About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.  

Do you have experience working in a project/programme environment and are enthusiastic about developing your skills further?

Can you gain rapport quickly with others and have excellent communication skills?

Are you highly organised and using big picture thinking can look beyond the status quo to make improvements?

If so, this is an exciting time to join the newly created Local Transport Portfolio Office and actively shape how it functions across the Directorate, and we would love for you to apply!

Job description

Most journeys made in this country are short and local. They are the journeys that we all make, if not every day, many times a month, whether they are by car, bus, tram, walking or cycling. As such, the Local Transport directorate is right at the heart of the Department for Transport’s business. Our work makes a huge difference to the daily lives of millions, across England and across the UK.  

The Local Improvement, Transport User and Portfolio division (LITUP) sits within the Local Transport directorate. LITUP provides a Portfolio Management Office function to support the wider Directorate.  

This is an exciting time to join the newly created Local Transport Portfolio Office and actively shape how it functions across the Directorate. Local Transport is responsible for funding a wide range of programmes within Local Authorities from Zero Emission Buses to the Levelling Up Fund. The Local Transport Portfolio Office has an oversight over all Local Transport funding programmes and will act as the central hub for place-based intelligence on Local Transport Project Delivery. The Portfolio Office also supports senior decision making at investment committees such as the (Roads & Local Investment Committee) RIC, the Investment Portfolio and Delivery Committee (IPDC) and at a Ministerial level.  

Responsibilities

Key accountabilities of the role include:

• Delivering a brand-new work stream for the Local Transport Portfolio Office as portfolio benefits lead. Mapping benefits across the portfolio, their contribution to modal and departmental objectives and understanding where there are gaps and prioritising which elements of the process to implement first. 
• Design and deliver a benefits gap analysis for the Local Transport Portfolio through a bottom-up approach to apply benefits realisation into programme management for the existing programmes. 
• Develop clear vision and standards and advocate the use of best practice benefits management, tools and processes. 
• Support the Head of Local Transport Portfolio Office in preparing and developing the IPDC (tier 1) biannual portfolio report and tier 2 reporting where required. Leading on elements relating to benefits realisation and dependencies.
• Managing the relationships with a number of Local Transport programmes across the Portfolio, liaising directly with programme teams to ensure that reporting is provided on time. Building good working relationships with these teams so that risks and issues can be communicated effectively and supporting them where required.

For an in-depth insight into the role please refer to the Role Profile.

Person specification

About you

To thrive in this role, you will have experience working in a project/programme management environment. You are organised and can deal with uncertainty. You keep in mind the bigger picture and look beyond the status quo to see how things could be improved.  

You will have excellent communication skills and someone who gains rapport quickly with others to build effective working relationships with stakeholders working on a variety of programmes promoting open and honest conversations.  

You are adept at managing and co-ordinating different workstreams and ensure work is to a high quality taking into account potential impacts and risks. You will work well within a team and possess leadership skills, enabling you to guide and motivate colleagues and stakeholders toward success.

You are enthusiastic about being a subject matter expect on project delivery principles such as benefits management through exposure on the job and training and champion best practice across the Directorate and beyond.   

You will hold an AMP Project management, PRINCE2 or equivalent project management qualification or have the willingness to work towards gaining this.

Additional Information

A minimum of 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance.

Occasional Travel may be required on an ad hoc basis for Away Days, site visits etc.  

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement, for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 3 days per week. 

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance. 

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport

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.

How to apply 

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a CV and Personal Statement (1000 words). Please tailor your CV to suit the role. For your Personal Statement, please provide detailed evidence of the following:

• Keeping in mind the bigger picture and looking at ways to improve things in an uncertain environment.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to gain rapport quickly and build effective working relationships with stakeholders working on a variety of projects or programmes.
• Experience working in a project/programme environment with understanding of project management principles and governance processes.

The sift is due to take place 18th & 19th January 2024.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held 1st & 2nd February 2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:

• An interview and presentation

This interview could be conducted online via Teams or face to face at one of our offices. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within. 

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. 

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website. 

Reasonable Adjustments 

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, DfT is committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

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

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

Document Accessibility

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 job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

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.

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.