern Ireland Executive’s progress in delivering its
  environmental improvement plans as they are adopted or revised.
• Evaluate and report on the UK government’s approach to its required test of whether
  environmental targets will significantly improve the natural environment in England and NI.
• Scrutinise government’s progress in areas the OEP has identified as priorities.

One of the Principal Analyst roles will have more of a focus on the evidence programme. Work
for this role will include:

• With the OEP’s Chief Scientist and with the Head of Science and Evidence, develop and
  deliver the organisation’s evidence programme.
• Lead the development of our approach to commissioning evidence and to building and
  enhancing relationships with our key suppliers and external experts.
• Develop and oversee the governance of the OEP evidence programme, ensuring we are
  commissioning, receiving and using the right work, at the right time, from the right suppliers.

The role holders will also be a subject-matter expert in one or more areas of the natural
environment.

Information Webinars:

We are hosting a webinar during the application period to provide potential candidates with the
opportunity to meet the team, to find out more about the role and to ask questions. Webinar
will be held on August 12 at 13:00 -13.45am. To attend the webinar please click on the
following
link.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £51,626, Office for Environmental Protection contributes £13,939
towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Leave and Flexible Working

The OEP offers 25 days annual leave rising to 30 days over 5 years for all new entrants.

Additional paid leave is available where necessary to cater for a variety of situations
including, but not limited to, family-related leave, volunteering days, exam and study leave,
public duties and trade union activities. In addition, we offer a generous enhanced maternity
leave, parental leave and shared parental leave policy.

The OEP is supportive of flexible working and has a flexible working policy to allow for
variations in individuals working hours where this is compatible with business need.

Performance Management and In Year Bonus Scheme

The OEP is committed to promoting a high-performing culture for all employees. Performance and
development management is key to developing trusting relationships between managers and
employees so that they can be their best and thrive at work. Every individual will have a
performance management plan which will be reviewed on a regular basis.

The OEP has a quarterly ‘In-year Bonus Scheme’ where individuals and/ or teams can be
recognised for outstanding one-off contributions and achievements.

Learning and Development

The OEP is a learning organisation and strongly supports the continuous professional
development of all employees through both personal and work-related study. The OEP will pay for
one relevant profession membership per employee to support continuous professional development.

Every employee has access to five days learning and development each year to support
professional development. This could be through Civil Service Learning mandatory and voluntary
learning, corporate inductions, staff events and welcome days as well as relevant professional
qualifications and specific courses.

Staff Wellbeing 

Staff wellbeing is extremely important and the OEP strives to provide access to numerous
resources to aid the wellbeing of its employees. Current initiatives include:

• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providing free and confidential 24/7
  telephone advice and guidance to support employees with both personal and employment issues.
  This may include personal wellbeing, career development or legal matters such as
  landlord/tenant disputes.
• Access to an Occupational Health Service to provide a range of support service to help with
  the way you feel at work.
• Access to trained Mental Health First Aiders and wider Defra Group mental health first aid
  network and resources.
• Free access to Headspace, a mindfulness, meditation and sleep app.
• Access to a Financial Wellbeing Portal.
• Free eye tests and a contribution to glasses/lenses if required for VDU use.

Salary Sacrifice, Discounts and SmartTech Benefits

All employees have access to the STaR, Reward Gateway an online platform providing access to
hundreds of discounts, offers and cashback options with well-known retailers. They offer a
SmartTech scheme, a Cash Healthcare plan and numerous other benefits and services.

Location and Office Attendance

All OEP roles are based in Worcester and/or Northern Ireland. These roles are based in either
Northern Ireland or 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.

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 [email protected] 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.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline
personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Closing date: 11:55 pm on Sunday 1 September 2024.