Data Support (CR2328)
Role details
Job location
Tech stack
Job description
You will work as part of a team within DSG who are responsible for providing data support to a range of research and surveillance projects in the fields of national and international veterinary public health. The main roles of this post are:
- Data handling, database entry and reporting to help manage animal disease surveillance data on various IT systems and to ensure the highest standards of data quality on these systems.
- To liaise with APHA colleagues and external customers to validate and resolve data related issues.
- To create document and project support conforming to ISO9001 quality standards.
- To produce a wide range of animal surveillance project reports across multiple disease portfolios.
- To design, develop and manage databases and reports for new projects using a range of software.
- To advise policymakers on data issues both within and outside APHA.
You will join a small team that manages a range of science portfolios including TSE, Salmonella, bTB and AI.
In particular, your tasks will be to:
- Provide a focal point of expertise in data sources and data sets across the APHA.
- Foster effective links with other workgroups within APHA and elsewhere to resolve data related issues e.g. testing laboratories & external IT suppliers.
- Develop a strong understanding of surveillance data, manage changes, and identify potential problems ahead of time, ensuring their impact on the affected data systems, outputs and reports is fully considered.
- Provide day-to-day advice and support, deal with enquiries and manage casework.
- Provide project support through the management of shared mailboxes, organising meetings and taking minutes of meetings.
- Define, review and evaluate current processes and technical instructions.
- Enhance data quality, create new reports and identify current and potential data related issues, and implement the necessary processes to support continuous improvement.
- To provide data management support to the National Emergency Epidemiology Group (NEEG) in the event of an animal disease outbreak.
- To produce, maintain and enhance high-standard routine reports using various databases and tools such as SQL, R, Microsoft Access and PowerBI.
- Comply to ISO9001 standards.
- Liaise with the requesters and the Privacy Impact team over compliance with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). If required, assist in the completion and tracking of Data Sharing requests.
Responsibilities
You will be expected to:
- Take ownership and responsibility for routine tasks and ensure managers are notified of potential problems at an early stage.
- Identify problems and apply sound judgement, evidence, and knowledge to propose, justify and record potential solutions.
- Be organised and efficient with the ability to manage multiple work streams in parallel, planning workload and working pattern to ensure deadlines and customer expectations are met.
- Liaise with stakeholders, therefore confidence in written (email) and oral communication (phone, in person and presentation) is essential for this role.
- Have a good understanding of how their role impacts the wider teams and stakeholders and be responsive to changes.
- Be proactive, innovative and demonstrate the ability to identify opportunities for streamlining working procedures to enhance data quality.
- Apply excellent problem-solving skills and apply lessons learnt from previous experiences should similar problems re-occur in the future., 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. Some travel will be required to attend training courses and meetings. You must have a valid driving licence or be able to call upon suitable alternate means of transport. 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.
Staff may be required to work weekends, Bank Holidays and occasional evenings in the event of an incident or disease outbreak. In the event of this you may be eligible for overtime payments and where overtime is approved you will receive appropriate payment. APHA Management reserves the right to change overtime patterns to meet requirements., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Changing and Improving
- Managing a Quality Service
- Communicating and Influencing, 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 .
The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Governments response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason, all staff based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance. Applicants must be currently resident in the UK and have at least three years continuous UK residency in order to start the mandatory Counter Terrorist Check security checks that are required to work at APHA Weybridge. If you cannot meet this criterion, CTC clearance will not be possible as this is part of pre-employment checks before taking up the post.
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.
Feedback Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
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 counter-terrorist check .
See our vetting charter . People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks., * 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)
- 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
Requirements
Do you have a valid Driving License license?, Do you have experience in SQL?, * Understanding of relational databases, including maintenance, support and development processes.
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Familiarity with data management systems and quality assurance processes.
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Proven ability to learn new technologies and effectively apply these skills.
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Experience in communicating with stakeholders, both internal and external.
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Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong interpersonal capabilities.
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Ability to effectively work across multiple teams and projects in parallel.
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Exceptional attention to detail.
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Understanding of data security and data protection requirements, including GDPR compliance., A degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subject or equivalent experience as detailed., The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Governments response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason, all postholders based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance or above. It is up to each person applying for a post at APHA Weybridge to ensure they meet the residency criteria. Applicants must be currently resident in the UK & have at least three years continuous UK residency as this is a requirement to work at the Weybridge site where the team and work is situated., * Ability to applying scientific and technical knowledge in practical scenarios
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Basic skills using software including SQL based tools and applications, PowerBI and Microsoft Access with the ability to further develop these skills
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A good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Excel (including advanced formulae and macros)
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Experience working with relational databases and SQL language, This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills., * A 500-word Personal Statement of how you match the details in the Personal Specification the written evidence you provide must relate to your own experiences. We encourage you to use the full word allowance of the Personal Statement but not to exceed it.
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A 250-word Behaviour Statement for the following Behaviour: Making Effective Decisions. Please use the STAR technique (Situation Task, Action, Result) to provide evidence of this Behaviours in your application.
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A 250-word Technical Statement giving details against the requirements:
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Ability to applying scientific and technical knowledge in practical scenarios.
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Basic skills using software including SQL based tools and applications, PowerBI and Microsoft Access with the ability to further develop these skills.
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A good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Excel (including advanced formulae and macros) is essential for this role.
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Experience working with relational databases and SQL language., * Experience as detailed in the Person Specification section - Success Profiles: Experience - GOV.UK framework.
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Technical skills, as outlined below, following the Success Profiles: Technical - GOV.UK framework. These will be evaluated during the interview through a structured set of questions.
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Behaviours (Making Effective Decisions, Changing and Improving, Managing a Quality Service, Communicating and Influencing). The Behaviour criteria outlined in the Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK framework for EO positions. Please use the STAR technique (Situation Task, Action, Result) to provide evidence of the Behaviours in your interview.
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You will also be required to prepare a 10-minute oral presentation with slides, followed by 5 minutes for questions and answers, which will also be assessed under the technical criteria. Full details of the presentation will be given when you are invited for interview.
Benefits & conditions
Pulled from the full job description
- Childcare
- Annual leave
- Employee discount
- Company pension
- Paid volunteer time, £33,350, Alongside your salary of £33,350, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £9,661 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
In return for your dedication and hard work, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training as inclusion, support and the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA.
Our benefits include generous annual leave, a generous employer contributory pension Civil Service pension (28.97%), staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme, reward vouchers and in-year bonuses. We also offer additional days off if accrued extra hours (flexi-time if accumulated), three paid volunteering days per year. We also have a social committee who run team building and fun events at the Weybridge site. Further details can be found in the Candidate Information Pack.
Everyone in APHA is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, our work and our policies. Your line manager will also work with you to establish your priorities for the year, developing a performance, learning and development plan tailored to you and your role., New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.
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.
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.
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.
