APPLICATION FORM

CONFIDENTIAL APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT

The Royal Parks is committed to the fair treatment of its staff, potential staff or users of its services. Recruitment and selection decisions are made purely on merit as the result of fair and open competition. We are committed to equality of opportunity for the advancement of employees including promotion and training and do not discriminate against any person because of gender, race, ethnic or national origin, religion, sexual orientation, marital status or responsibility for dependants, age, physical/mental disability or offending background.

PLEASE NOTE: The Royal Parks (TRP) and the charity The Royal Parks Foundation have agreed they should become a new single organisation to fundraise for and manage the capital's eight Royal Parks. Both organisations plan to join within a new charitable public corporation.  A detailed plan has been worked up, and work is ongoing but it is hoped the new organisation will be established from 1 December 2016. The new organisation will be a charitable public corporation with increased freedoms and flexibilities to manage the parks more efficiently.

Staff joining TRP before 1 December 2016 will be civil servants but after that date their status will change as TRP will be moving out of the civil service to a new charitable status.  Staff terms and conditions will be protected on transfer.

The closing date for this application is Friday, 15 th July 2016.

Tip: You can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move between fields. Once completed, please email your form to vacancies@royalparks.gsi.gov.uk with the job title as the subject, we don’t require a hard copy as well.

1. JOB POSITION

Position applied for: Landscape Architect

Grade: II

Vacancy reference: LA0616

2. PERSONAL DETAILS

Title: Please select:

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Surname:      

Forename(s):      

Address:      

Postcode:      

Daytime telephone(s):      

Email Address:      

Do you have a full current driving licence? (If required by the job description)

Please select:

Are you currently a Civil Servant? Please select:

Have you ever been a Civil Servant? Please select:

At what stage are you applying? Please select:

3. EDUCATION

A) Secondary Education

School name/address From

(MM/YYYY)

To

(MM/YYYY)

Examinations (subject/result, etc.)

                       

(Tip: Tables will automatically expand as you type if extra space is needed)

B) Further Education and Training

University/college name From

(MM/YYYY)

To

(MM/YYYY)

Type of

Course

Subjects Qualifications or class of degree

                                   

C) Occupational Qualifications/Institute Membership/Membership of Professional Organisations

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College/Institute

or other name

From

(MM/YYYY)

To

(MM/YYYY)

Qualification/level

                       

4. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Please provide details over the last 10 years, including any unpaid or voluntary work, listing present or most recent employer first. Any gaps in employment dates should be explained. If you have any particularly relevant experience dating beyond the last 10 years please include this.

Current salary and benefits or salary when last employed:

£      Notice required:

     

Name and address of employer and type of

business

From

(MM/YYYY)

To

(MM/YYYY)

Job title and main duties

Reason for leaving

                             

                             

                             

                             

                             

                             

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5. REASON FOR APPLICATION – Skills, Qualities and Experience

In this part we want you to highlight your skills, qualities and experience. The competencies relevant to the post you are applying for are listed in the Person Specification on the job description enclosed below. For those competencies listed below, please give specific examples in no more than 200 words for each heading about a time either at work, volunteering or in your personal life that demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria required to do the job. You must ensure that your answers provide clear evidence of the given competency.

Changing and Improving: Understand and apply technology to achieve efficient and effective business and personal results, including taking the lead on CAD management and TRP’s BIM Implementation Plan; review and make suggestions to improve efficiency.     

Making Effective Decisions: Examine complex information and obtain further information to make accurate decisions through all stages of project design and implementation.     

Leading and Communicating: Listen to, understand, respect and accept the value of different views, ideas and ways of working.     

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Collaborating and Partnering: Actively encourage team working, changing ways of working to facilitate collaboration, for the benefit of the teams work.     

Achieving Commercial Outcomes: Recognise when deliverables and/or services derived from a commercial arrangement are not being delivered to the required level of quality or standard and take appropriate action.     

Delivering Value for Money: Manage information and financial data so that it is accurate, easily located and reusable.     

Delivering at Pace: Remain positive and focused on achieving outcomes despite setbacks to ensure that projects are delivered to a high quality and fulfil the expectations of the key stakeholders.     

6. PERSONAL STATEMENT

This is your opportunity to tell us why you think we should select you and why you want the job. Here you can demonstrate how your experience meets the other role competencies in the person specification attached. You may also include personal interests which are relevant and meet the requirements of the post. You must use no more than 350 words.

     

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7. ATTENDANCE RECORD

If you wish to comment on any extended absences from the office, please do so here.

     

8. PART TIME

If you are part time, please state the number of hours that you are able to work and also please confirm if you would consider job share.

9. REFEREES

Please provide the contact details of referees from your employment over the past 3 years.

Please note that your present employer and other referees will not be contacted without your prior consent.

Referee 1 Referee 2Name:       Name:      Address:       Address:      Postcode:       Postcode:      Occupation:       Occupation:      Email:       Email:      Telephone No:

      Telephone No:      

Referee 3 Referee 4Name:       Name:      Address:       Address:      Postcode:       Postcode:      Occupation:       Occupation:      Email:       Email:      Telephone No:

      Telephone No:      

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10. DECLARATION

By submission of your form, you agree to the following:

I confirm that the information given on this form is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true and accurate. I understand that if I have given misleading information on this form, this will be sufficient grounds for terminating my employment. I have personally completed the application form.

Name:       Date: Click here to enter a date.

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11. LINE MANAGER’S ASSESSMENT OF SUITABILITY (or Countersigning Officer if Line Manager not available)

If you are currently employed as a Civil Servant you will be required to complete this section in full. Candidates must attach their entire completed application, with section 11 for their line managers to complete. Please also attach your last 2 years' appraisal reports.

External candidates should proceed directly to Section 12.

1) I consider this applicant to be:

Highly suitable Suitable Unsuitable I am unable to judge

Please comment on your assessment drawing attention to the applicant’s experience/special qualities for the post. If you are unable to judge the applicant’s suitability, please give reasons:

     

To be completed only if applicant is applying for trawled post on promotion.

2) Do you consider the applicant to have the skills and experience to perform at the higher grade they have applied for?

Yes No

Please comment on your promotion assessment:

     

Name:       Grade:       Date: Click here to enter a date.

Line Manager/Countersigning Officer for Please select: years and Please select: months

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12. DIVERSITY FORM (this will be detached from your application by the HR Dept)

Section A: Your Details

Section B: Disability

The Royal Parks wish to encourage suitably qualified people with disabilities to apply for jobs. All information will be treated in strictest confidence.

Do you consider that you have a disability? Yes No Prefer not to say

What is the nature of your disability?      

Please give details of any special needs or requirements that you may need us to make if you are invited to interview/offered employment:      

Section C: Religion or Belief and Sexual Orientation

Which religion or belief do you most associate with? Please tick one box only.

No religion Buddhist Christian Hindu Jewish

Muslim Sikh Any other religion Prefer not to say

Which sexual orientation do you most associate with? Please tick one box only.

Bisexual Gay Man Gay Woman/Lesbian Heterosexual/straight

Other Prefer not to say

Section D: National Identity

Which National Identity do you most identify with? Please tick one box only.

British English Northern Irish Scottish

Welsh Other (please specify if you wish)       Prefer not to say

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Section E: Ethnic Identity

Which Ethnic Background do you most identify with? Please tick one box only.

ASIAN OR ASIAN BRITISH:

Bangladeshi Indian Pakistani

Any Other Asian Background (please specify if you wish)      

BLACK OR BLACK BRITISH:

African Caribbean Any Other Black Background (please specify if you wish)      

CHINESE:

Any Chinese Background (please specify if you wish)      

MIXED ETHNIC BACKGROUND:

Mixed White and Asian Mixed White and Black African Mixed White and Black Caribbean

Any Other Mixed Background (please specify if you wish)      

WHITE:

Any White Background (please specify if you wish)      

OTHER ETHNIC BACKGROUND:

Any Other Ethnic Background (please specify if you wish)      

Prefer not to say

Thank you for completing these forms, please now email your final application and diversity form to vacancies@royalparks.gsi.gov.uk with the job title as the subject

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Landscape Architect

Location: Rangers Lodge, Hyde Park, with travel to all Royal Parks

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Grade and Salary: Grade II (Exec) £25,090 - £30,574

Reporting to: Head of Landscape

Important Functional Relationships:Director of Parks, Head of Parks Services, Park Managers and Assistant Park Managers, Estates Team, Major Projects Team, Community Engagement Team, Ecology and Arboriculture Teams, consultants, contractors, government organisations, local authorities, key stakeholders and members of interest groups.

Main Purpose of the Job:

To be responsible for the design and delivery of landscape projects across all the Royal Parks from the development of project briefs and feasibility studies, through detailed design, tendering, contract administration and supervision of project delivery. Provide technical support for landscape initiatives including the use of CAD, Adobe Suite and hand drawing to prepare graphic presentations. Prepare funding and award applications and provide assistance with the development and writing of Management Plans and annual Green Flag Award applications for each Park. To prepare reports, research and disseminate information to Royal Park’s staff.

Main Duties/Responsibilities:

To work closely with the Head of Landscape to design and deliver a wide range of landscape projects.

To project manage and administer contracts under the supervision of the Head of Landscape.

To draw up and prepare landscape design schemes, including the creation of project briefs and cost estimates.

To liaise with and manage consultants and other specialists through all stages of project delivery.

Be responsible for day to day organisation and management of CAD files and other software and support other team members in their use as required.

Support the development of Park Management Plans and Operational Plans.

To prepare illustrative material for stakeholder engagement, dissemination of ideas and design concepts and funding opportunities.

To work closely with the Community Engagement Team to support the delivery of consultation and stakeholder engagement activities.

To support the development of funding applications, implement grant funded projects and manage grant funding.

To develop and proof read strategic documents and project briefs as part of quality assurance procedures.

To prepare data, design and survey information as directed for documentation and presentation materials.

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Other Duties

To manage and work with Volunteers. To co-ordinate and disseminate information to others in The Royal

Parks. To support the Head of Landscape in the management of project

budgets. To liaise with stakeholders, deal with enquiries from members of the

public, contractors and others through meetings, correspondence and telephone.

Person Specification:(Please refer to the competency framework)

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COMPETENCIES / SELECTION CRITERIA Essential /

DesirabSTRATEGIC CLUSTER – SETTING DIRECTIONSeeing the Big PictureTake an active interest in expanding their knowledge of areas related to own role.

EDevelop understanding of how own and teams work supports achievement of Departmental priorities and delivery to the citizen. DChanging and ImprovingConduct regular reviews of what and who is required to make a project/activity successful and make on-going improvements. DUnderstand and apply technology to achieve efficient and effective business and personal results, including taking the lead on CAD management and TRP’s BIM Implementation Plan; review and make suggestions to improve efficiency.

E

Making Effective DecisionsSpeak with the relevant people in order to obtain the most accurate information and get advice when unsure of how to proceed. DExamine complex information and obtain further information to make accurate decisions through all stages of project design and implementation. E

PEOPLE CLUSTER – ENGAGING PEOPLELeading and CommunicatingExpress ideas effectively, both orally, in writing and graphically, and with sensitivity and respect for others. DListen to, understand, respect and accept the value of different views, ideas and ways of working. ECollaborating and PartneringProactively seek information, resources and support from others outside own immediate team in order to help achieve results. DActively encourage team working, changing ways of working to facilitate collaboration, for the benefit of the teams work. EBuilding Capability for AllTake responsibility for the quality of your own work and seek opportunities for improvement through continuous learning. EEncourage and be open to developmental feedback from others. D

PERFORMANCE CLUSTER – DELIVERING RESULTSAchieving Commercial OutcomesRecognise when deliverables and/or services derived from a commercial arrangement are not being delivered to the required level of quality or EDelivering Value for MoneyManage information and financial data so that it is accurate, easily located and reusable.

EMonitor resources against plans and budget, identify and flag up variances. EManaging a Quality ServiceWork with team to set priorities, create clear plans and manage all work to meet the needs of the customer and the business. EEnsure delivery of professional excellence and expertise. E

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Delivering at PaceCreate regular reviews of what and who is required to make a project/activity successful and make ongoing improvements. DRemain positive and focused on achieving outcomes despite setbacks to ensure that projects are delivered to a high quality and fulfil the E

Specific Role CompetenciesThe post holder should hold a relevant postgraduate qualification in Landscape Architecture/Management or equivalent professional EThe post holder should be a chartered member of the Landscape Institute. DThe post holder should have a minimum of 2 years post qualification Landscape Architect experience and be currently registered on the Pathway to Chartership (if not yet a Chartered member).

E

Membership of an appropriate professional institute e.g. LI, CiH. EA positive attitude and aptitude to pick up and use other IT programmes. EExtensive experience of MS Office programmes, AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite.

EA thorough knowledge of Health and Safety principles. DHolder of a current driving licence. DFamiliar with Prince2 project management methodology or similar. DExperience of using either JCLI, JCT or NEC3 contracts for project delivery. E

See the Civil Service competency framework for further information on civil service competencies.

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