Driving Examiner - London and South East Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Salary £28,119
Job grade Executive Officer
Contract type Permanent
Business area DVSA - Operations South - Vehicle and Driver Services
Type of role Operational Delivery
Working pattern Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
Number of jobs available 30
Contents
Location
About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information
Location Please note that we operate a cluster-based approach to test delivery. A cluster is an area that contains a number of test centres, which means that you can be appointed to any of the locations within the cluster you have selected. As part of your application you will need to submit your choice of preferred cluster. Please refer to the attached Location List to see the test centres within each cluster to help you choose your preferred cluster.
Job summary Be there at the start of the journey to help make our roads safer… You introduce yourself to a very nervous driving test candidate. (You’ll remember those test day nerves!) You put them at ease, walk them to the car, and they drive out of the centre to take their test. You control how the test is delivered and assess their driving skills. You alone determine if they pass or fail.
You are a Driving Examiner.
Job description
As a Driving Examiner, you will:
Work from a driving test centre but spend the majority of your day in the candidate’s cars carrying out driving tests on the local roads.
Treat all candidates with courtesy and respect, taking full account of diversity whilst maintaining exceptional customer service levels.
Assess the level of driving displayed by candidates against the DVSA standards and ensure you follow DVSA operating procedures.
Accurately record test results after the test has finished using appropriate technical wordings on a DVSA tablet device.(iPad)
Make timely, justified and sometimes difficult and unpopular decisions
Have a calm and clear manner to tactfully deliver the disappointing news of a failed test.
Support the Local Driving Test Manager and colleagues to maintain an effective working environment in the test centre.
For further information about the role, please see the attached Candidate Pack.
Person specification Who are we looking for? We don't need you to come with a background in driver training or any other driving related profession. We will provide you with all the training you need. What we do need from you are some essential skills such as:
Customer Service - It’s your way with people that really sets you apart. You understand that, at the same time as conducting an assessment, you’re also providing an important service to our customers.
Teamwork - Within the test centre you will work with colleagues – a team of professionals, all focussed on helping people start a lifetime of safe driving. It is essential that you're the kind of person who can work effectively with others when it really counts.
Communication - Committed to doing all you can to provide a positive experience for the candidate, you will have what it takes to build rapport with people from diverse backgrounds and put them at ease at a time when they’re likely to be nervous. You will need to make and tactfully explain unpopular decisions.
Safe & Competent Driver - You understand and can demonstrate what safe driving looks like.
Additional Information DVSA deliver driving tests from a nationwide network of test centres. We group these test centres into 'clusters'. This means that although you will have a home base centre, you are required to conduct tests at any centre within your chosen cluster. Full time driving examiners would be expected to conduct 7 driving tests per day and required to work 37 hours per week, over a 7 day week. This means working any 5 days over 7, including weekends. If staff are required to work a weekend, then days off will be taken during the week. A variety of work patterns are available which include rotational weekend working. We promote a working environment that supports a range of flexible options to enhance your work life balance. More information on the work patterns can also be found by visiting Driving Examiner Information. Once offered a post, you would be required to start in your role on the earliest available training programme after pre-employment checks are complete. Your training will begin online and you will be issued with pre course learning to get you up to speed ahead of your agreed start date. Once you start with us, we will need you to travel to our one of our regional training centres for your practical training but expenses will be paid.
About Us
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) helps keep Britain moving, safely and sustainably.
We do this by supporting people through a lifetime of safe and sustainable journeys, helping them keep their vehicles safe to drive, and protecting them from unsafe drivers and vehicles.
We’re working hard to:
make roads safer
improve services for our customers
make road transport greener and healthier
harness the potential of technology and data
grow and level up the economy
We’re committed to giving all our colleagues purpose, professionalism and pride in what we do. We work in supportive, diverse and inclusive teams where everyone is valued. You can grow, develop and progress, and make a real difference to society.
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, such as ethnic minorities, women, disabled people and people from the LGBT+ community. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace and making DVSA a great place to work visit our Careers website.
Licences
• You must have held a full UK or EU driving licence continuously for the last 3 years
• No more than 3 penalty points on your licence.
• For applicants with an EU licence please note that if you are successful in the recruitment process and offered a post there is a requirement to exchange your licence for a GB equivalent before attending the new entrant training course.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Managing a Quality Service
Communicating and Influencing
Making Effective Decisions
Working Together
Benefits
Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you’ll enjoy an range of fantastic benefits:
An environment with flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance
Exceptional pension with an employer contribution of an average of 27%
Generous Annual Leave - 25 days holiday, increasing by 1 each year of service, up to 30
8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday
Latest IT and Tech devices
A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues
Excellent learning and development tailored to your role including paid apprenticeships up to Masters level
Wide range of discounts schemes on high street names
Employee assistance program for health and wellbeing
Cycle to work scheme and Gym membership offers
Things you need to know Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Ability and Experience.
There are several stages to the application and assessment process.
As part of the application form candidates will be asked to provide a brief career history. Please note this will not be scored and is for information purposes only.
During your application, you should indicate which cluster you wish to be considered for and, if successful, you will be placed on a reserve list of candidates for that cluster. Offers in each cluster will made in merit order.
We advise you to carefully consider which cluster you apply for as if you decline an offer for your preferred cluster, your application will be withdrawn.
If you are successful and your preferred cluster has already been filled, we may offer you an alternative cluster within a reasonable travelling distance. You will not be offered locations that are outside a reasonable travelling distance.
The deadline for submitting your full application is Friday 13th October at 23:55. You must ensure you have submitted your application by this deadline in order to receive the online test invitation.
Stage 1 – Civil Service Customer Service Test After submission of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Skills Test. Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 11:30am on Monday 16th October 2023. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website. The closing date for the tests is 11:30am on Monday 16th October; and if you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn.
Stage 2 – Interview
Candidates that meet the standard of the online test will be invited to undertake a pre-recorded online interview.
Pre-recorded video interviewing has been chosen for this stage of the selection process. You will have the opportunity to respond to questions that have been selected for this role - the best part - you can take this interview anywhere and at a time that is convenient for you within the deadline.
The interview offers you the following benefits:
The chance to bring your skills and attributes alive
Really demonstrate why you're ideal for the job
Demonstrate your communication skills in 'real-time'
You will be given a deadline submitting your interview recording.
We encourage you to complete this interview as soon as possible before the deadline so we can help you if you require any technical support.
Stage 3 – Driving Assessment If you are successful at the Interview stage, you will be invited to a driving assessment (undertaken in a manual car provided by DVSA). You will be expected to drive on various types of roads and in different traffic conditions. This will include a section of independent driving. You’ll be asked to give a short talk-through of your observations, including how you prioritise risks and plan your responses accordingly. Safety and technique will be assessed, while being mindful of eco-safe driving techniques. We will endeavour to conduct your driving assessment within your local area. However, this is not always possible and we may need you to travel further afield to undertake this assessment. In the event of a high volume of applicants, we reserve the right to raise the pass mark at each stage of the selection process to determine how many candidates progress to the next stage.
Before submitting your application, we encourage you to visit our Things You Need to Know page for further information.
Further Information
Please note that this vacancy consists of several linked adverts for the same roles but in different locations. The references of which are as follows:
314268 - Driving Examiner - Scotland, NE Yorks & Humber
317082 - Driving Examiner - East of England, East Midlands, South West
317109 - Driving Examiner - North West, West Midlands, Wales
If you apply for more than one of the linked adverts above, your test and interview scores from your first submitted application will be automatically carried across to any other applications you make. This means you will only be invited to attend one interview. After interview, separate merit lists will be created for each advert (i.e. location) and appointments will be made in strict merit order. If you are successful and accept an offer, all other linked applications will be withdrawn.
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 you’re 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 If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section. 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 cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.
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.
Pre-employment Checking
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 applicant’s 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.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
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) 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 This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative. The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window). 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 :DVSA Front Line Recruitment Team
Email :recruitment.newcastle@dvsa.gov.uk
Recruitment team
Email :recruitment.newcastle@dvsa.gov.uk
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website Here
Attachments
Candidate Pack DE Opens in new window(pdf, 1245kB)London & South East location list Opens in new window(pdf, 425kB)