NVQ Assessor

							NVQ Assessor
NVQ943
Flexible, but with a base at Unipart House, Cowley, Oxford
37 hours per week. Fixed term to 30th November 2008

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

Closing Date:               4pm 4th April

Interview Date:             Week commencing 14th April

You can apply online at: jobs.oxfordshire.gov.uk

To discuss the post further, please contact: Dorte Chandler Tel 01865
797268

If you have any queries about completing your application form please contact
Jane Foley on 01865 797388 or email jobs@oxfordshire.gov.uk


Contents

   1. Oxfordshire County Council

   2. Information on Directorate and Service Area

   3. Job Description

   4. Selection Criteria

   5. Information for applicants on terms and conditions

   6. Recruitment Charter

   7. Application form (If receiving postal pack).



   •   Please quote the job reference on all correspondence
                  Oxfordshire County Council
The County Council is the main provider of local government services in
Oxfordshire, employs approximately 22,000 people and has a budget of
around £740m. We are committed to providing cost-effective public services
which meet the needs and expectations of Oxfordshire residents.
We are a four star authority, our objectives are low taxes, real choice and
value for money.

The Council is organised into five Strategic Directorates and the Chief
Executive’s office as shown below.

The County Council management Team consists of the Chief Executive and
five Strategic Directors.

       CORPORATE CORE                          SOCIAL & COMMUNITY
                                                     SERVICES
Chief Executive – Joanna Simons                Director – John Jackson


 ENVIRONMENT & ECONOMY                     CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE &
                                                      FAMILIES
   Director – Richard Dudding                Director – Janet Tomlinson

       COMMUNITY SAFETY                        DIRECTOR FOR PUBLIC
                  &                                     HEALTH
        SHARED SERVICES                     Director – Jonathan McWilliams
        Director – John Parry

The County Council Management Team (CCMT) consists of the Chief
Executive, the four strategic directors and the Head of Finance and
Procurement.

The Council has adopted a set of values, which guide everything we do.
They are:

   •    Customer Focus
   •    Honesty
   •    One Team
   •    Involvement
   •    Can do
   •    Effective and Efficient
                     Directorate Information
Community Safety and Shared Services

Community Safety brings together a number of key functions involved with
safeguarding our communities. The Director is John Parry.

Heads of service
John Parry is Director for Community Safety & Chief Fire Officer. There are
four Heads of Service in Community Safety:

   •   Mike Smyth - Deputy Chief Fire Officer
   •   David Etheridge - Assistant Chief Fire Officer
   •   Colin Thomas - Business Manager for the directorate
   •   Nigel Strick – Head of Community Safety and Trading Standards

Emergency Planning Unit
This unit is responsible for meeting the council's obligations in respect for civil
defence and major industrial accidents/hazards. It plans and co-ordinates the
council's response to major civil emergencies and co-ordinates local authority
and other service responses in an emergency.

Fire and Rescue Service
Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service provide fire cover for the county and
trained officers offer safety advice to businesses and the community. See the
Fire and public safety pages for more information about what we do.

Safer Communities Unit
The Safer Communities Unit is based at Rewley Road in Oxford, where work
is underway to ensure that the council considers the prevention of crime and
disorder and the safety of Oxfordshire's communities in everything it does.

Five Community Safety Partnerships have been established to tackle the
problems faced by people who live and work in the five districts. Oxfordshire
County Council is one of six key members of each of these partnerships.

Directorates such as Children, Young People and Families, Social &
Community Services, Environment & Economy, and services such as the
Youth Offending Service, Fire and Rescue Service (both within the
Community Safety Directorate) and Trading Standards, within Environment &
Economy all have important parts to play in implementing various aspects of
these strategies. This is co-ordinated through the Safer Communities Unit.

Gypsy and Traveller Services
Oxfordshire Gypsy and Traveller Services deals with unauthorised
encampments and manages the six county council owned permanent sites. In
addition, it conducts consultation and negotiations between the Traveller
community and the settled community.
The service is based in Bicester Fire Station and is split into two teams,
permanent site management and unauthorised encampments.

Trading Standards
This service is responsible for the enforcement of a wide range of legislation
controlling the advertising, marketing, distribution and supply of goods and
services throughout the manufacturing importation, distribution and service
chain.

Its remit covers civil, criminal, and contract law including food standards,
product safety, trade descriptions, consumer credit, animal health and welfare,
weights and measures, trade marks, electronic commerce and unfair trading
practices.

Shared Service

Excellent service and value for money are the twin drivers of our Shared
Services.

One of the biggest ‘change’ exercises Oxfordshire County Council has ever
undertaken – it required change in process, practice and culture. Preparation
started in 2005 and involved consultation with customers, staff and UNISON.
Implementation was kick-started in 2007. Our current scope is to create a new
team of 300 under new leadership in a new office, reengineering processes as
we go.


Shared Services brings together skills, expertise and best practice from
across the organisation, to deliver:


   consistent and improving high quality professional support and delivery
   excellent customer service
   economies of scale
   improved financial management and control
   reduced or eliminated duplication of effort
   improved shared knowledge
   better ability to embrace technology solutions

The final plan will deliver all Finance and HR ‘transactional’ activities and
advice and support from a single site, with clear defined links between Shared
Services, Directorates and the Professional functions. In practice we will have
more than 20 individual teams operating within the HR and Finance Services.

The real innovation in the way this service works lies in our commitment to
engaging our customers’ right from the start to develop a two-way partnership.
We have a publicised plan to work with our customers through Consulting,
Informing, Listening, Acting and Two way Partnerships. We have done this
through a series of programmes within all teams.
                    OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

                  Community Safety and Shared Services


                             JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:          NVQ Assessor
Team:               Learning and Development
Post No:            25000111
Grade:              9 £23,749 - £26,067 (pro rata)
Hours:              37
Responsible to:     OXCARE Centre Manager

Job Type:           Fixed term to 30th November 2008

Main purpose(s) of the job:

To provide internal verification and assessment for assessors, candidate
assessors and NVQ candidates working with vulnerable adults in statutory,
voluntary and public care settings. To enable them to achieve NVQ awards
which may include NVQ levels 2,3,4 in Care and the Registered Manager
Award.

To work within an equal opportunities framework and in accordance with
quality assurance requirements of OXCARE Assessment centre, City and
Guilds Awarding Body, the Adult Learning Inspectorate as well as those of the
various funding bodies.

To provide assessment information, advice and guidance to promote learning
and help make the experience of gaining awards positive. The post-holder
will have responsibility for a workload of specified internal verification and
assessment for a defined geographical area of Oxfordshire.

The post-holder will need to be up to date with occupational legislation,
knowledge and competence in order to support people working with a wide
range of vulnerable people. The post holder will need to have thorough
knowledge of NVQs, operational implications and how they relate to quality
assurance.


Working independently and as an ambassador for the Learning and
Qualifications section, the post-holder will be expected to adopt an innovative
and creative approach to facilitate achievement for candidates as well as
meeting government qualification targets.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES

The Internal Verifier/assessor will:
* Working independently and as a member of the OXCARE team work with
Managers of social care establishment to enable them to take a strategic
workforce planning approach to meting government qualification targets.

* Take responsibility for own continual professional development in order to
remain up to date with changes in legislation, occupational competence and
knowledge and to provide quality assurance and assessment in the social
care practice of others.

* Attend bi-monthly OXCARE team meetings, assessor standardisation
meetings and quarterly internal verifier meetings in order to contribute to
quality assurance of awards, the revision and implementation of changes to
quality assurance standards as recommended by City and Guilds External
Verifier, as well as other management issues related to OXCARE.

* Ensure that records of standardisation meetings are prepared and recorded
in accordance with City and Guilds.

* Have responsibility for monitoring and recording the assessment practice
and continual professional development of an identified assessor workload to
ensure the quality of assessment in line with City and Guilds quality
assurance guidelines.

* Provide City and Guilds documentation to the OXCARE administrators to
ensure the database is updated with the progress of candidates and
assessors to meet the wide range of data reporting and quality audit
requirements e.g. Funding bodies, OCC, FE. DIS, DoH City and Guilds and
ALI

* Following NVQ candidate Induction and standardisation meetings, continue
to provide 1:1 support to meet individual learning and development needs and
ensure candidate compliance with National Occupational standards and
legislation.

* Negotiate, agree and review with candidate assessors and candidates,
regular support/ monitoring to provide the best possible opportunities for
award achievement within agreed time scales.

* Have responsibility for managing a workload of internal verifiers, assessors
and candidates across a range of awards and provider establishments in an
identified geographic area of Oxfordshire.


This job description is not intended to be exhaustive. The post-holder will be
expected to adopt a flexible attitude to the duties which may have to be varied
subject to the needs of the service and in keeping with the general profile of
the post.
Selection Criteria

Directorate: Community Safety and Shared Services
Job Title: NVQ Assessor
Job Ref. No: NVQ943
Grade: 9 £23,749 - £26,067 (pro rata)


Educational achievements, Qualifications, Training and Knowledge:

Essential
GCSE Level in English and Maths or equivalent.

Basic computer Skills including familiarity with Word/ database /Access

Assessor Award D32/33 or A1

Internal verifier award D 34 / V1( or to achieve in first year of employment)

Experience:
Essential
Ability to work without close supervision.

Have experience of motivating staff.

Have at least 4 years social care experience.

Have at least 2 years experience as an Internal Verifier/Assessor for NVQs

Have experience of direct work with vulnerable adults.

Occupational experience at level 3

Job related aptitude and skills:
Essential
Good organisational skills

A working knowledge of word-processing.

Ability to communicate clearly and courteously with people at all levels within
and outside the organisation.

Have proven internal verification skills

Have proven assessment skills

Have skills in providing constructive feedback.
Have thorough knowledge of quality assurance relating to C&G and ALI

Personal qualities:
Essential
Reliability

Honesty

Flexibility

Ability to work alone and as part of a team.

Have an interest in and commitment to continuing personal development.

Special Requirements:
Essential
Be prepared to travel to all parts of the county.

Full clean drivers licence

Equal Opportunities:
Essential
Commitment to and understanding of the principles of Equal Opportunities for
all, in employment and the delivery of services.



Educational achievements, Qualifications, Training and Knowledge:

Desirable
Recognised professional social work qualification (DipSW/CQSW/CSS NVQ
Care level 3/4) or equivalent

NVQ4 in Care

Registered Manager Award

Experience:
Desirable
Management experience

Occupational experience to level 4
                       CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

Your appointment is subject to the Conditions of Service of the National Joint
Council for Local Government Services (Green Book) as supplemented by the
County Council’s locally negotiated conditions.

Payment:
Your salary will be paid monthly in arrears by bank credit transfer.

Annual Leave:
Number of days (pro rata for part-time)
                   Below 5            Over 5 and less than       Over 10 years'
Grade
                  years' service 10 years' service              service
 Up to and
                     24               29                           29
including Grade 6
Grade 7 - 8          27               29                           30
 Grade 9 and
                     29               29                           32
above

Working hours:
Standard working hours are 37 hours per week (normally Monday to Friday
unless otherwise stated). If the post you are applying for is part-time, the
hours will be stated in the advertisement and the job pack.

Probationary Period:
Your appointment will be subject to a probationary/review period of 6 months.

Pension Scheme:
The scheme is a final salary pension scheme. You will automatically join the
Local Government Pension Scheme unless you specifically opt out. It is
contributory and 6% of your salary is deducted for pension contribution.

Medical Clearance:
The appointment is subject to a satisfactory health declaration.

Politically Restricted Posts:
Posts which are politically sensitive or where the salary is £34,986 (Spinal
Column Point 44) or above, are politically restricted under The Local
Government and Housing Act 1989.

Asylum and Immigration Act 1996:
You will be required to provide documentary evidence that you are entitled to
work in the UK.

Equality and Social Inclusion:
The Council is opposed to any form of unfair discrimination and is publicly
committed to be an equal opportunity employer. It is our practice to eliminate
discrimination in employment practices by disregarding assumptions or
preferences which are not strictly job related whether in selection for
appointment, promotion or transfer, or in the application of conditions of
service.

Car Allowance:
If you use your car for work, you will be paid in line with the Inland Revenue
‘All Car’ mileage rate. Current rates are 10,000 miles at 40p/mile per financial
year and any further mileage will be paid at 25p/mile.

Cycle Allowance:
If you use your bicycle for work you can claim 20p per mile travelled.

Travel Loans:
The employee travel loan scheme aims to support staff who already travel to
work by bus, bike or train, and to encourage those staff who drive to consider
the alternatives. The interest free loans are available to all permanent staff as
well as staff on temporary contracts provided that they are able to repay the
loan before their employment contract ends.

Retirement:
The normal retirement age for men and women employed by Oxfordshire
County Council is on their 65th birthday. However, you have a legal right to
request that the Council allow you to continue working beyond age 65. The
Council will write to you at least six months and no more than 12 months
before your 65th birthday informing you of your options.

Notice:
The following periods of notice are applicable to both employer and employee:

Salary Range                    Notice Period
Up to Grade 8                   One calendar month
Grade 9 - 13                    Two calendar months
Grade 14                        Three calendar months
HOW TO APPLY

   You can apply online at jobs.oxfordshire.gov.uk

   Applications should reach us no later than the closing date and time
   stated.

   Please make sure that in your application you provide evidence of your
   achievements against the selection criteria, as this will be the basis of the
   shortlisting process.

    Please provide phone, fax and e-mail contact details for your referees
    where possible.

   Interviews will be held on the date on the date specified; candidates will be
   required to attend the selection process.


If you are unable to apply online please return your completed application to

Jane Foley
Recruitment & Retention Team
Oxfordshire County Council
Chiltern House
Garsington Road
Oxford OX4 2PG

Fax number: 01865 783125
           Recruitment Charter
What you can expect when you apply for a job with
          Oxfordshire County Council

• The County Council has adopted a Recruitment Charter, which sets out
  the standards which you can expect from Oxfordshire County Council
  during the recruitment process, including how your information will be
  held and used under the Data Protection Act (1998).

• Please let us know if we don’t meet these standards by ringing (01865)
  797384 or email jobs@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

• The County Council will not base any part of its recruitment and
  selection process on your:


       ethnic origin                            sex
       age                                      marital or parental status
       religious belief                         sexual orientation
       involvement in a trade union             criminal convictions which
                                                are “spent”


Any exceptions to this policy will be clearly set out in the application pack.

Applications
• The County Council welcomes applications from candidates with
  disabilities. We will make any reasonable adjustments to the
  recruitment and selection process that may be required to enable you
  to pursue your application, provided you let us know about these.

•   If you have a disability and would like help with your application please
    contact the Oxfordshire Employment Service (an Oxfordshire County
    Council Service) on (01865) 791606.

•   The advert will give clear contact details for further information. We aim
    to answer the telephone within five rings. In some cases you may be
    asked to leave an answer phone message. We will immediately
    acknowledge enquiries received by email.

•   We aim to send an application pack to you within two working days of
    your request being received.
   •   The application pack will provide the basis for you to make an informed
       decision about whether to apply for the job. It will contain, as a
       minimum:
                    • an application form
                    • a copy of the job description
                    • a copy of the selection criteria
                    • information about the terms and conditions of the job
                    • information about the selection process for the job
                    • Information about how to apply
       The information above is also available online for most advertised
       posts at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/jobs.

   •   If you decide to apply online for a vacancy your online form will be
       received and stored securely in a dedicated location.

   •   If you complete your application form online you will be asked to sign it
       at interview.

   •   If you are handwriting an application form please write as clearly as
       possible. Alternatively you can request an application form in Microsoft
       Word format or apply online.

   •   Applications are welcome from candidates wishing to job share or work
       on a part-time basis unless the advert or application pack specifically
       indicates otherwise.

   •   We will acknowledge your application if you provide a stamped
       addressed envelope or postcard. If you have applied online you will
       receive confirmation of receipt by email.

   •   Please note that CV’s will only be accepted as supporting documents
       to a fully completed application form.

   •   The information you provide will be treated in confidence.

   •   Your details, once received, will be logged on a confidential recruitment
       database and the hard copy held in a secure filing system. Only
       authorised staff involved in the recruitment process have access to
       these details.


Eligibility to work in the United Kingdom

   •   The Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 requires us to check that you
       are entitled to work in the UK. Further details of evidence you will need
       to provide will be given to you before your interview or before starting
       work with us.
Declaration of Unspent Convictions

   •   It is the County Council’s policy that you declare any un-spent
       convictions when you are applying for a job with us.

   •   We are asking you for this information because, as a local authority
       providing public services, we have a duty to balance our commitment to
       help ex-offenders find work with our need to protect those in the
       Council’s care, receiving its services and the public.

   •   The Council’s policy states clearly that any relevant convictions are
       taken into account. Please refer to the disclosures policy for further
       information.

Declaration of Spent Convictions

   •   If the job you are applying for involves substantial access to children
       and/or vulnerable adults we also need you to declare any spent
       convictions on your application form as these posts are exempt from
       the provisions of section 4(2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act
       1974 by virtue of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions)
       Order 1975.

   •   Details of the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 can
       be found in the booklet produced by the Home Office called "Wiping
       the Slate Clean" (HMSO).

Sickness Monitoring

   •   We ask you to declare how many periods of sickness absence you
       have had in the last two years, and your referees will be asked to verify
       this information if you reach the final stages of the recruitment process.

   •   We ask you this because the Council regards high standards of
       attendance as important and we will wish to discuss and seek to
       overcome any issues that may prevent you from attending work
       regularly.


Equal Opportunities

   •   The recruitment monitoring section of the application form (which gives
       details of your sex, ethnic origin, date of birth and any disability) will be
       detached before the form reaches the selection panel and this
       information will not be made available to them. If you have indicated
       that you have a disability, the recruiting manager will be made aware of
       this to ensure that you are given an interview if you meet the essential
       selection criteria.
   •   The information you provide on the recruitment monitoring section will
       be held in confidence by the HR department and the details logged
       onto a confidential recruitment database. The information will be used
       for statistical purposes to enable the County Council to carry out its
       equal opportunities monitoring obligations.

   •   Oxfordshire County Council is an equal opportunities employer and is
       committed to promoting equality and social inclusion. The County
       Council operates a policy whose aim is to ensure that unlawful or
       otherwise unjustifiable discrimination does not take place in
       recruitment. To help the County Council monitor the effectiveness of
       this policy (and for no other reason) you are asked to provide the
       information requested on the recruitment monitoring section.


Shortlisting

   •   Shortlisting will be carried out by assessing the evidence provided on
       application forms against the selection criteria.

   •   We will shortlist all disabled applicants who meet the essential
       selection criteria.

   •   It is Oxfordshire County Council’s policy to advertise vacancies both
       internally and externally wherever possible, and to give equal
       consideration to all applicants.

   •   We aim to tell you whether you have been shortlisted within two weeks
       of the closing date.

Selection process

   •   The manager responsible for making the selection decision will have
       completed training in fair and effective recruitment and selection.

   •   If you are invited to an interview or test, you will be given at least a
       week’s (i.e. 7 days) notice, unless stated otherwise in the
       advertisement.

   •   If the job you are applying for asks for qualifications as essential
       selection criteria you will be asked to bring certificates to your interview
       to verify this information.

   •   You will be informed in advance about the selection techniques to be
       used. These will always relate directly to the selection criteria.

   •   If the selection process includes checks with the Criminal Records
       Bureau you will be advised how this is carried out.
  •   If the selection process includes psychometric tests, you will be sent a
      copy of the County Council’s policy on testing, together with practice
      papers. Psychometric tests will only be used and interpreted by
      appropriately trained staff.

  •   If you are invited to an interview, you will be told how much you can
      claim for travelling and other expenses. Expenses can only be claimed
      for travel to interview from within the UK.

  •   The final selection decision will be made by assessing against the
      selection criteria the evidence which the panel has obtained from your:

              application form              references
              interview                     any other tests or exercises used

  •   At your interview you will be told when you will hear the final outcome
      of your application. We aim to contact you within three working days.

  •   Feedback about your performance in the selection process will be
      provided on request. In the case of psychometric tests, this would be
      by a qualified test user.


References

  •   References will normally be obtained after interview for the preferred
      candidate. As part of your application we ask you to provide the names
      of at least two referees, one of whom must be your current Line
      Manager, or if you are not working your former Line Manager. If you
      have never worked you will need to provide the names of two people
      who can confirm that you meet the selection criteria for the job. We will
      ask on the application form if we can contact the referee without further
      authority from you. If you are already an employee of the County
      Council then for certain posts you may only be asked for one reference
      from your current Line Manager.

Medical Clearance

  •   All offers of appointment are subject to obtaining satisfactory medical
      clearance. You will be asked to complete a health questionnaire, and in
      some cases a more detailed questionnaire and/or medical examination
      may be required. If you are in any doubt about your health it is
      advisable not to resign from your current job before clearance is
      obtained.
Data Protection

   •   The personal data you provide during the recruitment process will be
       held on file for a period of 12 months, at which time they will be
       destroyed/deleted.




          This publication is available on the web at
                 www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/jobs
 Alternative formats of this publication can be made available
on request. These include other languages, large print, Braille,
                             audio
               cassette, computer disk or e-mail

                  Please telephone: 0845 050 9500




Updated October 2007