Workstream Manager (CoP Audit Planning)

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Location

Bristol, Nuneaton

About the job

Do you thrive on the challenge of coordinating a fast-paced audit planning process? Would you enjoy the challenge of providing exemplary customer service to the worlds automotive industry? Are you ready to inspire, support and develop a skilled team to achieve outstanding results? If the answer to these questions is "yes" then we want to hear from you! For further information about this role, the work we do and our teams, please refer to the Candidate Pack and Role Profile attached.

About Us

Our work is focused on improving vehicle safety and environmental protection by providing robust testing and certification to national and internationally recognised standards. What we do has a huge societal impact and you could be part of that. We are a part of the Department of Transport as the designated UK Vehicle Type Approval Authority. With more than 40 years experience, we have become one of the largest and well-respected approval bodies around. This position has been built on a reputation for technical expertise and quality, which is at the heart of everything we do, and what you could be a part of.

Please also refer to our Candidate Pack and VCA website for more information.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensionshere

• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays aprivilege day for the Kings birthday

• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at Vehicle Certification Agency - Department for Transport Careers

Job description

This role sits within the Conformity of Production (CoP) departments audit planning team. CoP is the process of ensuring that products comply with the approved specification. This clearance is required for vehicle manufacturers who want to approve and sell their vehicles in Great Britain (GB), Northern Ireland (UKNI) and Europe. This clearance is time limited and covers all assembly plants that the manufacturer utilises. The VCA CoP team deliver CoP clearance to manufacturers holding GB, UK(NI) and UNECE approvals, with the Bristol and Midlands (Nuneaton) teams responsible for the issuing of VCA CoP Compliance Statements for our global operations (including the USA, Japan, India, China, and South Korea). We are also able to facilitate CoP clearance to EU standards through our partners in Italy. Working closely with the VCAs International Operations department and the Type Approval Certification (TAC) team, the CoP team are pivotal in the delivery of vehicle certification. The CoP and TAC teams form the VCAs Statutory Operations Department. Both are overseen by the Chief Technical & Statutory Operations Officer who is the head of the UK Type Approval Authority.

Your main duties will include but will not be limited to:

• Support the training of new CoP Audit Planning team members.
• Manage a team and collaborate with colleagues to manage bottlenecks in service delivery to ensure consistent and dependable output from the agency.
• Maintain an end-to-end operational perspective of VCA and engage with different departments to improve process links and reduce waste.
• Ensure processes are updated proactively and any changes impacting the issuing of approvals are effectively communicated with the Type Approval Certification team and the wider agency as needed.
• Engage with legislation and technical departments to understand changes impacting certification delivery and communicate this with the team, taking appropriate action to ensure readiness.
• Provide input to management reports summarising performance related to KPIs and internal targets.
• Lead by example embracing the Civil Service values and maintain an open-minded task-oriented approach to problem solving and the introduction of innovations.
• Coach and develop colleagues to meet current and future organisational needs and ensure the department has the required capabilities to deliver excellent service to the automotive industry and the public.
• Any other reasonable request commensurate with the grade or as agreed with your line manager.

Person specification

To be successful in this role you will needto havethe following experience:

• Sound analytical, interpretive and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use data and evidence to exercise good judgement, make informed decisions, and provide clear advice or recommendations to others.
• A strong customer focus with the ability to understand customer needs and optimise performance to meet those needs.
• Excellent organisational, planning and leadership skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively, work quickly and accurately, adapt to changing priorities, collaborate across the organisation, and motivate the team to deliver objectives and continuously improve performance.
• Coaching and feedback skills to support individuals to improve performance, achieve their potential, and develop professionally.
• Experience of working in a compliance or regulatory environment.

Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills set out in the Civil Service Line Management Standards

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Additional Information

Operational Delivery Profession (ODP) is the largest and most diverse professional community across the Civil Service. Many of us will have an association with several professional communities or specialisms, ODP applies to all public facing roles / or a role that is primarily aligned to supporting the work of those with public facing roles. All critical to the delivery of UK public services.

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

This roleis suitablefor hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of60%of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, whenrequiredfor business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where youare required toattend above the minimum expectation.

If you have questions regarding how hybrid working is practiced within the business area, or any reasonable adjustments or flexible working arrangements you may currently have or need in place if successful in your application, please contact the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that we are currently unable to offer Skilled Worker Sponsorship. Candidates must ensure they have the appropriate right to work in the UK before applying.

Qualifications

Level 2 qualifications in Math and English, i.e. GCSE - grades 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 or grades A*, A, B, C or equivalent.

You will be required to provide evidence that you hold any essential qualifications at some point during the recruitment process. If you cannot provide evidence, your application will be withdrawn.

Behaviours

• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Leadership

Benefits

Alongside your salary of 37,090, Vehicle Certification Agency contributes 10,744 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensionshere
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
• 8 Bank Holidays plus anadditionalPrivilege Day to mark the Kings birthday.
• Access to the staff discount portal.
• Excellent career development opportunities and thepotentialto undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the Assistance required section in the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if youre deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert or the information on our website, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

If your application is successful but you have been dismissed from the Civil Service, your application could be removed at the pre-employment checking stage depending on the nature of the dismissal.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicants details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

All external applicants and current employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be required to undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check is a review of your publicly available online activity, typically across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others. The purpose is to identify any public posts or content that could raise concerns for employers such as:

• Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour
• Threats or acts of violence
• Illegal activity or substance misuse
• Sexually explicit material
• Extremist views or affiliations

Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public. Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. Its not about judging your personality or lifestyle - its about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture. If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail whats being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly.

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

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