Policy Officer and Caseworker

at  Cabinet Office

JOB SUMMARY

This is an exciting time to join our team and help deliver a government priority. ACOBA seeks individuals to work on casework and policy advice. You will develop and use expert knowledge, analysis and judgement, communicating effectively with a wide and varied audience. Working in the team to support the Committee will offer you the opportunity to work across government to manage the risks associated with potential conflicts of interest between an individual’s time in office and their new external appointment.
We are proud of the work we do and how we support each other to deliver impactful decisions in a reactive environment. We have spent time reflecting on our values – Independent, Respectful and Expert – and how we embody these in our work. We invest considerable time in how we make decisions so staff can be confident in the judgements they are making. We pride ourselves on our supportive culture where staff can safely test their thinking, including with someone outside of their own team.
Our most recent People Survey results put My Manager at 88% and Inclusion and Fair Treatment at 97%. You will be fully supported to make a valuable contribution to the team and to your own development during your time with us.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The successful candidates have the potential to make a significant impact by supporting senior stakeholders, including the ACOBA Chair and Committee Members, Permanent Secretaries and Ministers. The roles suit individuals who: are intellectually curious, able to work with discretion, possess sound judgement, and can critically assess information and build strong relationships with stakeholders.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

We are looking for individuals who have the ability to:

• think critically and use strong analytical skills to make judgements based on evidence and within a framework of codes and guidance;
• interact confidently and professionally with a range of stakeholders;
• draft to a high standard and be flexible in style and tone when writing to different stakeholders including independent office holders, ministers, officials, the gov.uk website and the media - recognising that material is regularly quoted and scrutinised externally;
• understand how factors in the external environment may impact on the work of ACOBA;
• act with professionalism and discretion;
• be equally confident working independently and collaboratively on casework and policy advice, using appropriate escalation as required;
• maintain, interrogate and report on data, with an eye for detail and accuracy;
• multitask and prioritise, with exceptional record-keeping and organisational skills; and
• contribute to a positive team culture.

We are an expert, friendly and impactful team with a highly collaborative ethos. Our excellent staff survey results demonstrate our great emphasis on wellbeing and providing career development opportunities.

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

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

You will be:

• managing a caseload of applications from departments, senior officials and former ministers;
• building relationships with a range of stakeholders across government and externally to gather information;
• analysing information from departments, applicants and other sources, using guidance, precedent and collaboration to develop appropriate recommendations on the application of the Rules, and supporting the Committee’s decision-making process;
• drafting advice and correspondence for senior stakeholders in collaboration with, and using feedback from, the wider team;
• drafting and editing publications on the ACOBA website;
• handling requests under the Freedom of Information Act, correspondence from Members of Parliament, and media inquiries - liaising with the Press Officer where required;
• supporting the Head of ACOBA and members of the Committee in wider policy discussions.