About the job

Job summary

DWP is hiring Administrative Officers to join our growing Universal Credit (UC) team.

You’ll play an important role in helping us to deliver vital services to UK Citizens. As part of a supportive team, you’ll help us deliver an excellent customer experience to the people we advise and support.

These jobs are based in our Nottingham Universal Credit Service Centre.

This is a customer facing role, working with claimants who are adapting to significant change in the way they receive their benefits as they Move to Universal Credit. Over the phone and via email on DWP portals, you’ll help us ensure the best outcomes for all our claimants.

You’ll be taking phone calls and giving advice, education, guidance and reassurance to claimants who are moving from their existing benefits to Universal Credit, and doing the administrative work related to this change.

Job description

What you will be doing:

• Using your communication skills, you’ll support a diverse range of claimants by providing advice and guidance on our benefits services through inbound call handling and over email.
• You’ll build positive, trust-based relationships with claimants handling sensitive and challenging conversations with empathy, understanding and positivity.
• You’ll be responsible for making decisions, based on the available facts, whilst providing explanations to claimants to reduce anxiety and ensuring they receive accurate advice.
• You’ll focus on providing the right solution for each claimant, ensuring they receive the correct payment amount at the right time.
• You’ll manage cases by working with colleagues across UC and DWP, supporting claimants in their journey towards work.
• We’ll help you build an awareness of labour market policy, and its impact on claimants’ conditionality requirements.
• You’ll be able to take ownership of your professional development, with a suite of digital learning and communications resources available to you.

This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

Upon starting, all successful candidates will be expected to undertake full time training and consolidation for a minimum of 5 weeks. We are unable to offer an alternative working pattern during this period other than in exceptional circumstances and with prior agreement of the business. Once training and consolidation have been completed you will revert to your agreed working pattern. Candidates may therefore wish to decide at application stage whether, if your job application was successful and knowing the restrictions we necessarily apply as an employer, you wish to pursue your application with DWP.

Please see the candidate pack for additional information about the job role available.

Candidates should note that if successful in this campaign, you will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before applying for any other lateral moves within DWP.

Person specification

• Be competent in delivering a quality customer service, tailoring the service to meet the needs of the individual.
• Communicate well with a diverse customer base.
• Ability to work flexibly to meet changing priorities.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• Generous annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Competitive maternity, paternity, and parental leave
• Employee Assistance with emphasis on wellbeing
• Employee discount schemes

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours.

How to Apply , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk) provides advice and tips on applying for roles in the Civil Service

All prospective applicants should fully consider the candidate pack before applying.

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Customer Service Skills Test. If you successfully reach the *pass mark in the test, you will be invited to interview.

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the test is 12 August 2024 at 23:55. If you fail to complete the online test before the above 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. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/preparing-for-the-customer-service-skills-test#taking-the-test

*IMPORTANT:  After the test deadline, we will look at all applicant scores to decide what the job’s pass mark will be. We will consider the impact on protected groups and the number of invitations to the next stage. We may decide to raise the pass mark for the job - if so, you will be informed, and you will be told if you have passed or failed at the raised standard. Meeting the minimum test requirements for a job level is no guarantee of an invite to continue the selection process.

Please note there is no requirement to provide any additional information such as a CV or Personal statement on completion of the test as there will be no sift stage for this campaign. 

The interview process will consist of three Behaviour based questions based on the three Behaviours listed which will last approximately 30 minutes.

The Behaviour based questioning explores what the candidate can and has done, but also their potential.​

To help you prepare and settle into the interview you will be sent the Behaviour questions 1 week in advance of your interview to the email address used in your application (i.e. questions will be sent on Tuesday for interviews scheduled for the following Tuesday). You are advised to check your inbox and spam/junk folders regularly once your interview has been booked. These questions should be treated as confidential and should not be shared. The interview panel may ask you other questions which will not be shared in advance, including follow-up questions.

Please note that interviews will be via video using Microsoft Teams and you will need to use your personal or work device to access the video link. You will receive a link to join the interview at the appointed time through the email account you provide us with on your application. Further details regarding the interview arrangements will be included in the invitation to interview. 

Communications will be electronic and/or by telephone therefore it is vitally important that you check your Civil Service Jobs account regularly, as well as your spam/junk email folder. Telephone calls may show as a withheld number, it is important that you answer so that your interview can be confirmed.  

If the questions have not been received prior to your interview, or you have queries about applying for this role please contact the vacancy holder via nem.grouprecruitment@dwp.gov.uk

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.

Please note you will still be able to refer to your notes in the interview to support you in answering, but you should not simply be reading from a script.

Proposed Interview dates

Interview Period: 16 to 25 September 2024

Please note: If you will not be available to attend an interview within these dates please do not apply as we have no capacity to hold interviews outside that period.

Reasonable Adjustments

At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: Contact Government Recruitment Service via DWPrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 3 months, which we may also use to fill future similar vacancies. The reserve list may be used to offer future vacancies which arise in North and East Midlands Group and across the wider DWP network. Any such offers would be made in strict merit order and the location and job role would be fully explained.

You may be placed on a reserve list if your application is successful but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:

• If you are offered a role in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances*.
• If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list.

*Note - Exceptional circumstances could be when a candidate has requested a contractual Part Time Working Pattern and this pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health.

Further information

Find out more about Working for DWP

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone is valued and has a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this search: Equality and diversity - Department for Work and Pensions - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Any move to DWP from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out. 

If successful but not transferring from another Government Department, in order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk  stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

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.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

DWP takes development seriously. Our aim is for our colleagues in these roles to be appropriately skilled and qualified – as determined by the business. To support this aim you may be required to undertake a work based qualification, which may be in the form of an apprenticeship, which will support you in further developing your professional knowledge and skills for this role and your future career development. The qualification can be undertaken in work time, you agree to take this job on the basis that you may be required to undertake a work based qualification; a candidate’s failure to participate fully in the professional programme, once appointed, may be a breach of their employment contract. 

Important 

If you hold a level 3 qualification (2 A levels or equivalent) then please bring your certificates with you to the interview if you have them.

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing. Assuming DWP’s terms & conditions may result in a change to your entitlements e.g. leave.

Standard promotion rules will apply, and successful candidates will be placed on the pay scale and terms and conditions of DWP.

Please contact the vacancy holder if you have questions regarding DWP terms & conditions nem.grouprecruitment@dwp.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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.