About the RPA

Contents
1 Welcome to Defra
21 Defra’s Vision and Mission
3 Who We Are
4 Our People
5 Our CEO
6 Our Culture
7 Our Values
8 Employee Benefits
9 Learning and Development
10 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
11 Civil Service Grades Explained
12 Things You Need to Know - Security and Disability
10

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Our Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22
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Image Credit: the images contained in this document are courtesy of Defra Group
 Welcome to Defra
Why join Defra?
Our vision is to create a great place for people living in this country
In the Defra group, we deal with a vast range of issues that profoundly impact on people’s lives.

We are responsible for England’s environment, our countryside and rural economy, the food and farming sectors and have lead
responsibility for protection from a wide range of natural threats and hazards.

We have developed a set of three strategic objectives covering our policy outcomes and corporate objectives. These objectives
help us to deliver our ambitious vision to build our green and healthy future and provide a framework for all the important work we
carry out.

Our objectives are:

• To pass on to the next generation a natural environment protected and enhanced for the future.
• To lead the world in food, farming and fisheries with a sustainable model of food production.
• To be an outstanding organisation focused on making a difference, with world class delivery capability.
Useful Information
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
25 Year Environment Plan - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
 Defra’s Vision and Mission

Strengthening the union

and international:
Agriculture,
food, fisheries, Promote a green, fair and
animal welfare resilient UK and global
Floods & resilience: recovery, halt and reverse
and biosecurity:
Reduce the likelihood global declines in biodiversity,
and impact of flooding and mitigate and adapt to climate
Increase the sustainability,
coastal erosion on change, help ensure the UK
productivity and resilience
Net zero: people, businesses, has an effective border, and
of the agriculture, fishing,
communities and the contribute to a strengthened
Reduce greenhouse gas food and drink sectors,
environment and prosperous union
emissions and increase enhance biosecurity at the
carbon storage in border and raise animal
agricultural, waste, peat welfare standards
Environment: and tree planting sectors
Improve the environment to help deliver net zero
through cleaner air and
water, minimised waste,
and thriving plants and
terrestrial and marine
wildlife
Our purpose is helping agricultural and rural
communities to create a better place to live. We
do this by:
Supporting Agriculture
Delivering environmental
sustainability
Enabling innovation
Facilitating community
activities
Delivering economic
growth
Who We Are
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is an executive agency
of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(Defra) and a delivery agency for the 25 Year Environment
Plan.
As the only accredited paying agency in England, we
have responsibility for making direct aid and rural
development payments, of over £2 billion annually to
farmers and rural businesses in England.
We are committed to world class farming and land
management for the environment, food, and rural resilience.
As a voice for farmers and land managers we are
supporting them through agricultural transition, seeking to
place British farming at the forefront of environmental
good practice.
Our vision, as part of the Defra group, is to
seize opportunities to shape our future and help make our
country a great place for living. Our schemes provide
support and our services are focussed on helping economic
growth in the food and farming industry, ensuring food
stability.
Our People What do they say about life at the RPA?
Robert Londo, Environmental Stewardship Team
The highlight of my year for me is joining RPA, the
I joined the RPA in 2019 after 32 years with
support that I've received from my manager and
another Government Department. It was a
colleagues so far is excellent. I'm very pleased to
leap of faith that I am so glad I took. The
be part of RPA, Defra and the
Senior Team, and all the teams, are all so
Civil Service in general.
approachable which is often rare to find.
Melinda Fox, Personal Assistant to Chief
Operating Officer

Grace Withers, Countryside Stewardship Team

Visibility and the development of Equality, Diversity
and Inclusion policy and awareness within the RPA is
very important and while I’ve not been
here long what I’ve noticed has made
me feel a lot safer and more comfortable.
Annette Milbourn, Operational Delivery Apprentice
I feel valued and supported. I’ve had the opportunity to be
heard at meetings and events, and feel part of an
organisation that brings out the best work from me.
I have equal opportunity to progress my
career and have support with my parental
responsibilities.

The RPA is committed to promoting a

culture of inclusivity, leading to opportunities
for all. Its value- based leadership makes it is
a great place to work in.

Mohua Bhattacharya, Direct Payments Policy

Lead; Anti-Racism Lead
Our CEO
I’m really pleased you are taking an interest in the
Rural Payments Agency. I’m Paul Caldwell and I’ve
been the Chief Executive since 2017. I think this is one
of the most exciting times to be joining us! RPA is at an
important moment of change and transformation, in
what we deliver and how we do it, and we’re looking
forward to bringing new people along with us.
We’re underway delivering our 5 year strategy and I
believe we have a lot to look forward to and can make
this another successful chapter in the RPA story; one
in which we help Britain’s farmers and landowners
adapt to the changing face of their sector to support
positive environmental change.
By joining us, as well as helping us successfully deliver
to our customers and make their experience of RPA
even better, you will be joining a supportive agency.
One that is dedicated to making sure it’s a great place
to work with a strong commitment to Equality, Diversity
and Inclusion and building our organisational capability
by investing in the development of our people, as well
as living by our values.
As a leader, I want to give our people the autonomy
and confidence to take decisions at all levels and
collaborate on the things most important to them such
as making our customers’ experience even better or
helping to improve things for colleagues in the agency.
I want people to feel proud when they talk about RPA
and the work we do here, with our values guiding
everything we do both internally and externally through
to our customers and rural communities
If RPA sounds like somewhere you’d like to work and
our purpose and values mean something to you, then I
hope you will consider joining us and let us help you
reach your potential.
Paul Caldwell
Chief Executive and Accounting Officer
Our positive work environment can be
seen through our 2021 People Survey
results where

of people said their

75%
work gives them a
sense of personal
achievement

of people said they

86%
had a good balance
between their work
life and private life

was our Employee

62%
Engagement index
score, the highest

Our Culture
across Defra group

was our Inclusion

84% and Fair Treatment

score, higher than the
Civil Service average
Our Values
We have set out our ambition to become a Civil Service
exemplar for customer service and are now on the journey to Visible
that, ensuring a highly skilled and diverse workforce.
Engaging
To help achieve this every individual in RPA is committed to
working according to our values. Our values are more than just
Respectful
words on a page, they are embedded in our culture and grew Inclusive
organically from our people.
Trusted
In 2021 we were heralded for our values-based leadership in an Accountable
influential report by the Institute of Leading and Management
(ILM) and City and Guilds. The report, which can be read here, Supportive
cited our:
• Positive work culture post-COVID-19
• Wellbeing of employees, including all employees Each value is aligned with our purpose,
feeling able to speak ‘truth to power’ regardless of people, vision or learning and
grade or who they are. development. They reflect how we
• Recognition of employees through our awards work, how we treat our customers and
• Alignment of professional and personal values each other.
 Benefits of working for the RPA
We understand there is more to work than salary. We offer
a whole host of fantastic benefits to our colleagues.

Civil Service Generous Recognition Wellbeing Employee Travel to Work

Pension annual leave schemes Support Discounts Schemes

Boasting a RPA offers 25 Praise and We have Exclusive We offer interest

fantastic Civil days’ annual recognition is many networks employee free loans for
Service leave (rising, embedded in our available to our discounts are purchasing
backed over 5 years, culture. We have people, on-hand available to a quarterly or
pension with to 30 days) for annual awards mental health wide range of season bus and
Employer full time new and colleagues first aiders high street and train tickets
contributions entrants to the can nominate and free access supermarkets! between your
of 26.6%. Civil Service. others for to the Headspace As well as home and office.
Our people vouchers for mobile app. We discounts for As well
receive 8 online and high offer flexible gym as interest-free
public holidays street brand to working including memberships loans towards
a year, plus an recognise good home working, and days out the cost of a
additional day work. compressed for family and bike and the
for the King’s hours and flexible friends. Cycle to Work
birthday locations scheme.
Learning and Development
Enabling everyone to get involved, whoever they are, whatever they do,
wherever they are.
No two learning and development journeys are the same, but here are just a few of the tools and
opportunities available to our people to help you in your role and future career alongside a
minimum of five dedicated days for your learning each year.

Qualifications Customer Excellence Training Shadowing

From Apprenticeships to ODP
Qualifications, we support a range
of externally professionally and
nationally recognised qualifications.
Whether its project management,
customer service, data analytics or
people skills we’ll help you get the
qualification that’s right for you.
Delivered by our fantastic training
team and supported by our leaders,
the Customer Excellence
qualification comprises of 3 levels
to develop understanding of
customer service and encourage
continuous improvement. Providing
the skills to succeed in any role.
With our growing Operational
Delivery Profession community,
there are a variety of opportunities
to shadow different job areas and
other government departments to
broaden your knowledge and
understanding of other roles as well
as develop new skills.

Mentoring/Coaching Leadership Training Volunteering & Training Leave

We provide access to advice and
support from employees across
Defra group for a range of topics
including managing wellbeing,
personal resilience and work life
balance, as well as coaching
networks to get advice from senior
figures.
For those aspiring to be the leaders
of the future, there are loads of
resources to help you to develop
the skills necessary to manage
projects and teams effectively.
We have a range of initiatives to
promote volunteering. We offer a
minimum of 3 days volunteering a
year for causes that matter to
you! We also fully support
reservists and offer 15 days’ special
leave with pay for training.
 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
RISE are our four fundamental
themes to create an equal, diverse
and inclusive place to work
We passionately believe in equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and
R Respect we match that belief with action. Our senior leaders talk authentically
and enthusiastically about what they are doing personally to support
EDI.
I Include
We are committed to being an organisation where fairness and
S Support equality of opportunity are central to our approach in business and
working relationships and where the organisational culture reflects
E Engage and supports these values.

We have many active staff networks including Age, Mental health,

You can read more in our strategy.
Cancer, Carers, Disability, EU nationals, Ethnic Minority, Faith,
LGBAT+, Social Mobility, Women and Work life Balance. They also
support and promote national events such as National Inclusion
Week, LGBT and Black History Months across our agency.

We run internal programmes to support staff in achieving their

full potential including our EDI campaign “Who Am I?” sharing
people's stories about their lived experiences and support they have
accessed so others can find support if they are having a similar
experience.

We will consider any workplace adjustments to enable applicants

with a disability to meet the requirements of the post and strive to go
beyond our legal requirements under the Equality Act 2010.
Civil Service Grades Explained
Where could a career in the Civil Service take you?

AO EO HEO SEO G7 G6 SCS

Administrative Executive Officer Higher Executive Senior Executive Grade 7 Grade 6 Senior Civil
Officer Officer Officer Servant

Work in a Work across Work across the Interact with Responsible for Have line Responsible for
supporting a range of areas full range of policy businesses or setting priorities, management policy work of their
administrative role including first Line and middle governments at a targets and responsibilities for team, overseeing
in Operational Management in management in senior level. They allocating team large teams. They directors and
Delivery with no Operational Operational work across policy responsibilities. may lead large working closely
line management Delivery. They’re Delivery. They and Operational Accountable for Operational with department’s
responsibilities involved in make significant Delivery roles. outcomes in their Delivery Teams or ministers, leading
within a team problem solving, contributions They contribute policy or several complex Operational
structure. business planning toward decision- significantly to high operational work streams, Delivery for an
and policy, under making at the very level decision- delivery area, they with stakeholders organisation or
the direction of highest levels of making. develop in several across
team leaders. government. specialisms in their connected Government
area. departmental Departments.
functions.

Equivalent job Equivalent job Equivalent job Equivalent job Equivalent job Equivalent job Equivalent job
titles: Office titles: Supervisor, titles: Supervisor, titles: Senior titles: Manager titles: Operations titles: Directors,
Administrator, Office Manager. Senior Advisor Team Leader, and Deputy Manager, Senior Chief Executive
and Executive Junior Manager Operations Manager Officers
Assistant. Senior Supervisor Manager
Things you need to know
Pre-Employment Checks
Everyone employed in the Civil Service is subject to
security checks.
These security checks, known as pre-employment checks,
are conducted to verify your: identity, employment
history; right to work; eligibility under nationality rules; and
any unspent criminal convictions.
These checks ensure that candidates are entitled to work in
the UK and possess the honesty, integrity and values
for government-related work.
Depending on the level of checks needed for the role, you
may need to provide at least three documents so we can
evidence your identity, nationality, full
permanent address, signature and date of birth.
These would include:
• Current British Passport
• Birth Certificate - issued within 12 months of Birth
• Bank, building society or credit card statement*
• Original utility bill*
• Marriage certificate/Civil Partnership certificate
• Letter from head teacher or college principal
(if under 19 years and still in full time education)
Documents marked with an *must be dated within
the last 3 months and clearly show your current address.
The full list of acceptable documents will be provided to you
if we wish to make you an offer of employment. Only
original documents
will be accepted; photocopies and online documents
(e.g. bank statements, e-bills, eP60’s etc.) cannot be accepted.
Eligible candidates may be selected to use of Identity Document
Validation Technology (IDVT) to complete the Right To
Work/Basic DBS element of the security checks.
Recruitment Process Expenses
Unfortunately, we will not be able to reimburse you for
any expenses incurred during the recruitment process.
Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles
Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the
basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service
Commission’s Recruitment Principles. The Civil Service
Commission has two primary functions:
• Providing assurance that selection for appointment to the Civil
Service is on merit on the basis of fair and
open competition.
• Hearing and determining appeals made by Civil Servants
under the Civil Service Code which sets out the Civil Service
values – Honesty, Integrity, Impartiality and Objectivity.
More detailed information can be found at the Civil
Service Commission website
http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/.
Things you need to know
Disability Confident Scheme for Disabled Persons
and Reasonable Adjustments
We are part of the Disability Confident Scheme (for further
information on the scheme please visit this website).
If you have a disability defined by the equality Act 2010 you’re
eligible to be considered for the Disability Confident
Scheme. In order to qualify you must have a physical or
mental impairment which has a substantial and long term
negative effect on your ability to carry out normal day to day
activities (for Further information regarding disabilities covered
under the equality act please visit this website).
Reasonable adjustments for Disability Confident Scheme
applicants that can be made during the selection/recruitment
process/ interview /assessment include; allowing extra time
during selection tests; ensuring that information is provided in
an accessible format or; by providing training. We are also
committed to interviewing all applicants with a disability who
meet the minimum criteria for the role applied for so please
indicate this on your application form.
If you feel that you may need a reasonable adjustment to be
made, or you would like to discuss the disability confident
scheme in more detail please contact us in the first instance.
If you wish to receive a hard copy of the information, or in an
alternative format e.g. Audio, Braille or large font then please
contact: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
A Great Place to Work for Veterans
We offer the Great Place to Work for Veterans scheme which
makes it easier for veterans to secure interviews for Civil Service
roles. Under this scheme veterans who meet the minimum
criteria for a role will progress to the next stage of selection
(for further information please click here.)
To be eligible for this scheme in the Civil Service you must:
•have served for at least a year in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces
(as a Regular or Reserve) – this includes time spent training
•be in transition from or ceased to be a member of the armed
forces
•not already be a civil servant, or be employed by a Civil Service
Commission accredited public body
There is no maximum time limit from when you have left the
armed forces to be eligible for this initiative. Any attempt to use
this initiative fraudulently may result in a candidate’s application
being terminated.
Equal Opportunities
Defra group values equality and diversity in employment. We are
committed to being an organisation in which fairness and equality
of opportunity is central to the approach in business and working
relationships and where the organisational culture reflects and
supports these values. In RPA you have the right to a working
environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and
victimisation regardless of race, ethnic or national origin, age,
religion, sex, gender identity, marital status, disability, sexual
orientation, working hours, trade union membership or trade
union activity.
Contact us
If you have any queries about this document please contact
defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk