About the job

Job summary

We are looking for an Application Engineer in Contact Centre and associated channels to join our community of tech experts in DWP Digital.

We're driving a once-in-a-generation transformation of government services, using fresh ideas and leading-edge technologies to create innovative, scalable, and user-centric digital solutions.

DWP’s Contact Centre is one of the largest in Europe and provides the primary communication paths between the UK’s biggest public service department and the 20 million claimants and customers who use the DWP’s welfare, pensions and child maintenance services.

The Contact Centre is a critical strategic asset delivering to the heart of the Governments objectives.

The scale of what we do is extraordinary, and our purpose is unique.

We'd love you to join us.

Job description

As an Application Engineer, you will be part of the DWP’s Next Generation Contact Centre (NGCC) team involved in developing and supporting Contact Centre technologies including Conversational Platform and the future Contact Centre Modernisation Programme.

Our team is responsible for ensuring best practices and DWP Standards are adhered to across the department and guiding teams on how to deliver quality Applications.

You will be responsible for the operational stability of the application solutions and be in a position to affect change in the on-going robustness and resilience of those products.

You will assist in the design of Application services in collaboration with Architecture and Engineering principles. With a focus on operational stability, robustness, resilience, availability, and quality you will be accountable for Application solutions.

As an Application Engineer, you will deal with the day to day management and development of Application products and contribute towards their design.

You will collaborate with seniors and own Application Development Lifecycle Process as part of a delivery team focused on one or more products.

You will provide input into systems integrations and architecture and have ownership of technical documents and processes as well as contribute and share knowledge and good practice with the wider Application Engineering community.

You will also provide 2nd line support on products developed, including out of hours support as and when required.

This role will be part of multi-disciplinary team providing technical support on specific applications.

The successful candidate may also be required to:

• Deliver application training to teams across DWP Digital.
• Prepare maintenance plans and upgrading schedules for the system.
• Develop reports for teams across the business.
• Facilitate communication of technical findings, models, and insights to different technical and non-technical audiences.
• Provide coaching and mentoring to Application Engineer colleagues and peers.

Person specification

As part of the application process, you should demonstrate how you meet the following Essential Criteria:

• Ability to use application management software and tools to investigate and resolve issues, collect performance statistics and create reports with analysis.

• Able to co-ordinate build activities and understands how to undertake and support integration testing activities.

• Ability to understand the strategic drivers for your area of work. Align activities to contribute to wider organisational priorities.

• Drafts and maintains procedures and documentation for applications support. Manages application enhancements to improve business performance.

• Domain/Software experience such as Genesys applications (including core contact centre, Routing, Reporting, WFM and Desktop), Verint, Omilia and Nuance.

If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact sam.hackett@dwp.gov.uk.

Benefits

• An employer pension contribution of up to 27% For further information please click here.
• Annual leave rising up to 30 days, (based on your working pattern).
• Family friendly flexible working arrangements, such as hybrid working, job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Learning and development tailored to your role this could include industry recognised qualifications, coaching and mentoring. 
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join staff networks including: Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

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.

Salary Information

London Pay for this role is from £45,724 to £47,986.

The maximum salary for the grade is £47,986, however a Digital Allowance of up to £2,733 per annum is available for exceptional candidates, based on our assessment of your skills and experience.

National Pay for this role is from £40,201 to £43,347.

The maximum salary for the grade is £43,347, however a Digital Allowance of up to £7,372 per annum is available for exceptional candidates, based on our assessment of your skills and experience.

Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated at interview.

Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer should maintain their current salary.

Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion may move to the bottom of the next grade pay scale or 10% increase in salary whichever would be the greater.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Stage 1: Application

Applications must include:

1. A completed Personal Details application form.

2. A curriculum vitae including education, professional qualifications and full employment history, giving details of key achievements. 

When uploading your CV, do not include personal information or links to any webpages or profiles that identifies you. This means we can recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity. Take out references to your name/title, age, sex, email address, postal address, telephone number or nationality/immigration status.

When giving details in your CV you should highlight your experience in line with Essential Criteria listed in the Person Specification.

When giving details of your redacted CV, you should therefore include details of the work and projects that you have been involved in, and your role therein.

For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital.

Important information

• Please attach your redacted CV as a separate additional document in either PDF or word format.
• If your CV contains any personal details your application may be withdrawn.

Stage 2: Interview

If you’re successful at sift stage you will be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. There, you will be assessed against the experiences listed in the essential criteria.

Interviews will take place from Late February/Early March.

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.

Further information:

Find out more about Working for DWP

For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. 

Reserve list candidates will be posted in merit order by location. 

Reasonable Adjustment

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 DigitalRecruitment.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.

For further information on reasonable adjustments, terms and conditions and how we recruit visit the How We Recruit, page

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.