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.
Diversity and inclusion are two of our biggest priorities and we recognise they are a work in progress. We aim to establish a workforce which reflects the society we serve, and DHSC welcomes applications from all. We are especially interested to hear from gender diverse, disabled, LGBT+ candidates, and candidates from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds, including Black, Asian, mixed and other ethnic groups. Diversity of experience helps us improve outcomes and reduce inequalities across health and social care, and helps ensure the Department becomes a more inclusive place to work. We also welcome applications from people with experience of working in the social care sector. We view flexible working and inclusive leadership as essential for all our employees.

This role is within the Adult Social Care Group and sits within the newly formed Innovation and Improvement Unit. This unit seeks to support the sector and local authorities to trial, adopt and scale new approaches to planning, managing and delivering care. 

This is an exciting role which offers a unique blend of policy development and project delivery, combining strategic vision setting with on the ground impact to drive real change for the people who draw on care. New and innovative digital approaches to assessing and delivering care are increasingly critical to delivering the change and improvement needed in social care. The ASC Digital Policy Advisor would be responsible for managing the day-to-day delivery of interventions to support the digital social care market and will support the development of long-term strategy.

This role would suit people who are comfortable navigating complex stakeholder environments to build consensus and drive change across local authorities and the care market. The role holder would be expected to support both the development of long-term digital policy and to manage day-to-day project delivery.

Job description

This role will focus on supporting local authorities and private sector suppliers to improve the digital systems used to monitor and deliver care. This will require the role holder to work across a complex stakeholder landscape including multiple central government departments, local government, the private sector and more to develop and deliver a set of interventions to support and improve the market delivering these systems.

The Digital Policy Advisor will be primarily responsible for the day-to-day project management and delivery of programmes in the digital social care market focusing on improving technical infrastructure. They will also support the development of the long-term strategy for this market, through market research and analysis, building relationships with key stakeholders, and preparing materials for communication and presentation.

This is a unique opportunity in government to blend high-level, ambitious strategy setting with day-to-day project management and delivery. As such this role will play a crucial part in enabling the delivery of the government's reform agenda for Adult Social Care as set out in the 'Next Steps to put People at the Heart of Care' and 'Care Data Matters'.

This role will provide significant opportunities for learning and development. Working in such a broad stakeholder landscape will provide opportunities to build relationships and gain exposure to multiple aspects of government policy-setting and delivery, including exposure to senior leaders in the Civil Service. Combining both strategy and delivery will allow the role holder to develop both these skillsets, while gaining a better understanding of the necessary links between them.

Person specification

Role responsibilities

The role holder will be responsible for:

• Supporting the development of long-term strategy by building an understanding of the ASC digital market drawing on a wide range of evidence
• Assisting communications with senior leaders across government and with key external stakeholders by drafting materials and presenting
• Developing and managing effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders to inform understanding of policy, project delivery and monthly reporting
• Leading on project management and delivery for the Digitising & Streamlining Assessments programme
• Building effective networks across central and local government, and the wider social care sector to achieve your objectives, developing ways of working that enhance collaboration and visibility across teams
• Producing succinct briefing and lines for public use, and draft clear and accurate responses to PQs, correspondence and other such requests
• Taking a proactive role in shaping the ongoing development and improvement of the team’s culture and approach

Key skills and experience required for this role

• Experience of managing projects of diverse teams delivering to challenging deadlines
• Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships
• Experience of developing and delivering comprehensive strategies
• Proven track record of effectively communicating complex messages
• Ability to assess a variety of qualitative and quantitative data to reach decisions

Flexible working location requirements

Your normal place of work will be your contractual primary workplace, usually either London or Leeds.  Within DHSC we offer non-contractual hybrid working. The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time spent in the office, enabling in person interaction and collaboration and enhancing team working, learning, and support. 

You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas and some travel may be required across the DHSC estate. 

Opportunities for some working from home may be available; other flexible working options may be discussed with the hiring manager in line with individual circumstances and business need. 

There are a limited number of DHSC colleagues who have existing agreed homeworking contracts resulting from Our Future Estate Programme 2023-2024. Colleagues covered by these arrangements are eligible to apply for this role whilst continuing their agreed existing home working arrangement. Occasional travel to DHSC offices or other locations may still be required according to business need. Travel and subsistence will be provided in line with the pre-agreed homeworker arrangements.    

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,188, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £8,690 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: W/C 08/04/2024

Interview date: expected W/C 22/04/2024

Interview location: By video

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

Applications will be sifted on 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.  

An initial sift based on CV and the lead behaviour of 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. 

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 

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

Please note that applicants will require BPSS clearance.

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

Further Information

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.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.