About the job

Job summary

In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you’d like to work in, we’d love to hear from you.

The Social Care Group in DHSC works to deliver adult social care reform and to support the operational resilience of the adult social care system, to improve outcomes for people who draw on care. Our 10-year vision for adult social care puts people at its heart and revolves around 3 objectives: 

• People have choice, control and support to live independent lives.
• People can access outstanding quality and tailored care and support.
• People find adult social care fair and accessible.

The Engagement Team is a friendly, collaborative, and driven team. We set the strategy for how the Social Care Group get stakeholder input to inform policy development and delivery planning, as well as improve awareness amongst stakeholders of what government is doing. We engage a wide range of stakeholders, including people with lived experience of providing and drawing on adult social care.

Job description

In this role you will lead the Engagement Team to support the Director General for Adult Social Care and Ministers to set the strategy for engagement and external communications on adult social care. You will drive forwards key elements of this strategy to maximise the opportunity for and effectiveness of engagement and communications. You will play a crucial strategic link role between the Social Care Group and key stakeholders. You will make sure relationships with stakeholders are managed well, engagement is well planned, and communications are informative and inclusive.

You will do this by developing strong personal relationships with key external stakeholders, and a deep understanding of the interests and perspectives of stakeholders. You will also work closely with policy and communications teams across DHSC, and maintain a detailed understanding of their policy development and delivery plans.

This is a high-profile role, and you will regularly interact with senior officials and Ministers, shaping and supporting their engagement with stakeholders and external communications.

Person specification

The successful candidate will be responsible for:

• Developing and delivering the Social Care Group’s stakeholder and communications strategy
• Building excellent working relationships and communication channels with stakeholders, ensuring stakeholders are informed and engaged in the development and delivery of the Social Care Group’s programme of work
• Coordinating engagement and communications taking place across the Social Care Group, ensuring coherence in messaging and approach, and the dissemination of intelligence and insights
• Supporting ministers and senior officials by providing high quality briefing and advice
• Developing a high-performing team, made up of three direct reports, and setting clear objectives

The successful candidate will have:

• Experience of planning and delivering effective engagement with stakeholders
• Experience of drafting and briefing seniors
• Verbal and written communication skills and the ability to adapt communication to meet the needs of different audiences
• Organisational skills and the ability to balance multiple priorities
• Leadership skills and the ability to develop and set direction for a team

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £53,116, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £14,354 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

Sift date: expected W/C 08/01/2024

Interview date: expected W/C 22/01/2024

Interview location: By video

The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores. 

Applications will be sifted on their CV and Behaviours.  

Please use your CV to set out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role. These can be found in the ‘key skills and experience required for the role’ section of the advert.  

Please complete statements on the specified Behaviours (250 word max per statement).

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

An initial sift based on the Behaviour: 'Communicating and Influencing' may be held if a large number of applications are received. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.  

At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviours and Strengths.

Candidates will be asked a presentation which will assess the Behaviour: 'Leadership'. Details of the presentation question will be issued to candidates with the release of the sift scores.

To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here and to find out more information on how to apply visit the Civil Service Careers Website here 

Further Information

Applicants who are appointable but were not successful in appointment to this vacancy, may be held on a reserve list for up to 12 months, and contacted if similar vacancies become available. 

Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate. 

Please note that applicants will require BPSS clearance.

Any move to DHSC 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

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

Contact Government Recruitment Service via dhscrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ 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 successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

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.

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

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.

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

This role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Terms and Conditions

Candidates should note that DHSC’s Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful. 

New Entrants to the Civil Service

New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions:

• Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
• Privilege Leave: 1 day - for the King’s birthday
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months’ full pay and five months’ half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Probation: 6 month probation period

Existing Civil Service staff transferring from another Government department, on either level transfer or promotion

All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above). 

Existing DHSC staff, appointed on either level transfer or promotion

If DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSC’s pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).

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.