JOB APPLICATION: Delivering Value for Money!

[Carolhh]

bit stuck on this question, I know about the star format for competencies, its in Civil service. but I'm really struggling what to write for an example for this...i could say about resources being used properly not wasting but can't write much about this.

can someone please explain what delivering value for money means thanks,.

Self assessment of cost effectiveness of previous expenditure?

Can you talk about some process you've made more efficient - either in terms of time or money saved? Making sure the customer gets the right response first time so save time spent on future phone calls to complaints dept? Listening to client to ascertain they need washing machine x not y so saving time and money installing the correct product and getting repeat business?

Have you read the guidance for the competencies?

www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-competency-framework

They outline specific behaviours that are expected at each grade. I'm sure you can think of something you've done in the past that would cover it.

What level role are you applying for? The competency framework link above will give you examples of expected behaviour at the level you are looking at.

Mehfruitttea
its HEO level
do i have to explain all the points or can I just pick one or two and elaborate on those?
thanks

some points they want me to include are :
Recommend actions to achieve value for money and
efficiency
Cultivate and encourage an awareness of cost, using clear
simple examples of benefits and how to measure outcomes
Work confidently with performance management and
financial data to prepare forecasts and manage and monitor
budget against agreed plans
Follow appropriate financial procedures to monitor contracts
to ensure deliverables are achieved
Monitor the use of resources in line with organisational
procedures and plans and hold team to account

should I include all of these in my example or just a few? can someone please elaborate/explain how to go about including these points in my answer...

Find your strongest example or 2 that covers most of those areas. If you are limited on words then try to use ones that are simple to explain so that you can focus on what you did to achieve it.

An example might be about reorganising a filing system or changing suppliers. Tell them everything you did to make a decision then implement the change. Did you need to make a business case first? What did you consider etc.

Best of luck

Ideally you'd cover all or most of those behaviours, but it's hard to advise without knowing what the role is or wheee your experience is. Your answer might be about considering options and weighing up outcomes vs cost, or deciding to do something to a good rather than perfect standard, so resources can be used to better effect elsewhere. Make sure it's a specific example of a piece of work rather than generalisations, though. Good luck!

It's probably something about reducing colour copying you're looking for

I used for my G7 example for VFM dealing with an academy trust who had requested £1.8m of nonrepayable funding to make redundancies, who had a few million in their reserves so could afford to pay for it without additional funding. I explained how I negotiated with the trust, reducing the amount requested and crucially, gaining their agreement that they would repay the money that they were eventually given (£400k, so a massive saving for our budget). Then talked about public money and being able to justify to the PAC.

At HEO it's more likely to be how you identify a cost saving measure (for example, calculating costs of meetings based on people's hourly pay, and reducing the length so becoming more efficient) and then convince a senior manager to sponsor your suggestion and implement it. Good luck!

thank you my background is in admin
also done volunteering in various organisations such as charity shops, IT training, citizens advice bureaus where I managed a team, teaching, etc.

the job I was applying for is www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cgi?SID=b3duZXI9NTA3MDAwMCZwYWdlY2xhc3M9Sm9icyZzZWFyY2hfc2xpY2VfY3VycmVudD0xJnBhZ2VhY3Rpb249dmlld3ZhY2J5am9ibGlzdCZjc291cmNlPWNzZnNlYXJjaCZ1c2Vyc2VhcmNoY29udGV4dD0zMjUwNDI1NCZqb2JsaXN0X3ZpZXdfdmFjPTE1Mjc1MDcmb3duZXJ0eXBlPWZhaXImcmVxc2lnPTE0ODYzODY3NTctZDhiOTQ4NmE0NzNlMmZiZTZjMzcwMzJhOGJmZTAzYzBiMTlkN2YxOA==

that is just one example but there are various jobs that appear on that site so looking to apply for any at that grade

Sounds interesting. Worth looking at BIS and the impact of the machinery of government changes though, as there are a lot of staff changes going on here. I lf you have a strong example from your volunteering of how you have saved money or managed with a limited budget that would work well. Remember to use the STAR format for your competencies - what was the situation, the task you had to complete, the action you took and the result.